There are two kinds of binging that happen often in our house. There’s the kind we do on the laptop and on tv, often with Netflix running seemingly non-stop on the screen, and then there’s the kind that happens in the kitchen. That second kind is the one I’m on these days. A cookie binge to be precise! Not necessarily eating, but baking. I’ve been baking batch after batch and the result is a hidden stash of cookies in the freezer for an emergency case of the munchies, which I’m afflicted with from time to time. I haven’t been able to kick the habit yet and I doubt I ever will. I mean it’s cookies after all! Who doesn’t love cookies?
Last week I shared the recipe for the amazing Pumpkin Spice Cookies with a Mocha filling, and this week I’ve pulled the ol’ switcheroo with these Mocha Cookies with a Pumpkin Spice Filling!
These cookies were so good, Mr. K often ate the Chocolate Espresso Cookies just on their own. There’s a batch of plain cookies in the freezer as I write this, that I’ve stashed away so we can have them with a glass of milk whenever we feel like it! The coffee flavour is really robust in these cookies which we absolutely love! For another delightful cookie variation of this flavour, check out my buttery espresso shortbread cookies!
The Pumpkin ganache is quite sweet as it is made with white chocolate, so I think having the cookie be less sweet with a strong coffee taste helps balance out the flavours.
Just like I did with the Pumpkin spice cookies, I melted a small amount of bittersweet chocolate and spread it over the inside of the cookies to prevent them from becoming soggy with the ganache filling.
Tips for making the Pumpkin Ganache – White Chocolate melts very easily and because of the higher fat content it does not require as much cream or liquid to form a ganache. This however made my objective of making a thick ganache a bit tricky! It’s going to have a liquid consistency at first and then thicken as it cools. So keep some extra white chocolate handy in case the ganache isn’t thick enough to hold it’s shape when piping.
Recipe
Mocha Cookies with Pumpkin Spice Ganache
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results whenever available.
Common Measurement ConversionsIngredients:
- 1 stick of butter
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 yolk
- 1 tbsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 2 tsp of water
- 3 tbsp of cocoa
- 1 cup of flour plus a few tbsp extra if needed
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Instructions:
- Beat the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Beat the egg yolk and coffee in to the above mix.
- Sift the flour and baking powder and incorporate it in to the butter mix on low or with a wooden spoon.
- Mix the flour in gently till you form a soft dough. (add more flour if dough isn’t coming together – 1 tsp at a time)
- Gently knead the dough into a ball and press it in to a flat disc and wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Roll out the dough to approximately 1/8 of an inch thickness between two parchment papers (to prevent sticking) or on a lightly floured counter-top.
- Preheat oven to 325°F
- With a 2 inch cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place them gently on a parchment paper an inch apart. Re-roll the dough once to cut more cookies.
- If the cookie dough gets too soft, keep the dough in the freezer for a few minutes to harden so it is easier to handle.
- Bake the cookies 10-15 minutes until the edges are crispy, and the middle is not too soft.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before letting them cool on a wire rack.
- When cookies are cooled completely, store them in an air-tight container. These can be served as is, or with a dusting of icing sugar or with the Pumpkin Spice Ganache (Recipe follows)
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
- 7 oz White Chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 tbsp Corn syrup
- 2 tbsp Pumpkin puree
- 1/2 tsp Pumpkin spice
- Combine all ingredients in a heat proof bowl.
- Gently heat over a pot with simmering water (a double boiler), stirring until chocolate has melted and is smooth.
- OR heat in the microwave for 45 seconds, stir and continue heating in 30 sec bursts until chocolate has melted and ganache is smooth.
- Leave to cool to room temperature, or transfer to the fridge to cool faster.
- When you’re ready, scoop the ganache into a piping bag with a star tip and pipe into the middle of the cookie – about a tablespoon.
- Place another cookie on top and press down to push the filling to the edges of the cookie.
- Serve cookies immediately (if cookies do not have a chocolate coating) or store up to 2 days in an airtight container.
- If you’re not serving immediately, you can store just the cookies in an airtight container, and the ganache separately in the fridge till ready to be used.
With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, these cookies will come in really handy if ever you have friends and family turning up at your door step without much forewarning. Besides who could say no to a beautiful Mocha cookie? With a sweet pumpkin spice ganache oozing out of the sides with every bite? Yum!
And in case you haven’t noticed these cookies together with the Pumpkin spice cookies will be a great Halloween “Checkers” platter too! 🙂
How are you prepping for Halloween this year? I’ve making my famous witch’s heart cocktail again, and pairing it with some delicious snacks (including these spooky chorizo hand pies!). What’s your favourite pumpkin creation this Fall? You can share them with me in the comments below. I absolutely love to hear from you guys and I’m always up for new ideas to try out in the kitchen! 🙂
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