85% would make this again

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Q: Why did my sandwich cookies spread?

Cookies spread when the fat softens too fast in the oven or the dough ratio is off. Too much butter or sugar, not enough flour or cornflour and when the dough is too warm before baking. Chilling the shaped cookies and avoiding over-creaming are two of the most consistent fixes home bakers and test kitchens recommend.

Q: How do I keep sandwich cookies from spreading?

Work with cool, not greasy, butter, weigh or spoon and level your flour, add a little cornflour if you want extra edge-holding and chill the cut shapes on the tray (or flash-freeze) before baking - that combo keeps shapes sharp. Also bake on parchment or silicone, not a greased tray, and remove the cookies when the edges look set.

Q: What is the best filling for sandwich cookies?

There’s no single best filling - choose by texture and storage needs: medium-firm ganache gives rich chocolate flavour and chills firm. Buttercream is easy to pipe and stays stable at room temp and marshmallow or stabilized cream cheese brings different tastes but may need refrigeration. For neat hearts and windows, pick a filling you can pipe cleanly and that won’t run.

Q: Can you freeze sandwich cookies?

Yes, you can freeze baked cookies but for best results freeze undecorated or unfilled cookies and add fillings after thawing. Some fillings like ganache or firm buttercream freeze better than loose dairy fillings and may change texture after thawing. Flash-freeze in a single layer then stack with parchment between layers in an airtight container.

Q: How do I make heart cutout sandwich cookies hold their shape?

Roll the dough evenly, chill the rolled sheet, cut the shapes and chill the cut cookies on the tray for 20 to 40 minutes (or pop them briefly in the freezer) before baking; a sharp cutter and a thin metal spatula to transfer shapes also help keep crisp outlines. Small amounts of cornflour in the dough reduce spread without making the cookie dry.

Q: How do I stop the filling from leaking out of sandwich cookies?

Use a pipeable filling that is thick enough to hold its shape, pipe a ring of filling near the edge to contain the centre, don’t overfill and sandwich only once both cookies and filling are cool or slightly chilled. If you plan to leave cookies at room temperature for a while, choose ganache or a firmer buttercream over loose cream cheese or whipped fillings.

Vish G

December 10, 2025

You might fall harder for these Chocolate Sandwich Cookies than for any Valentine date, thanks to their cute heart cut-outs and creamy center. They’re simple to make and look like they came from a boutique bakery. Share them or keep them all to yourself, either way you’ll love this romantic treat idea.

PREP TIME

30 MIN

COOK TIME

11 MIN

SERVINGS

Ingredients

For the chocolate cookies
170 g (12 tbsp / 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
200 g (1⅔ cups) plain/all purpose flour
30 g (¼ cup) cocoa powder
2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp fine salt
For the cream filling
120 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
240–300 g (2 to 2½ cups) icing sugar/powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 tbsp milk, as needed for a smooth filling
For decorating
Small heart sprinkles or coloured sprinkles
Extra icing sugar if you want the filling slightly firmer

Instructions

Add the butter and sugar to a bowl and mix until smooth and creamy but not fluffy.
Mix in the egg and vanilla until fully combined.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, cornflour, baking powder and salt. Stir until the dough comes together and no dry spots remain.
Divide the dough into two flat discs, wrap them lightly and chill for 20 to 30 minutes so the dough firms up.
Roll one disc between two sheets of baking paper to about a quarter inch thickness. Chill the rolled sheet for 10 to 15 minutes so cutting is easier.
Cut out circles for the cookies, then use a small heart cutter to remove the centre of half of them. Place all cut shapes onto a lined baking tray.
Chill the cut cookies on the tray for 20 to 40 minutes so they bake with sharp edges and hold the heart shape.
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges look set. Let them cool on the tray for a few minutes, then move them to a rack to cool fully.
Make the filling by beating the butter until creamy. Add the icing sugar a little at a time with the vanilla. Add a small splash of milk only if needed to reach a smooth thick pipeable texture.
Once the cookies are completely cool, pipe the filling onto the flat side of the whole cookies. Keep the filling a little thicker near the centre so it shows nicely through the heart cut-out.
Place the cookie tops with the heart cut-out gently over the filling and press very lightly to hold them in place.
Add a few sprinkles inside the heart window so they sit on the filling and stay visible just like in the photo.
Chill the finished cookies for 15 to 20 minutes so the filling sets cleanly.
Enjoy or store in an airtight container. They keep well at room temperature for a day or in the fridge for several days.