These decadent walnut sandwich cookies are surprisingly made with just a handful of simple ingredients. Our crisp Candied Walnuts add the perfect nuttiness to the cookie batter and bring a sweet crunch to the outside. These walnut cookies are extra delicious when dunked in a cup of coffee or milk. 

Yield: about 15 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

For Cookies:

• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup Santé Candied Walnuts, finely chopped

For Ganache:

• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

To Finish:

• ¼ cup finely chopped Santé Candied Walnuts

Directions

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat butter and sugar until very smooth. Beat in vanilla, then add flour and mix in on low speed until combined and smooth. Beat in the chopped walnuts just until combined.
3. Transfer dough to parchment-lined cookie sheet and roll out ¼” thick. Use a small round cutter (about 2” diameter) to cut circles of dough as close together as possible. Transfer cookie sheet to freezer for at least 1 hour or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
5. Remove dough from freezer and break cookies apart. Reserve any dough scraps--they may be re-rolled, cut, and baked. Place cookies on cookie sheet and bake until very light golden and set, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan bring cream to a boil. Take off heat and add chocolate, without stirring. Cover and let stand 5 minutes, then stir with a spatula in a circular motion until ganache is completely smooth. Set aside to cool until ganache has a spreadable, not runny, consistency.
7. Lay half the cookies upside down on a countertop. Spoon a small amount of ganache onto each cookie, then top with reserved cookies to make sandwiches. Refrigerate.
8. Place remaining ganache in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring after each, until ganache is pourable but not very runny. Drizzle ganache over cookies, sprinkle with walnuts, and refrigerate to firm ganache.
9. Store refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.