Dessert: Bittersweet-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Raspberry Preserves

Recipe by Dawn Casale and David Crofton Dark, bittersweet chocolate and a sweet-tart raspberry filling make a perfect pair.

Ingredients

3 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 stick unsalted butter
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
raspberry preserves

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugars on medium speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low; gradually add flour mixture and mix until dough just barely comes together. Do not overmix.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until flour has been incorporated and dough comes together, about 30 seconds. Divide in half; wrap one half with plastic wrap and set aside.
Transfer unwrapped dough to a parchment-lined work surface. Flatten dough slightly with your hand, and then top with a second sheet of parchment. (Dust dough with flour if sticky.) Using a rolling pin, roll out dough between sheets of parchment to about 1 ⁄16-inch thickness; set aside. Remove plastic wrap from other dough half and repeat rolling process. Transfer dough, still sandwiched between parchment, to baking sheets and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove both dough halves from refrigerator and peel off all parchment. Using a 1 3/4-inch-wide round cookie cutter, cut cookies out of dough, rerolling scraps once. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Cool on baking sheets, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To fill sandwiches: Turn half the cookies over so they're bottom-side up. Using a pastry bag or butter knife, add a dollop (about 1 teaspoon) of preserves onto each cookie bottom. Top with remaining cookies. Allow cookies to rest for at least 1 hour for preserves to set.