Looking for a fancy cookie without a lot of fuss?

This. This is the one you want. 

Inspired by my recent attempt at easy, delicious shortbread cookies, I decided to try my hand at a homemade version of French pétit Écoliers.

My initial thought was to create a shortbread cookie and marry it with a beautiful molded piece of chocolate. Turns out, I couldn't find beautiful chocolate molds - or at least the ones I envisioned in my head. 

So I chose to use a soap mold I found and ordered a set of oval cookie cutters to match and the rest is cookie history. 

I'm thrilled it actually worked. I had some doubts but that didn't stop me from trying.

I had to do a little tweaking with the cookie cutter (see "TIP" on the recipe card), otherwise, they were a piece of cake...errr...cookie. *wink*

You start with making your chocolates so they can be ready to place on your slightly cooled but warm-enough-to-melt-chocolate-a-tee-tiny-bit baked cookies. (that was a mouthful - and these cookies will be too). *wink*

These cookies will make a real impression (pun intended), especially if you package them up really cute like I did here. FREE printable Shortbread Cookie gift label set linked below.

The images below will give you a visual of the step-by-step process and then the recipe is below, hopefully giving you the nudge to try them yourself. 

Chocolate Topped Shortbread Cookies (Homemade Pétit Écoliers)

Yield: 24 cookies

Author: Jess - Pen + Paper Flowers

prep time: 2 hourcook time: total time: 2 H

ingredients:

INGREDIENTS FOR MOLDED CHOCOLATE

• 2 - 12oz. bags semi sweet chocolate chips

INGREDIENTS FOR SHORTBREAD COOKIES

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 + 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 TBSP pure vanilla
• Special Tools:
• Oval Chocolate Molds
• Oval Cookie Cutters - you'll want to use the largest oval from this set
• TIP: Squeeze to adjust the cookie cutter to be more elongated - using your chocolate mold as a guide. The shape of your chocolate and cookie should match...leaving a perfect 1/4 inch edge of cookies showing after molded chocolate has been placed.

instructions:

How to cook Chocolate Topped Shortbread Cookies (Homemade Pétit Écoliers)

CHOCOLATE TOPPERS

1. Melt chocolate, 1 bag at a time  using microwave or double boiler. 
2. Pour 1 TBSP of melted chocolate into mold cavities. 
3. Allow to cool until set and firm.
4. Pop out and set aside.
5. Repeat with 2nd bag of chocolate.

SHORTBREAD COOKIES

1. Preheat oven to 325º.
2. Cream butter and powdered sugar using stand mixer on medium to high speed until light and fluffy.
3. Scrape down sides of bowl.
4. Turn mixer on low and add flour to butter mixture, just until combined.
5. Scrape down sides of bowl.
6. Add vanilla. Mix until combined.
7. Place dough on lightly floured surface.
8. Use rolling pin to rolllout the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
9. Use oval cookie cutter to cut out 24 cookies.
10. Place cut out cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet, 1/2 inch apart.
11. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown.
12. Remove from oven.
13. Allow to cool 3 minutes - you want them warm but not hot so as not to completely compromise your molded chocolate.
14. Gently set prepared chocolate pieces onto each warm cookie.
15. The warmth from the cookies will melt the chocolate enough to beautifully adhere it to the cookies.
16. TIP: If your cookies are too cool and chocolate does not adhere, simply add a small amount of melted chocolate to cookie as a glue to secure the chocolate.
17. Allow to set and then package up for gift giving or store in airtight container.

Resources + Supplies:

Oval Chocolate Molds

Oval Cookie Cutters

Dough Scraper

https://www.pnpflowersinc.com/2019/12/Chocolate-Topped-Shortbread-Cookies-Petit-Ecolier.html

shortbread, cookies, Petit Ecoliers, Christmas baking, molded chocolate

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pnpflowers on instagram and hashtag it #pnpflowersrecipe

Created using The Recipes Generator

Sure hope you'll try these, friends.
They are simply delightful.

And don't forget to grab the FREE printable Chocolate Topped Shortbread Cookie Gift Tags to go with your pretty cookies.

PS - Let's stay cozy + connected in-between posts...find me on Instagram for daily inspiration.

Subscribe here to have new blog posts delivered right to your inbox.

KEEPING IT REAL 
I thought I had it all together this year with Christmas and now all of a sudden I'm realizing it's exactly one week away and I've still got a few more gifts to get. Eeks!

RECIPE | Stamped Gingerbread Cookies

I shared these beauties at Christmastime on my Instagram feed and then I also included them in my Simple Christmas Decor Holiday Recap, as well as in my most recent Reflect + Release post). 

Well...despite the fact that Christmas has come and gone, I made a promise to my "InstaSistas" I'd get the recipe and instructions for these Stamped Gingerbread Cookies up on the blog before the end of January. And we are one day away from the end of January...so here they are... *wink*

I'm sharing the recipe and technique I determined to produce the most favorable results after testing a couple of different recipes and a couple of different techniques.

These cookies are a soft gingerbread cookie, created from a dough that works specifically well with cookie stamps and has a little bit of bite to them.

Recipe first, followed by the step-by-step pictures.
But first you'll need THESE COOKIE STAMPS!

•••••••••

STAMPED GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Makes one dozen cookies + a couple more

Adapted from Sue Moran from www.theviewfromgreatisland.com

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients
6 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 packed cup plus 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1 large egg yolk

Dry Ingredients
1 3/4 cups plus 2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 TBSP 100% Ghirardelli cocoa powder, unsweetened
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Glaze
1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
1 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 TBSP plus 2 tsp warm water (or more)

1 small bowl of granulated sugar - approximately 1/4 cup - for rolling dough balls prior to stamping

Additional Kitchen Tools needed

Cookie Sheet
Parchment Paper <- my absolute FAVORITE kind or Silpat Baking Sheet
Cookie Stamps
Round Cookie Cutters

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375º F.

Put your cookie stamps in the freezer to chill.

Cream together the butter, sugar, and molasses in a stand mixer (or with electric beaters).

Beat in the egg yolk.

Sift together the dry ingredients in medium size bowl.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating on low until the dough comes together and begins to pull away from the bowl. If dough is sticky add a little more flour.

NOTE: My dough was still pretty sticky even after adding more flour but I proceeded to the next step and it turned out fine.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until all the flour is incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk. If dough is soft, wrap and chill in refrigerator for about an hour.

NOTE: On my first attempt, my dough felt really good but tended to get a little sticky while working with it and also spread too much during baking process. So, I chose to chill my dough. PS - I also live in Florida and we have high levels of humidity and heat which can also effect the baking results.

Roll dough into golf ball size balls.

Roll dough balls in small bowl of granulated sugar and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Press a chilled cookie stamp firmly and evenly into a dough ball until you see the dough start to peek out from all of the edges of the cookie stamp. Lift stamp.(if it sticks, slowly peel dough from stamp to maintain shape and then dip stamp in flour for remaining cookies).

TIP 1: I had no problem with sticking as long as I kept the cookie stamps in the freezer while not in use.

TIP 2: For an even press/cookie, I chose to press down on the round part of the cookie stamp with my fingers instead of just using the handle.

TIP 3: Use a round cookie cutter a tad smaller than the stamp itself to cut out the cookies leaving nice finished edges. This is my favorite set of round cookie cutters!

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cookies will be soft when you remove them from the oven, but will firm upon cooling.

While the cookies are baking make the glaze.
Using a whisk, combine ingredients together until they become smooth. Add more water if necessary until the glaze resembles a thin honey.

Place the baked cookies on a cooling rack and after about 10 minutes, brush them with the glaze while still slightly warm. The glaze will harden within about 30 minutes.

NOTE: Dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking . Baked cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to 5 days.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Stamped Gingerbread Cookie Ingredients

Gingerbread Dough rolled into golf ball sized dough balls and then rolled in granulated sugar

Pressing the cookie stamp into the Gingerbread Dough Ball

A perfectly stamped Gingerbread Cookie

Time to use a round cookie cutter to remove the rough edges of the stamped cookie

Round cookie cutter should be slightly smaller than the stamped design to create a clean edge.

Stamped and cut cookies ready for baking

Beautiful stamped, baked and glazed Gingerbread cookies - ready for gifting and eating

Sure hope you loved the recipe and quick tutorial.

They are such pretty cookies and they taste delicious too.

I sure do love you my friends!!

Stay tuned for my "Word of the Year" announcement coming tomorrow!!

xoxo,

Jess

PS - You'll find me on Instagram sharing tips, fun finds, current projects, daily inspiration and so much more to keep us connected + cozy in-between blog posts! 

Oh! And If you’d like new posts delivered to your inbox - subscribe here!

KEEPiNG iT REAL

As silly as I feel for finally posting these at the end of January...

a promise is a promise. Am I right? 

Now go ahead and pin this for next cookie baking season!! *grin*