Salted Brown Butter Jack-O’-Lantern Sandwich Cookies
Finished with a sweet-and-salty brown butter crust, these festive sandwich cookies feature a tender, heavily spiced dough and a soft milk chocolate center. By rolling the dough between parchment paper before chilling, you avoid working excess flour into the cookies, guaranteeing they stay incredibly soft while holding their carved faces perfectly in the oven.
- Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
- YieldAbout 22 sandwich cookies (serves 22) 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Spiced Cookie Dough
- 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (300g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 cups (480g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Salted Brown Butter Coating
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
Milk Chocolate Filling
- 10 ounces (283g) high-quality milk chocolate bars, chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed until creamy and visibly lightened, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, kosher salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix on low speed just until the dry ingredients disappear and a soft dough forms.
- Roll and chill: Divide the dough into two equal halves. Place one half between two large sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to an even ¼-inch thickness. Repeat with the second half. Transfer the parchment-sandwiched dough sheets to a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or freeze for 15 minutes) until firm.
- Cut the shapes: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with fresh parchment paper. Peel the top layer of parchment off a chilled dough sheet and use a 3-inch pumpkin-shaped cutter to stamp out cookies. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. On exactly half of the cookies, use a sharp paring knife (or the base of a small metal piping tip) to cut out jack-o’-lantern eyes and mouths. Gather any scraps, re-roll between parchment, chill briefly, and cut again.
- Bake: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are completely set but not darkened. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
- Prepare the coating: While the cookies cool, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan gently until the butter foams, turns golden brown, and gives off a nutty aroma (about 3 to 4 minutes). Immediately remove from heat. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and flaky sea salt.
- Coat the faces: Lightly brush the warm brown butter over the top of the carved jack-o’-lantern cookies (the top halves). Immediately sprinkle the spiced salt-sugar mixture over the buttered faces so it adheres.
- Make the filling and assemble: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chopped milk chocolate and 1 tablespoon of butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until completely smooth. Spread a generous spoonful of the melted chocolate onto the flat side of the solid bottom cookies. Gently press the decorated face cookies on top. Let sit for about 30 minutes at room temperature until the chocolate sets up.
Notes
- Why it works: Swapping the original baking soda for baking powder limits how much the cookies spread horizontally. This ensures your carefully carved jack-o’-lantern faces don’t warp or morph during the bake.
- Biteable filling: Adding a single tablespoon of butter to the melted milk chocolate prevents it from hardening into a brittle, rock-solid layer as it cools, giving the final sandwich cookie a pleasantly soft, fudgy bite.
- Storage: Store assembled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The flavors actually deepen and the cookies soften beautifully on the second day.
Nutrition (per serving — estimates)
Calories: 344 | Total Carbs: 38g (Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g) | Fat: 20g (Saturated: 12g) | Protein: 3g
Nutritional values are approximate, based on standard reference data (USDA FoodData Central). Actual values vary by brand and exact measurements. For precision, use a tracker like MyFitnessPal or Cronometer.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Chilling Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 344
- Sugar: 23g
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g