National Chocolate Day: Nemacolin’s Chocolate Malt Sandwich Cookie Recipe

October just got even sweeter: There’s not only trick-or-treating, but it’s National Cookie Month and today is National Chocolate Day! And hot off the press (er, out of the oven?) is a deliciously decadent chocolate malt sandwich cookie recipe from Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa (this is the place where guests staying in the Falling Rock accommodations enjoy a milk-and-cookie turndown service!).

Chocolate Malt Sandwich Cookies from  Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa, Farmington, PA
This cookie recipe from Nemacolin Executive Chef Sean Eckman is not the recipe for the cookies shared in Falling Rock’s turndown service, but it’s used in restaurants throughout the resort.

2 cup(s) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup(s) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 cup(s) plain malted milk powder (for cookies)
1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon(s) coarse salt
1 cup(s) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (for cookies)
1 3/4 cup(s) sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract (for cookies)
1/4 cup(s) crème fraîche
3 tablespoon(s) hot water
10 ounce(s) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoon(s) (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (for filling)
1 cup(s) plain malted milk powder (for filling)
3 ounce(s) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup(s) plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract (for filling)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make cookies: Sift together flour, cocoa powder, malted milk powder, baking soda, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg, crème fraîche, and hot water. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture.

2. Space tablespoon-size balls of dough 3 1/2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until flat and just firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on parchment on wire racks.

3. Making filling: Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Let cool. With an electric mixer, beat malted milk powder and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually mix in half-and-half, chocolate mixture, and vanilla. Refrigerate, covered, until thick, about 30 minutes. Mix on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

4. Assemble cookies: Spread a heaping tablespoon filling on the bottom of one cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat. Cookies can be refrigerated between layers of parchment in airtight containers up to 3 days.

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