Chocolate Moose Cookies

I found these cookie cutters in a Scandinavian store a couple of months ago, and I knew immediately that I had to buy them and make chocolate moose cookies with them.  I totally love them!  How cute are they?!  Moving past the cute factor, we have a serious delicious factor going on here too.  The cookies are chocolatey and delicious, and hold the cutout shape extremely well, and the frosting is amazing.  It's the same filling that I used in this Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake.  If you don't have moose cookie cutters, just use whatever shapes you want.

Chocolate Moose Cookies

Chocolate Cutout Cookies:
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Marshmallow Filling:
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup shortening
1 Tablespoon milk
1 cup (1/2 of a 7 ounce container) marshmallow cream

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until completely combined.  Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt, and beat on low until the dough comes together.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut out cookies with a cookie cutter, then place cut outs on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 6 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 1 minute on the pan.  Carefully transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

For the chocolate marshmallow filling, stir together the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and salt.  With the mixer on low speed, beat in the butter and shortening.  Mixture will be crumbly.  Beat in the milk until the mixture comes together.  Add the marshmallow cream, increasing the speed to high, beat until the filling is light and fluffy.

To assemble the cookies, spread or pipe some of the chocolate filling on one cookie, then place another cookie on top of the frosting, gently pressing down to secure.  Makes 18 to 36 sandwich cookies (depending on the size of the cutter).

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy