Happy Friday! I’m just getting back into the kitchen after all of the holiday fun! I had a wonderful time visiting Walt Disney World and sailing with Disney Cruise Line this holiday season and while part of me wishes I was back in the magic, I’m also excited to get back to making some magic at home! While I was in Disney World, I tried a few new treats that I’m excited to share. One of my favorites was the Mickey Caramel Chocolate Sandwich Cookies from the Karamell-Küche, which is located in EPCOT’s Germany Pavilion. It’s a sandwich cookie made up of chocolate Mickey shaped cookies, caramel, and caramel frosting. As the Karamell-Küche is sponsored by Werther’s, the caramel is delicious and I really loved how it combined with the chocolate cookie.
So this week, I’m excited to share a copycat version (with a couple twists)! My Mickey Caramel Chocolate Sandwich Cookies are mini versions of the cookies at EPCOT. These smaller Mickey shaped dark chocolate cookies are filled with a delicious homemade whipped caramel and caramel drizzle. They’re a little less sweet than the ones in the park, but I think that makes them even better!
To make the cookies, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low until combined.
Divide the dough in half, shape into two disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Place dough in the refrigerator to chill until firm, about 1-2 hours.
Once chilled, place one disk of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to about ¼ inch thickness. Dip the cookie cutter and stamp into flour. Shake off the excess. Use the cutter to cut out the cookies and the face stamp to imprint Mickey’s face onto the cookies. I used a small Mickey Mouse shaped cookie cutter and corresponding face stamp that I got from Walmart last year but there are some similar ones available from Faberware and Williams Sonoma.
Repeat with second disk of dough. Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 8 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the dough is chilling, make the caramel by combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture together until the sugar is dissolved. Then bring it to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture is medium amber colored, about 6 minutes. Gently shake or swirl the pan as needed.
Meanwhile, heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat, bringing it to just under a boil. Turn off the heat. Once the sugar mixture is amber colored, remove it from the heat and add the cream, whisking constantly. The mixture will bubble.
Add half of the butter, one piece at a time, whisking until incorporated. Place the bottom of the pan in a cold water bath. Add the remaining butter and whisk until the caramel cools and thickens.
Divide the caramel into two small mixing bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and place one bowl in the refrigerator to cool. Leave the other to cool at room temperature.
Once the refrigerator caramel has chilled, beat it caramel with hand beaters or a mixer with a whisk attachment until it is light and fluffy, similar to buttercream. Transfer the whipped caramel and the regular caramel to separate piping bags.
To assemble the cookies, flip half of the cookies face side down. Pipe a dollop of whipped caramel frosting and a drizzle of caramel filling onto each of the flipped cookies.
Gently press a second cookie, face side up, onto the top of each caramel filled cookie to make a cookie sandwich. Place the cookies in the refrigerator to set, about 30 minutes.
Enjoy these Mickey Caramel Chocolate Sandwich Cookies! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!
Mickey Caramel Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Whipped Caramel Frosting & Caramel Filling
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 13 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Equipment
- Mickey Mouse cookie cutter with face stamp
- piping bags
Instructions
Chocolate Cookies
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
-
In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
-
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low until combined.
-
Divide the dough in half, shape into two disks, and wrap in plastic wrap.
-
Place dough in the refrigerator to chill until firm, about 1-2 hours.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
Place one disk of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to about ¼ inch thickness.
-
Dip the cookie cutter and stamp into flour. Shake off the excess. Use the cutter to cut out the cookies and the face stamp to imprint Mickey’s face onto the cookies. Repeat with second disk of dough.
-
Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 8 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Whipped Caramel Frosting & Caramel Filling
-
Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
-
Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Then bring the mixture to a boil.
-
Cook, without stirring, until the mixture is medium amber colored, about 6 minutes. Gently shake or swirl the pan as needed.
-
Meanwhile, heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat, bringing it to just under a boil. Turn off the heat.
-
Once the sugar mixture is amber colored, remove it from the heat and add the cream, whisking constantly. The mixture will bubble.
-
Add half of the butter, one piece at a time, whisking until incorporated.
-
Place the bottom of the pan in a cold water bath. Add the remaining butter and whisk until the caramel cools and thickens.
-
Divide the caramel into two small mixing bowls. Cover with plastic wrap and place one bowl in the refrigerator to cool. Leave the other to cool at room temperature.
-
Once the refrigerator caramel has chilled, beat it caramel with hand beaters or a mixer with a whisk attachment until it is light and fluffy, similar to buttercream.
-
Transfer the whipped caramel and the regular caramel to separate piping bags.
Assembly
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Flip half of the cookies face side down.
-
Pipe a dollop of whipped caramel frosting and a drizzle of caramel filling onto each of the flipped cookies.
-
Gently press a second cookie, face side up, onto the top of each caramel filled cookie to make a cookie sandwich.
-
Place the cookies in the refrigerator to set, about 30 minutes.