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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
I thought I followed this to a T, but cookies came out chewy. Any advice?
Hey Claire,
Thanks for trying the recipe! Were the cookies thin or thick? For a crispy cookie make sure you are following the baking instructions for the rack placement. I hope this helps! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! First attempt was a fail but tried again using a different Almond flour and they turned out nicely! So for those of you that the batter did not spread, try using an Almond flour like Bob’s Red Mill. My first try, I used an Almond flour blend and they were cake like and did not spread. The successful batch turned out lacy, chewy and delicious! I even liked them even without the frosting!
Hey Julie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
These cookies are amazing! 2nd cookie recipe made from your site for Christmas that was absolutely delicious and made the kitchen smell heavenly! Next up is making 3 of your pizza recipes! Your recipes always look so good, taste delicious and are easy to make too!
Hey Christine,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious !!!
Hey Lisa,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hello!
I made these cookies but they didn’t look lacy – they looked like normal cookies but thin – where did I go wrong?
Hey Courtney,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am sorry they do not look like lace cookies. Was there anything you adjusted? If the batter was thick try adding 1 tablespoon of water or cream, this might help! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Best chocolate cookie ever!!!!!
Hey Dolores,
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
What can I use instead of the egg white to make it vegan?
Hey Nicole,
So sorry I have not tested this recipe without the egg white. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi! Tried your recipe and they didn’t spread at all. Any tips?
Hey Michelle,
So sorry to hear this, was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? Try adding 1 tablespoon of water or cream to help thin the batter. I hope this helps for next time! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! This is my first time making lattice cookies and I’m noticing that the dough didn’t really thicken up at all. If anything I feel like the egg white made them runnier! ? Not sure where I went wrong with this as it seemed pretty easy and I followed your Instagram story as well. Any thoughts?! Thanks!
Hey Michelle,
So sorry you had issues with the recipe. How did the cookies turn out? Did you use almond flour? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
For some reason my cookies didn’t come out crisp and rather chewy but they were still good!
Thanks so much for giving them a try! xTieghan
Nope. Tried twice. The “dough” is liquid. The only reason I know it’s not supposed to be is that I watched the Instagram video. A teaspoon spreads in the oven to slightly larger than a quarter and comes out nearly burnt. A tablespoon spreads more but the edges are overdone and the middle is thick, nearly raw, and chewy. The flavor is good but I’m definitely not getting lace cookies. And yes, I followed the recipe exactly as written. Not trying a third time because that’s a lot of butter to waste. Do not recommend this recipe.
Hey Kath,
I am so sorry you did not enjoy the recipe, please let me know if there is anything I can help with. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Will the cookies last longer than 4 days without the filling? Hoping to bake today and fill closer to the “giving” day (which is closer to 6 days).
Hey Janet,
You can store the cookies without the chocolate in the freezer. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I made these cookies tonight and they came out perfect! They look delicate and delicious. Thank you for such an easy recipe, and yummy recipe.
I made these cookies tonight and they came out perfect! They look delicate and delicious. Thank you for such an easy recipe, and yummy recipe.
Hey Lorrie,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I’m having a hard time making the lacy cookies. Appear lacy… they taste good but do not appear lacy at all
Hey Annie,
So sorry you are having issues with the look of the cookie. Have you adjusted anything in the recipe? Did you try adding a tablespoon of cream or water? This might help!! xTieghan