This easy recipe for Vanilla Sandwich Cookies features a creamy chocolate filling sandwiched between two buttery shortbread cookies infused with vanilla and a drizzle of chocolate on top.
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These vanilla sandwich cookies with chocolate filling are unique and different in so many ways! If you need a fun baking project or a delicious cookie to enjoy with your coffee or for dessert try making this family favorite. Here's are some highlights:
The cookies are delicate and buttery with a light hint of vanilla. They're similar in texture to traditional shortbread cookies, but more moist and still crunchy, crumbly, soft and chewy all together.
The chocolate filling is just-sweet-enough, light, creamy and smooth, and it melts in your mouth (literally). That's because real cacao from cocoa butter is used.
Old-fashioned ingredients like flour and sugar are not needed and this sandwich cookies recipe is made without eggs as well, making it gluten-free, grain-free, Vegan and Paleo friendly.
Ingredients you need
These vanilla sandwich cookies come together beautifully with a few healthy ingredients. Let's review some of them:
- Flour: The combination of finely ground almond flour and arrowroot are the ideal gluten-free substitute for all-purpose flour to give these shortbread cookies the perfect texture.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract adds a subtle flavor to these vanilla cookies. But if you add vanilla bean powder instead, they will shine with bright vanilla flavor (my favorite).
- Almond butter: Gives a ganache texture and nutty flavor to the filling. Be sure to stir the contents in the jar before measuring (an immersion blender is great for this)!
- Cacao: Using pure cacao butter and cacao powder in the chocolate filling makes for a beautiful creamy and smooth chocolate ganache without being too rich.
Side note: Cacao butter comes in large chunks or in small disks similar to chocolate chips, and I get mine from Santa Barbara Chocolate or on Amazon. The most accurate way to measure the amount you need is by weight using a kitchen scale.
💡 Tip for substitutes
Here are some substitutions you can make in this recipe:
Butter → use coconut oil
Honey → use maple syrup
Almond butter → use peanut butter
Steps to make it
This sandwich cookie recipe is simple and easy to make in any shape you like using your favorite cookie cutters. We’ll take two vanilla cookies and sandwich them together with a delicious chocolate almond filling. Here's a step-by-step overview on how to make it:
Make the cookies
- In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, arrowroot and salt until there are no more lumps.
- Mix together the butter, honey and vanilla and add it to the bowl with the flour. With a spatula, gently mix the wet and dry ingredients to form the cookie dough.
- Roll dough in between 2 sheets of parchment paper to about 1/8 inch thick. Be sure the thickness is even throughout so all your cookies bake and look the same.
- Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut into shapes and arrange cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Here I'm using heart shaped and round cookie cutters.
💡 Tip
The dough is very soft and delicate to work with especially if it's rolled very thin. This can make it hard to transfer the cookies onto the baking sheet so use the help of a dough scraper or putty knife (not a specific kitchen tool but works great). Watch the recipe video to see how I do it. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the dough to make it easier to handle.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and bake cookies keeping a close eye so they don't burn. It should take 5 to 8 minutes to bake depending how thick you cut your cookies. In the end, they should have a light brown color on the edges. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Filling:
- Melt the cacao butter in a bowl over simmering water (double boiler). After melted remove from heat and stir in the cacao powder, almond butter, honey and vanilla until combined.
- To form the sandwich cookies, flip half the cookies on the rack and add about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate, then top with remaining cookies bottom-sides down and gently squeeze together.
💡 Tip
Give your cookies a beautiful finish with a drizzle of melted chocolate on top or dip half of the cookies in melted chocolate.
This recipe makes about 15 to 20 2-inch cookies depending how thin you roll your dough. The thinner your cookies, the more crunchy and flavorful they are because you can taste more of that delicious chocolate filling.
Other filling options
There are so many different sandwich cookie fillings that pair well with these vanilla cookies - also try filling yours with homemade nutella, dulce de leche, or strawberry jam. Or go bigger! Use a larger cookie cutter and make ice cream sandwich cookies with some vanilla or cookie dough ice cream.
Love peanut butter? Use just natural peanut butter for the filling in your cookies. They taste just like the Nutter Butters brand! Or if peanuts aren't your thing, try with this vanilla cinnamon almond butter.
🙋♀️ FAQs
Sandwich cookies can be stored in an airtight container either at room temperature, or in the fridge or freezer. If you choose to store them in the fridge they may last longer and not get stale. They'll stay fresher and crunchier longer than if they sit out at room temperature. However, if your sandwich cookies have a jam filling it's best to keep them refrigerated.
In some cases like with these vanilla sandwich cookies, it may be best store at room temperature if you prefer the chocolate filling to stay creamy and softer. They'll last for about 2 to 3 weeks in your pantry.
You can store your sandwich cookies in the freezer in an airtight container. They'll last for months frozen. When frozen, they get a crunchier texture that's great and you can eat them right out of the freezer or let them to come to room temperature. Plus frozen sandwich cookies are a delicious cold treat during hot summer days.
Vanilla extract is not needed to make cookies but it enhances the flavor for sure. Every recipe needs a little seasoning to bring out the flavors from all the ingredients used and vanilla extract does exactly that. You can omit it in any cookie recipe or replace it with something else like almond or hazelnut extract. You can also substitute vanilla extract with the seeds of a vanilla bean or vanilla bean powder:
1 tablespoon vanilla extract = 1 teaspoons vanilla powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract = 1 teaspoons vanilla seeds
More sandwich cookie recipes
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🎥 Recipe video
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📖 Recipe
Vanilla Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Vanilla Cookie:
- ½ cup + 6 tablespoons (94g) blanched almond flour
- ¼ cup (30g) arrowroot powder
- 4 tablespoons (56g) butter, melted - or coconut oil
- ½ tablespoon (6g) vanilla extract, or ½ teaspoon vanilla powder
- 1 tablespoon (22g) raw honey, or maple syrup
- pinch fine himalayan salt, optional
Chocolate Filling:
- ¼ cup (27g) cacao butter
- ½ cup (40g) raw cacao powder
- 2 tablespoons (44g) raw honey
- ¼ cup (61g) almond butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional:
- ¼ cup semisweet mini chocolate chips, melted
Instructions
Vanilla Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, mix the almond flour, arrowroot powder and salt.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract and honey with melted butter.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix gently with rubber spatula to form the dough.
- Roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper with a rolling pin to about ⅛ inch thickness. Be sure the thickness is even throughout so all your cookies bake and look the same.
- Cut dough into cookies using a 2-inch cookie cutter and arrange cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used.
- Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Let cookies cool on wire rack.
Chocolate Filling:
- Melt the cacao butter in a bowl over simmering water (double boiler). After melted remove from heat and stir in the cacao powder, almond butter, honey and vanilla until combined.
- To form the sandwich cookies, flip half the cookies on the rack and add about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate, then top with remaining cookies bottom-sides down and gently squeeze together. Drizzle top with melted chocolate.
Notes
Nutrition per serving
*This post may contain affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.
This recipe was originally published in May 2013 and this post has been updated in Feb 2021 with new info, photos, video and a few adjustments to the recipe.
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