Peek-a-boo raspberry cookies

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I figured it was appropriate to make something in celebration. I ended up with something chocolate, raspberry, and with hearts, so mission accomplished!

The cookies are lightly chocolate-flavored and sandwiched with a berry filling. The top half has a cute heart cutout, so the pink can peek through. It's a rather versatile recipe - the filling in the middle can be any fruit preserves or jam. Berries go well with chocolate, such as strawberry or raspberry, but other preserves work as well! The original recipe from the cookbook uses apricot preserves, but in the interest of Valentine's Day, I went with a pink raspberry filling.

I would suggest using a round cookie cutter to cut out the circles. I didn't have one, so I ended up using a shot glass to cut them out. Round cutter - going on the baking wishlist! I did have a tiny heart cutter though, which was the perfect size for these cookie sandwiches. A mini-cutter in any shape would work too, as long as allows the filling to peek through!

I ended up making so many of these cookies (nearly six dozen!), so I hope people are hungry at work tomorrow!

In other baking news, I recently received a Harry Potter cookbook as a gift. Alongside my Doctor Who cookbook, those recipes should keep me busy for awhile...

Peek-a-boo raspberry cookies (makes about 6 dozen cookies)
Recipe adapted from Best-Loved Chocolate Recipes

• 4 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 cups/375g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup butter (unsalted)
• 3/4 cup/150g white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Fruit filling/preserves (I used the raspberry filling from this recipe)

1. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside. 
2. Melt the chocolate chips (microwave or over stove top) 
3. Beat butter and sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. 
4. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla and then the chocolate. Beat whole thing until well-blended. 
5. Chill dough for 2 hours. 
6. Preheat oven to 350F
7. Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick.
8. Cut out circles (1-2 inches thick) and place on cookie sheets. 
9. Bake for 7 minutes or until set. Before cookies cool, cut out centers of half the cookies with a heart-shaped cutter. 
10. When fully cool, spread the filling on the flat side of the cookies and top with the heart-cutout cookies, forming a sandwich. Enjoy!