Chocolate Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients:

For the Dulce de Leche:

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

• Pinch of sea salt

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Cookies:

• 3 cups flour

• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 1/4 cups sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 Tbsp sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions:

1.) Dulce de Leche: Preheat oven to 425°F and bring 3-4 cups water to boil in a tea kettle. Pour sweetened condensed milk into a 9-inch pie dish; stir in sea salt and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place pie dish within a large oven-safe pan and add hot water until it reaches halfway up side of the pie dish.

2.) Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until brown and caramelized. Check after 45 minutes and add more hot water to the larger pan if necessary. Let cool for 15 minutes; whisk in vanilla until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3.) Cookies: Whisk together flour, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Beat butter in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until creamy; add sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time; add vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually add flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Divide dough in half and wrap each portion with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least one hour.

4.) Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Working with one section of dough at a time, roll dough out to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured board. Use a 2 1/2-inch round fluted cookie cutter to cut out rounds. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling scraps as needed, until you have 44 rounds (brush off any excess flour, though it disappears once baked). Use a 1-inch star cutter (or round cutter) to remove centers from 22 rounds.

5.) Place rounds on baking sheets and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until cookies are slightly puffed and edges are firm. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6.) Turn over whole cookies and pipe about 1 tablespoon Dulce de Leche in the center of each cookie; spread slightly with an offset spatula. Top with remaining cutout cookies, pressing gently to adhere. Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe from: Tutti Dolci