Homemade Berger Cookies

Amy D.

I love making these cookies at Christmas.

There is a bakery in Maryland that makes these fabulous cookies and you can even buy them on their website, http://bergercookies.com/ ; but the cost for shipping is too much!
It is worth taking your time to layer on the frosting/ganache…delicious!

Note: You could make this dough using a hand held mixer but I really think it's better suited to a stand mixer. The dough uses a lot of flour and even though it's alternated with an entire cup of liquid, it might be too much for a hand mixer. If you don't have a stand mixer, don't despair. Use your hand mixer but be prepared to have to do some of the mixing by hand.
Also, I was concerned that the frosting would not firm up enough to allow these to be shipped. It does. But it takes some time. So if you plan to make these to send, make sure you leave yourself enough time for the frosted cookies to set up before you package them. I can't say how well they will hold up to the United States Postal Service but I'm hoping for the best.

Cookies
• 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk (whole or 2 percent)
Frosting
• 3 1/2 cups (21 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick butter, chilled
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line two or three baking sheets with parchment.
Beat the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium high speed for about 3 minutes, until fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Add the salt, vanilla, and baking powder and mix to combine. Add the sugar and mix until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
On low speed, or by hand, add the flour and milk in several additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
Using a standard 2 1/2 inch ice cream scoop, drop six portions of dough, spaced 2 inches apart, onto a prepared sheet pan. For smaller cookies, use a 1 1/4 inch or 1 3/4 inch scoop.
Working with one sheet at a time, bake until the cookies puff, the bottom edges just begins to color, but the top are still pale (no color at all), approximately 11 minutes. The tops will look a bit cracked when you pull them from the oven. Don't be tempted to over bake the cookies or they will be dry.
Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely. Bake remaining dough and make the frosting.

Frosting
Combine the chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate, corn syrup, cream, and butter in a medium or large microwave safe bowl and heat on 50% power in 1 1/2 minute increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate has melted and can be easily mixed to a smooth consistency. Let stand at room temperature to cool completely, approximately 2 to 3 hours(seriously).
Once the chocolate has completely cooled, use a hand mixer or transfer the chocolate to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until the frosting thickens, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
Spread a dollop of frosting on the top of each cookie and let it set up completely, approximately 30 minutes. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap in plastic wrap.