Biscuits for loved ones
I have made these cookies several times when I wanted to have something to give to colleagues or to put on a plate for guests. I usually make them in winter, but you can make them anytime you need something simple and substantial that holds well. They are not hard and crunchy, but rather tender, and can be left plain or sandwiched two by two with cream. They don't require complicated ingredients and come together quickly.
Quick Info
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes (including dough cooling)
Servings: 35-40 cookies (depends on shape)
Difficulty: easy to medium
Ingredients
For the cookies:
300 g all-purpose flour
50 g cornstarch
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
80 g butter at room temperature
3 tablespoons milk
100 g powdered sugar
For the cream:
100 g dark chocolate (55-65% cocoa)
200 ml liquid cream (unsweetened)
For decoration:
powdered sugar
Preparation Method
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the cornstarch and baking powder. Add them all at once to avoid forgetting anything.
2. Add the eggs, egg yolks, soft butter (not melted), powdered sugar, and milk. Start mixing with a wooden spoon or spatula.
3. When it starts to come together, switch to kneading by hand. Don’t overdo it, just enough to become elastic and smooth. If it’s sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons of flour, but don’t overdo it, or they will turn out hard.
4. Form a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Don’t skip this step; it will roll out easier and won’t spread while baking.
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C, with a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
6. Remove the dough onto a floured surface. Roll it out to 0.5 cm thickness. Use cookie cutters or a glass, whatever you have on hand.
7. Place the cut cookies on the tray with a little space between them. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until they start to color slightly at the edges. Don’t overbake them.
8. Remove the tray, transfer the cookies to a rack, and let them cool completely.
9. For the cream, put the liquid cream and the broken chocolate pieces in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until everything melts and you get a smooth cream. Chill in the fridge until well cooled (at least 1 hour if you want it to set).
10. Whip the cold cream with a mixer for a few minutes until it becomes lighter and a bit thicker.
11. Sandwich the cookies two by two with cream in between. For decoration, dust powdered sugar on top after the cream has set.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of the options I choose when I want to use leftover eggs or when I have limited butter. The dough is easy to roll out and doesn’t stick if you follow the fridge step. The cookies last a few days at room temperature. If I don’t have time for cream, I leave them plain or quickly glaze them with melted chocolate.
Tips
Do not use cold butter, as the dough will be crumbly and hard to work with.
If the dough is sticky, don’t rush to add too much flour while rolling. Work patiently, just sprinkle a little on the surface.
It’s important not to forget the baking powder; otherwise, the cookies may turn out too hard.
The tray should be cold when you place another batch; otherwise, the dough will melt at the edges before going into the oven.
If you leave the dough in the fridge longer, you’ll need to knead it for 1-2 minutes to soften it again.
Substitutions
You can use only egg yolks if you want to use leftovers from something else, but the cookies will be even more tender.
Cornstarch can be replaced with flour, but you’ll lose some of the final texture.
The liquid cream for the filling can also be plant-based if you don’t have the dairy version.
Chocolate can be replaced with milk chocolate, but the cream will be softer.
Variations
If you want the simple version, skip the cream – you can glaze the cookies with a bit of melted chocolate or just leave them with powdered sugar.
You can add grated orange zest to the dough for flavor.
If you don’t have cookie cutters, you can cut with a knife or a glass. They also come out well in square shape.
They can also be filled with jam, but use very little so it doesn’t spill out.
Serving Ideas
They are good with coffee, tea, or for breakfast alongside a glass of milk.
They can be packaged in boxes for gifts, staying tender for a few days.
If you make them with cream, keep them in the fridge before transferring them to a transport box.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the dough in the evening?
Yes, you can keep the dough in the fridge until the next day, wrapped well. It should be left for 10 minutes at room temperature before rolling.
Can I freeze the cookies?
Yes, you can freeze both baked cookies without cream and the raw dough. Upon thawing, the cookies return to good texture.
What can I use to stick the cookies if I don’t have chocolate?
You can also use a simple buttercream (butter, powdered sugar, vanilla) or even thick jam.
How much cream does this quantity yield?
It’s enough to stick about 15-18 pairs of cookies. If you want to fill them all, double the cream recipe.
Nutritional Values
For a simple cookie (approx. 20g): about 85 kcal, 3.2g fat, 12g carbohydrates, 1.4g protein. With cream, add another 35-40 kcal per piece.
They are calorie-dense, especially if you use cream. If you are more concerned about sugar intake, the recipe isn’t among the "lightest," but for homemade desserts, ingredient control is clearly better than store-bought options.
Storage and Reheating
Simple cookies last 5-7 days in a sealed box at room temperature. Those with cream should be kept in the fridge and consumed within 3-4 days. They don’t need to be reheated, but if they seem too hard after a few days, you can leave them at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before eating. Raw dough can be kept in the fridge for 24-36 hours or in the freezer for up to a month.
We mix the flour with the starch and baking powder in a large bowl. We add the eggs, egg yolks, butter at room temperature, powdered sugar, and milk. We knead until we obtain a soft and elastic dough. We make a ball, cover it with plastic wrap, and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, we take the dough out and roll it out on a floured surface. We roll the dough to a thickness of 1/2 cm. Using cookie cutters, I chose shapes like stars, circles, and Christmas trees. Everyone can choose what they like :) We place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. They are baked in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees. After this time, they are taken out and cooled on a rack. Filling: In a small pot, we melt the cream and chocolate. When the chocolate has melted, we let it cool. Once it's cold, we whip it well with a mixer until it thickens. We stick our cookies together with this cream. We decorate with powdered sugar. They are worth trying; the cookies are very good :) The cookies can also be left plain without cream, just with a glaze on top...
Ingredients: 300 g white flour, 50 g starch, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 80 g butter, 3 tablespoons milk, 100 g powdered sugar, filling: 100 g dark chocolate, 200 ml liquid cream, decoration: powdered sugar.
