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These delicious yet so easy Hot Chocolate Lace Cookies are the perfect holiday cookie. Made with double the vanilla and sweet brown sugar. These cookies are crisp, buttery, and perfectly sweet with hints of caramel throughout. They’re generously sandwiched with a sweet and creamy hot chocolate ganache that truly makes these cookies roll your eyes back delicious. The secret is in the combination of vanilla and brown sugar, which keep these cookies incredibly flavorful, crisp, and so delicious. Fun and easy to bake, delicious to eat, a great homemade gift, and a festive addition to your holiday cookie box!
Such an easy holiday cookie for you guys today! Sometimes I love a more involved cookie. But come December, I also like to have a few recipes on hand that really take no time at all.
Enter these lace cookies. I’ve literally been dreaming these up since last December. I had every intention of sharing them before the end of the holiday season, but as always December flew by. I never got the chance to share these delicious “hot chocolate” stuffed lace cookies so I decided to save them.
The idea and the inspiration.
Funny enough the idea for these cookies all came from a cookie I shared in 2012, Nutella Oatmeal Lace Cookies. If you love a good trip down memory lane…or just a laugh. Read through this blog post. It’s so crazy to see how much I’ve really grown up over the years!
I remembered those lace cookies as being delicious, especially with that Nutella filling. I wondered if I could create a similar cookie but without the oatmeal and with the addition of a creamy hot cocoa center.
The Details.
I tested them out…several times, and while these cookies took a while to perfect, I finally got them right. Honestly, they’re even more delicious than I had envisioned.
For any of you who might not be familiar, lace cookies are very thin cookies usually made from either nuts or oatmeal. They’re meant to be VERY thin and crisp and are often sandwiched with fillings like chocolate or buttercream.
It’s a classic Christmas cookie and one that’s so easy to make.
First, melt the butter on the stove, then stir in the brown sugar. Cook a minute, then add the vanilla. Stir in a bit of almond flour and a pinch of salt. Let this mix cool, then add an egg white.
And that’s your dough! It’s going to seem runny at first, but let the dough sit for ten minutes and it will stiffen slightly as it cools.
Now, these cookies are not like other cookies. For one, the dough is on the greasy side, so just be aware that a little butter around the sides of the dough is OK.
And second, we are making these dough balls small. One teaspoon dollops of dough to be exact. The cookies will spread a lot in the oven, thus the need for smaller size dough balls.
And lastly, stuff them with hot chocolate!
Well, kind of. Once the cookies cool completely, sandwich them with a thicker, creamier version of hot chocolate. It’s not quite hot chocolate, but all the same flavors.
And it makes for a truly delicious lace cookie filling!! Or keep it simple and spread each cookie with sweet milk chocolate. You can’t go wrong either way!
And trust me, these cookies are GOOD. Crisp and sweet on the outside, but the filling is soft and creamy. There are hints of browned butter and caramel, as well as sweet vanilla and even a touch of espresso.
All together they’re just delicious! Like grab a third…or fourth cookie (my mom says she did) kind of good.
As mentioned, these are the perfect easy Christmas cookie to bake up. You can enjoy them yourself or gift some to friends and family. No matter who you’re gifting them to, they will be loved.
These aren’t your average cookie, but such a nice switch up!
So with that, let’s bake cookies on a December Friday night and enjoy them while watching your favorite holiday movie. Then take the leftovers and share them with friends. You’ll make everyone’s day.
‘Tis the season for giving after all! And let’s be real, there isn’t much else to do these days anyway! Embrace it!
Looking for other holiday cookie recipes? Here are my favorites:
Slice n’ Bake Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cookies
Chai Spiced Santa Cookies with White Chocolate Frosting
Lastly, if you make these Easy Hot Chocolate Lace Cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Hot Chocolate Lace Cookies
Servings: 16 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 317 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg white
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12 ounces melted milk chocolate (optional)
Hot Chocolate Filling
- 8 ounces semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Once melted, whisk in the brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the vanilla. Add the almond flour and salt mixing until combined. Let cool 5 minutes, then stir in the egg white. Let the dough sit 10 minutes to thicken. 2. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.3. If you can roll the dough into balls, add 1 tablespoons water to thin. The dough should be thiner and look like my photo above. 4. Drop 1 teaspoons size amounts of dough on prepared baking sheet, placing each 3 inches apart. Bake for 7-9 minutes until golden brown around the edges. The butter will be bubbling up around the cookies, this is OK. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cook completely. 5. To make the filling. Combine chocolate and cream microwave-safe bowl and microwave, stirring every 45 seconds, until melted. Stir in the vanilla and coffee powder. Let cool 10 minutes, until slightly thickened and spreadable. 6. Sandwich each cookie with the chocolate filling or melted milk chocolate. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nut Free Cookie: try my Oatmeal Lace Cookies.
All-Purpose Flour: I did not have success when I tested all-purpose flour, so I would recommend sticking to a nut flour or using the Oatmeal Lace Cookies.
This post was originally published on December 4, 2020
Do you have to use parchment paper? Or can you lightly grease
Hey Talia,
I had the best results using parchment paper. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
These were a fail at my house. Followed the recipe exactly, and baked along with your instagram video of them. The cookies did not spread thin at all in the oven, I can’t sandwich them together. Really bummed 🙁
Hey Kate,
So sorry you had issues with the cookies, please let me know how I can help! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I attempted this recipe twice, once without water and once with water to thin the dough out. Both times I did not get crispy thin cookies and they did not crackle up in the oven either. They browned on the edges but the center of the cookies stay soft and chewy. I thought the dough may have been too thick the first time but the second batch came out the same. I left the cookies in a minute or two but no cracking, crispy cookies. The flavors of the cookie are delicious and everyone loved them as a chewy cookie. Any tips?
Hey Ashley,
So sorry you had issues with the recipe. Did you boil the sugar and butter for one minute, this really is key to the recipe. How about almond flour? Let me know how I can help! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Delicious and simple! I’m thinking the grind of the almond flour may have an impact on the laciness. I used fine ground and they aren’t quite as lacy as Tieghan’s.
Hey Rachel,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I followed the recipe to a T and the cookies turned out burnt on the edges and goey in the middle. I even added a teaspoon of water plus more to thin the batter out. Where did I go wrong?
Hey Jordan,
So sorry you had issues with the recipe. What kind of flour did you use? Did you allow the butter and sugar to boil for 1 minute. Please let me know how I can help! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
These are INSANELY delicious and so simple! I’m not the best baker and I actually had fun making these (which says a lot)! For sure to be a Christmas staple at our house!! My husband ate nearly all of them within an hour of making them!! Making more for the in-laws today!! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Hey Emily,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
These cookies taste delicious and my dough looked just like hers, but the cookies didn’t come out looking like lace at all. What did I do wrong?!
Hey Sarah,
So sorry about this! Was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? Please let me know how I can help! xTieghan
So easy, delicious, and naturally gluten free! I let the hot chocolate mixture sit a little longer to harden up a bit. Ive made a few batches and spread the cookie mixture out a bit with the back of a teaspoon rather than just baking in a ball for the last 2 batches to create a thinner cookie. The first batch, which I kept in more of a ball, was great, just super small cookies and didn’t crispen out as much as I wanted.
Hey Lacy,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made 12 cookies and have 4 left – these are chewy, buttery, with just the right amount of sweetness and chocolate. Thank for you finally showing me how to make a delicious cookie with almond flour! Happy Holidays!
Hey Thy Le,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made two batches of this, and they taste amazing! The only thing is that my cookies didn’t spread quite as much as I expected…is there an easy solution for this?
Hey Sarah,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Try adding water or cream to the batter to thin it out. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I agree with other reviewers that these did not turn out as expected. The first batch my dough was too thick and the cookies came out tiny. The second batch I added water to the dough to thin it out but the cookies were more fragile and came out in very odd shapes. I don’t see how these would stay round unless you have something holding them in place. If you’re a novice baker, I’d steer clear of these.
Hey Jennifer,
I am so sorry you had issues with the cookies, I like to use a teaspoon to measure out the cookies. I hope this helps for next time! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
My cookies were still yum but didn’t turn out lacey – they’re also chewy, not crisp. My consistency even looked exactly like yours in the photo… any thoughts?
Hey Erin,
So sorry you had issues with the consistency of the cookie. Was there anything you may have adjusted? Was the batter thick or thin? If it was thick, I would add a tablespoon of water or cream to help thin the batter. I hope this helps for next time! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
First try didn’t come out looking like your cookies, but they still tasted good. My husband said it tasted just like a chocolate chip cookie. Not sure if that’s the goal of these? I will definitely make them again and hopefully they come out prettier! Thank you for the recipe.
Hey Priscilla,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
These taste DELICIOUS but I’m following the recipe perfectly and can’t get them to be lacey! They’re just like little normal looking cookies. What am I doing wrong!?
Hey Bridie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so sorry they are not lacey for you. Is there anything you may be adjusting? Is the batter thick? If so try adding a tablespoon of water or cream to thin out the batter. I hope this helps! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
Can you freeze the dough? I am getting all my cookie dough ready for Christmas Eve. I made these a few weeks ago as a test recipe and the definitely made the cut. We loved them.
Thanks,
Debbie
Hey Debbie,
I would bake the cookies and then freeze the cookies without the chocolate. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan