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How To Make The Best Homemade Copycat Milano Cookies

These homemade copycat milano cookies are so good and easy to make! Leave the store bought version and try these!

A Love Letter to Homemade Milano Cookies

Longing for a cookie that pairs perfectly with a cup of hot coffee? Look no further! My Homemade Milano Cookies are a delicious escape from the mundane.

Homemade Milano Cookies Recipe

Forget store-bought; these buttery cookie halves are sandwiched with a layer of rich chocolate ganache that will make you swoon. A nod to the iconic Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies, these homemade beauties take cookie indulgence to a whole new level.

The Anatomy of Homemade Milano Cookies: Ingredient by Ingredient

Understanding the role of each ingredient in your homemade Milano cookies can elevate your baking game. Let’s get right into it!

All-Purpose Flour

This is the backbone of the cookie. It provides structure and body, ensuring that the cookie holds its shape and has a pleasing crumb.

Corn Starch

This addition makes your Milano cookies extra tender. Corn starch lightens the texture of the cookie and gives it a softer bite.

Baking Soda

Acting as the leavening agent, baking soda helps the cookies rise and spread, giving them their iconic, flat shape.

Salt

A tiny amount of salt boosts the overall flavor of the cookie. It complements the sweetness and brings balance to the flavor profile.

Unsalted Butter

This provides the cookie’s fat content, contributing to both its flavor and its tender texture. Using unsalted butter lets you control the salt level better.

Powdered Sugar & Granulated Sugar

Powdered sugar contributes to the cookie’s soft texture, while granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps the cookies spread a bit during baking.

Homemade Milano Cookies Recipe

Egg

The whole egg acts as a binding agent, providing moisture and aiding in structure. A room temperature egg integrates better into the dough.

Vanilla Extract

Pure vanilla extract gives an aromatic flavor that perfectly complements the chocolate ganache and the buttery cookie itself.

Milk

A small amount of milk adds moisture to the cookie dough, making it easier to mix and pipe.

Heavy Cream

Used in the ganache, heavy cream brings a rich and creamy texture when combined with the semi-sweet chocolate.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate

The star of the ganache! It provides a deep, rich flavor that complements the buttery softness of the cookie.

Why These Ingredients Work Together

  1. Texture Harmony: The combination of all-purpose flour, corn starch, and baking soda ensures a cookie that’s both crisp and tender. This contrasts beautifully with the creamy texture of the chocolate ganache.
  2. Flavor Balance: The richness of the unsalted butter and the depth of the semi-sweet chocolate are balanced by the pinch of salt and the aromatic vanilla extract.
  3. Ease of Preparation: These ingredients are commonly found in most pantries. They come together quickly in a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer, and the cookie dough is piped onto a baking sheet, making this a surprisingly straightforward recipe despite its gourmet outcome.

FAQs

Can I Use Gluten-Free Flour?

Yes, substitute the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour to make a gluten-free cookie. The texture might be slightly different, but still delicious.

How Do I Melt Chocolate?

The best way to melt chocolate for the ganache is using a double boiler. This ensures even melting without scorching the chocolate.

Homemade Milano Cookies Recipe

Whole Egg or Just Egg Yolk?

This recipe calls for a whole egg brought to room temperature. The egg yolk adds richness, while the egg white helps in creating crisp cookies.

Tips and Tricks

  1. Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensuring your butter and egg are at room temperature helps achieve a smoother cookie dough.
  2. Mixing: Use the paddle attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy.
  3. Piping: Use a piping bag or a Ziploc bag with a corner snipped off to pipe the cookie batter onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat.
Homemade Milano Cookies Recipe

Variations

  1. Mint Milanos: Add a drop of peppermint extract to the chocolate ganache for a mint version of the classic Milano cookie.
  2. Dark Chocolate Delight: Swap the semi-sweet chocolate with dark chocolate for a bolder flavor.
  3. Orange Infusion: Add a pinch of fresh orange zest to the cookie batter for a citrus twist.

Where to Serve

These cookies are so versatile that they can make an appearance anywhere—be it a sophisticated dinner party, a casual gathering, or a cookie exchange.

Homemade Milano Cookies Recipe

Storage

Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them crisp. They will last up to a week, but I doubt they’ll stay around that long!

Common Problems and How to Avoid Them

Homemade Milano Cookies Recipe
  1. Spread: If your cookies spread too much, it’s likely your butter was too soft or your dough too warm. Pop it in the fridge for a bit before piping.
  2. Burnt Edges: Keep an eye on the cookies while baking. Once they’re golden brown, remove them immediately from the oven rack.
  3. Inconsistent Size: For pairs of similar shape, be consistent when piping the cookie batter. Uneven sizes make for a wonky sandwich.

Tips for Making This Recipe with Kids

  1. Baking Sheet Fun: Let them line the baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. It’s a great first thing to teach responsibility in the kitchen.
  2. Chocolate Dipping: Kids love to dip the cookie halves into the melted chocolate. Just ensure the chocolate isn’t too hot.
  3. Decoration: Once the chocolate filling has set, let the kids sprinkle confectioner’s sugar on top for that extra pizzazz.

Topping Options

  1. White Chocolate Drizzle: Melt some white chocolate and drizzle it over the top for a contrasting effect.
  2. Sugar Sprinkle: A light sprinkle of confectioner’s sugar just before serving can elevate these cookies to gourmet status.

Why This Homemade Milano Cookies Recipe Works

  1. Balanced Flavors: The buttery cookie perfectly complements the rich chocolate ganache, offering a balanced bite every time.
  2. Textural Brilliance: The crisp cookies contrast wonderfully with the creamy chocolate filling, making for an irresistible texture.
  3. Simplicity: While these may look like they came from a gourmet bakery, the recipe is straightforward enough for even beginner bakers to nail it.

So next time you walk by the Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies at the grocery stores, just remember that you can recreate—and dare I say, improve upon—your favorite cookies right at home. Happy baking!

What are some more fun sweet copycat recipes to try?

Homemade Milano Cookies Recipe
Yield: 12 cookies

Easy Copycat Homemade Milano Cookies

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes

These homemade Milano cookies are so good and easy to make for a sweet treat!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour, scooped and leveled
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg, brought to room temp
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • Semi Sweet Ganache:
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 oz, semi sweet chocolate

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Start by making the ganache:

  1. Heat cream in a small saucepan
  2. Once it begins to simmer (do not let it boil), remove from heat and pour over chocolate.
  3. Let sit for 3 mins then stir with a rubber spatula.
  4. Place in the fridge to firm up for about 30 mins.

Make the cookies

  1. Once it comes together, set it to the side to thicken.
  2. Place the egg in a bowl of warm water to bring to room temperature.
  3. Draw 10 two and a half inch lines on the parchment paper.
  4. Space them 3 inches apart to account for spreading.
  5. Turn the parchment over and place on the baking sheet.
  6. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
  7. To a stand mixer or with a hand held mixer, mix together the softened butter, powdered sugar and granulated sugar
  8. Mix until lighter in color and fluffy
  9. Add in the egg, vanilla and milk.
  10. .Lastly add in the dry ingredients and mix well, there should be no dry spots.
  11. Cut 1.5 inches off the tip of your piping bag (use a ruler).
  12. Place the bag in a tall cup, spoon your cookie dough inside of the piping bag
  13. Twist at the top and be sure not too overfill the bag.
  14. Pipe lines of cookie dough (following the lines we made on the parchment earlier)
  15. Press down gently.
  16. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 mins.
  17. All cookies to cool on a cooling rack for at least 10 min.
  18. Ganache should become spreadable consistency while it sits.

Assemble the cookies

  1. Spread ganache onto the flat side of a cookie and top with another.
  2. Serve and enjoy

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 352Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 58mgSodium 217mgCarbohydrates 39gFiber 2gSugar 21gProtein 4g

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