America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated LogoAmerica's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Chocolate-Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies

By David Yu

Published on July 2, 2024

Time

2 hours, plus 20 minutes chilling

Yield

Makes 12 sandwich cookies

Chocolate-Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

1¼ cups (6¼ ounces) all-purpose flour 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6¼ ounces) graham flour ¾ cup (5¼ ounces) sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled5 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons molasses 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

6 tablespoons water, divided2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin ¼ cup light corn syrup ⅔ cup (4⅔ ounces) sugar ⅛ teaspoon table salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (9 ounces chopped fine, 3 ounces grated)1 tablespoon coconut oil

Before You Begin

Graham flour, also known as stone-ground whole-wheat flour, is coarser and less processed than conventional whole-wheat flour. The marshmallow filling quickly starts to set after whipping, so have everything ready to assemble the cookies in step 7 before you begin.

Instructions

    for the cookies

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parch ment paper. Whisk all-purpose flour, graham flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in bowl of stand mixer. Add melted butter, water, molasses, and vanilla. Using paddle attachment, mix until dough comes together, about 20 seconds.
  2. Transfer dough to counter and divide into 2 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep remaining piece covered with plastic wrap), roll into 12-inch circle, ⅛ inch thick, between 2 large sheets of parchment. Remove top piece of parchment. Using 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into 8 rounds; carefully transfer rounds to prepared sheets, spacing ½ inch apart. Gently reroll scraps into 8-inch circle, ⅛ inch thick, then cut into 4 rounds and transfer to sheets.
  3. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are set, about 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer sheet to wire rack and let cookies cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 day.)
  4. for the filling

  5. Whisk 3 tablespoons water and gelatin together in clean, dry bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Let sit until very firm, about 5 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, combine corn syrup and remaining 3 tablespoons water in small saucepan. Pour sugar and salt into center of saucepan (do not let sugar hit saucepan sides). Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, gently swirling saucepan, until sugar has dissolved completely and mixture registers 240 degrees, 4 to 6 minutes.
  7. Turn mixer speed to low and carefully pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture, avoiding whisk and sides of bowl. Gradually increase speed to high and whip until mixture is very thick and stiff and coats whisk, about 7 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated, about 15 seconds.
  8. To assemble, place 12 cookies upside down on counter. Working with 1 cookie at a time, place 2 tablespoons marshmallow filling in center of cookie and spread evenly with back of spoon. Place second cookie on top of filling, right side up, and gently press and twist until filling is even with edges of cookies. Let sit for 15 minutes until filling is set.
  9. Line baking sheet with clean sheet of parchment. Microwave chopped chocolate in medium bowl at 50 percent power, stirring often, until about two-thirds melted, 2 to 4 minutes. (Melted chocolate should not be much warmer than body temperature; check by holding bowl in palm of your hand.) Add grated chocolate and coconut oil and stir until smooth, returning to microwave for no more than 5 seconds at a time to finish melting if necessary.
  10. Rotate filling-exposed side of 1 sandwich cookie in chocolate until filling and cookie edges are fully covered. Place sandwich cookie in chocolate and, using 2 forks, gently flip to fully coat all sides. Lift cookie out of chocolate with fork. Using offset spatula, spread chocolate on top of cookie into thin, even layer, allowing excess to run off sides. Tap fork against edge of bowl, then wipe underside of fork on edge of bowl to remove excess chocolate from bottom of cookie. Use second fork to slide sandwich cookie onto prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining sandwich cookies, returning chocolate to microwave for no more than 5 seconds at a time if it becomes too firm.
  11. Refrigerate sandwich cookies until chocolate is set, about 20 minutes, before serving. (Sandwich cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

Chocolate-Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies

Save

Time

2 hours, plus 20 minutes chilling

Yield

Makes 12 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

1¼ cups (6¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6¼ ounces) graham flour
¾ cup (5¼ ounces) sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
5 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

6 tablespoons water, divided
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
¼ cup light corn syrup
⅔ cup (4⅔ ounces) sugar
⅛ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (9 ounces chopped fine, 3 ounces grated)
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

Cookies

1¼ cups (6¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6¼ ounces) graham flour
¾ cup (5¼ ounces) sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
5 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

6 tablespoons water, divided
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
¼ cup light corn syrup
⅔ cup (4⅔ ounces) sugar
⅛ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (9 ounces chopped fine, 3 ounces grated)
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

Cookies

1¼ cups (6¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6¼ ounces) graham flour
¾ cup (5¼ ounces) sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
5 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling

6 tablespoons water, divided
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
¼ cup light corn syrup
⅔ cup (4⅔ ounces) sugar
⅛ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (9 ounces chopped fine, 3 ounces grated)
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Our homemade MoonPies are a delicious construction of marshmallow layered between two graham cookies fully coated in a thin layer of chocolate. We made the cookies first, using an even mix of all-purpose and graham flours to give the cookies a slightly coarse texture and toasty flavor. Once the cookies cooled, we sandwiched homemade marshmallow between them, working quickly while the marshmallow was still warm and malleable. To ensure even distribution, we applied gentle pressure and a light twisting motion. Finally, we carefully melted our chocolate along with a tablespoon of coconut oil to help it maintain a spreadable and fluid consistency throughout the dipping process. We dipped the sandwich cookies and used an offset spatula to help smooth out the chocolate layer on the pies to achieve a consistently thin layer of chocolate all around. After 20 minutes in the refrigerator to let the chocolate set, this treat is ready to be devoured.

Before You Begin

Graham flour, also known as stone-ground whole-wheat flour, is coarser and less processed than conventional whole-wheat flour. The marshmallow filling quickly starts to set after whipping, so have everything ready to assemble the cookies in step 7 before you begin.

Instructions

    for the cookies

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parch ment paper. Whisk all-purpose flour, graham flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in bowl of stand mixer. Add melted butter, water, molasses, and vanilla. Using paddle attachment, mix until dough comes together, about 20 seconds.
  2. Transfer dough to counter and divide into 2 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep remaining piece covered with plastic wrap), roll into 12-inch circle, ⅛ inch thick, between 2 large sheets of parchment. Remove top piece of parchment. Using 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into 8 rounds; carefully transfer rounds to prepared sheets, spacing ½ inch apart. Gently reroll scraps into 8-inch circle, ⅛ inch thick, then cut into 4 rounds and transfer to sheets.
  3. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are set, about 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer sheet to wire rack and let cookies cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 day.)
  4. for the filling

  5. Whisk 3 tablespoons water and gelatin together in clean, dry bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Let sit until very firm, about 5 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, combine corn syrup and remaining 3 tablespoons water in small saucepan. Pour sugar and salt into center of saucepan (do not let sugar hit saucepan sides). Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook, gently swirling saucepan, until sugar has dissolved completely and mixture registers 240 degrees, 4 to 6 minutes.
  7. Turn mixer speed to low and carefully pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture, avoiding whisk and sides of bowl. Gradually increase speed to high and whip until mixture is very thick and stiff and coats whisk, about 7 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated, about 15 seconds.
  8. To assemble, place 12 cookies upside down on counter. Working with 1 cookie at a time, place 2 tablespoons marshmallow filling in center of cookie and spread evenly with back of spoon. Place second cookie on top of filling, right side up, and gently press and twist until filling is even with edges of cookies. Let sit for 15 minutes until filling is set.
  9. Line baking sheet with clean sheet of parchment. Microwave chopped chocolate in medium bowl at 50 percent power, stirring often, until about two-thirds melted, 2 to 4 minutes. (Melted chocolate should not be much warmer than body temperature; check by holding bowl in palm of your hand.) Add grated chocolate and coconut oil and stir until smooth, returning to microwave for no more than 5 seconds at a time to finish melting if necessary.
  10. Rotate filling-exposed side of 1 sandwich cookie in chocolate until filling and cookie edges are fully covered. Place sandwich cookie in chocolate and, using 2 forks, gently flip to fully coat all sides. Lift cookie out of chocolate with fork. Using offset spatula, spread chocolate on top of cookie into thin, even layer, allowing excess to run off sides. Tap fork against edge of bowl, then wipe underside of fork on edge of bowl to remove excess chocolate from bottom of cookie. Use second fork to slide sandwich cookie onto prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining sandwich cookies, returning chocolate to microwave for no more than 5 seconds at a time if it becomes too firm.
  11. Refrigerate sandwich cookies until chocolate is set, about 20 minutes, before serving. (Sandwich cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

Gift This Recipe

Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.

This is a members' feature.