Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies

I can’t believe I’m saying this but here we are smack dab in the middle of the very last week of school. One hundred and seventy seven days down and just three more days to go. Three!  Three short days left of math homework, class projects, bag lunches and carpools. In less than 36 hours we’ll be home free. Ready to say hello to another carefree summer of lazy mornings, poolside smoothies and zero routines. It boggles my mind every year how quickly the time flies and how fast a school year can pass by. I know I’m not alone when I say it seems like yesterday it was just Christmas and the day before that was the first day of school. I mean, when did life hit warp speed?? Where is the S-L-O-W sign? It literally feels like I blinked and “poof”, there goes another year. Just. Like. That.

Like most families, we have a zillion and one traditions in our household that help us mark the passage of time from year to year. A few years back, the tradition of making summer bucket lists became all the rage in our house. My three girls have had a few “ah-ha” moments and a lot of belly laughs as they create their summer wish lists that run the gamut from the ordinary to the outrageous {bungie jumping off a bridge anyone?? … clearly someone needs to be talked off the crazy town train}. This year I’m jumping on the bucket list bandwagon and making one of my own. As I round the corner to the second half of my forties, my list doesn’t sound like a dare-devil’s dream or a twenty something’s instagram feed. Nope. It’s simple and real and maybe a little “safe”. But that’s just fine by me. Now that I’ve totally downplayed my list you’re probably thinking it’s soooo boring. I do have some fun noteworthy items on there like swimming with stingrays in the Caymans, running another half marathon and horseback riding on the beach. But at the top of my list?? It reads like this: More quality time with my girls.
Lucky for me, all three of my girls like to bake so my Supermom plan is to invite them into the kitchen with me (cuz duh, I’m in there like,  A L L  the time}. The best memories are made in the kitchen and we are gonna make some darn good memories this summer. Do you hear me girls?? Starting with these Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies. My girls are getting bigger {sigh} so no need to dumb down the recipes and end up with rounded piles inedible dough haphazardly covered in glow in the dark sprinkles. Our easy bake oven days are oh-ver!!! My kids are ready for some grown up recipes and this elevated sandwich cookie is just that. This recipe is perfect for a “group project” if you will. I can see some assembly-line style shenanigans happening while one baker fills, the next assembles and the last one drizzles the tops with melted chocolate. This is gonna be fuuuunnnn!

Get your aprons on bakers. These shortbread sandwich cookies are gonna take a little time and your best effort but the result is a cookie that makes quite the first impression. Feel free to make the shortbread dough ahead of time and store it wrapped tightly in the fridge until ready to use. Once you’ve baked off the dough, cool the cookies completely before moving on to make the ganache and melt the chocolate for the drizzle. This is definitely a one-step-at-a-time kinda recipe which really tests my multi-tasking tendencies. It’s not a one-bowl-wonder recipe so be sure to reserve some time and bake at your own pace. Trust me when I say this cookie is worth it. The final result is a cookie confection like none other. It’s a bit on the fancy side, but at the same time familiar. It’s like eating two cookies at once with a whole lotta chocolate sandwiched in between. If that sounds good to you, then this is your cookie. So grab that glass of milk and let’s get started with these Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies.
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