Chocolate and lemon filled cookies recipe

Chocolate Cookies by Martha Stewart Magazine

I'm still on the hunt for the first chocolate cookie Martha aired on those first shows. It wasn't too sweet and I loved the ease and consistency of the dough. When I posted the original recipe I gleaned from her magazine, I said it was too sweet. This is my attempt to decrease the sugar to 1 c. and increased butter 1 ½ c.  They taste chocolaty and softer than the original. Very familiar taste, if you've ever had those cookies with the bear drawn out on the face of the cookie on the box? Yea, they taste like those.
I want them to be thicker so I may make another adjustment with the flour next time...in the mean time I'm very happy how these turned out. I hope you get to try them...and the chocolate mint leaves with the lemon are a very sophisticated combination.

*Chocolate cookie Ingredients
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cups sugar, plus more for flattening cookies
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
Cookie Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Into a medium-size bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg; beat to combine. With mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture; continue add the flour mixture; continue beating until dough is well combined.
Use whatever sized ice cream scoop you want. Drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

Place cookies in the oven until firm, about 10 to 12 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Transfer baking sheet to wire racks to cool completely.


Lemon Butter Cream filling
2 c. sifted Confectioners sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) Whipped soften butter
1/2 tsp. to 1 tsp. lemon juice

Filling Directions
Soften a stick of butter to room temperature and whip in a mixing bowl.
Combine the whipped butter with the sugar in a mixing bowl with a whisk or in a stand mixer on low.
Add the lemon juice a little at a time. It may not be necessary to use it all depending on the humidity and how the frosting consistency comes together for you. I like mine on the thicker side. You may like a stronger lemon flavor.

Place cream filling in a pastry bag fitted with a round or star tip and pipe about 1 Tablespoon filling onto the flat side of half the cookies. Top with another cookie and gently press on each to squeeze filling to edges. Filled cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days. Or placed in the fridge in a container.