Malted Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

This weekend has been one big blur. In a good way. Spent in the kitchen, spent with friends, spent loving every minute together. One month, that's it. Less than that to be exact. I would like to stop time right now please and thank you.

Saturday we did nothing. Until we realized at 5 maybe we should start making the cookies we planned on bringing to the boys that night. Getting nervous that they'd be time intensive, and we would be rushed...clearly we weren't because at 8 we were sitting staring at each other counting down the minutes until we could start getting ready.

We brought cookies to a party. Oh, okay. I bet all the attendees were shocked to see a pile of cookies free to whomever wished. At one point there was just a room full of people with cookies in their hand. Betcha we'll be first on the invite list from now on.

Someone even told us they think these were the best thing we've baked and we bake a lot of things. Go us!


Malted Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
source: Fearless Homemaker

Ingredients:
for the cookies:
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup plain malted milk powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons hot water

for the filling:
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup plain malted milk powder
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, malted milk powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, sour cream and hot water. Reduce speed to low, mix in flour mixture.
4. Place tablespoon-size balls 3 1/2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or just until flat and just firm. Let cool on wire wracks.
5. To make the filling, melt chocolate and butter in the microwave. Let cool. With an electric mixer, beat malted milk powder and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add in half-and-half, chocolate mixture and vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, until thick, about 30 minutes. Mix on high speed for about 3 minutes, or until fluffy.
6. Assemble the cookies by spreading a heaping tablespoon of filling on the bottom of one cookie. Sandwich with another cookie and repeat until you have no cookies remaining.