Ding Dong Cookies

Ding Dongs Cookies take the cake, literally, soft, chewy, and decadent chocolate cookies filled with vanilla cream and then covered in ganache.

These cookies are better than my favorite childhood lunch box treat.

I love recipes that come by inspiration through family and friends. These Ding Dong Cookies are a result of a text a dear friend trying to decide what kind of birthday cake she wanted.

I can’t relate to not knowing exactly what you would want for your cake, as my choice would easily be the Best Ever Chocolate Cake. Once she put a lot of thought into it, she decided on Ding Dong Cookies, not cupcakes but cookies.

I love unique cookie recipes and this one “takes the cake”. I love ding dong hostess cakes, so making a twist and into a decadent cookie, is sinfully delicious.

These cookies are better than the real deal cupcake version. This cupcake is rich and creamy and the ganache topping just completes this delicious dessert.

HOW DO YOU MAKE DING DONG COOKIES?

Make your cookies first! That way they have time to cool while you are making the filling.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is preheating gather all of the ingredients. Here is what you will need to make your cookies.

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 package 10-12 ounces semisweet chocolate chunks/chips

Melt your chocolate and butter together, check out the recipe card below for full step-by-step on how to do this. But make sure NOT to over cook your chocolate.

In a small mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Then in a medium mixing bowl with electric beaters or stand mixer beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy; about 3-4 minutes.

Reduce the mixing speed to low and add in the melted chocolate while continuing to beat together until well combined. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Once combined stir in the chocolate chunks.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper and add a heaping tablespoon of dough, I used a small cookie dough scoop. Bake for 10-12 minutes, larger cookies 12-15 minutes, or until cookies are shiny & crackly yet still soft and chewy in the center. Cool the cookies on baking sheets for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Time to make your filling, here is what you will need:

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Gather your ingredients for the ganache as well!

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Add milk into a small saucepan over medium-low heat, and immediately whisk in flour until no lumps are left. Cook and stir until mixture is thick cold milk into a small saucepan, like a pudding or gravy.

Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, set it aside, and let it completely cool. Once cooled, cream together butter and sugar using an electric or stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 7-8 minutes.

Add in the cooled milk mixture and beat again until the mixture is creamy and looks like whipped cream. Now make the ganache.

In a small saucepan add the whipping cream and bring to a boil, remove from heat and add in chocolate chips. Do not mix or stir them in, let the chocolate sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let it cool for about 15 minutes while filling the cookies.

Now it is time for the fun part, assembly! Check out the recipe card for full directions.

Looking for some more Hostess inspired treats? Be sure to check these out:

Homemade Twinkies, Ding Dong Cake, and Ding Dong Cupcakes

Don’t forget to pin these Ding Dong Cookies to your favorite Pinterest board for later!

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Ding Dong Cookies

Soft, chewy, and decadent chocolate cookies filled with vanilla cream then covered in ganache. 

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time12 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: ding dong cookies, oatmeal sandwich cookies

Servings: 15

Calories: 506kcal

Ingredients

Cookies

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 package 10-12 ounces semisweet chocolate chunks/chips

Filling

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Ganache

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Cookies

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• In a small microwavable-safe bowl add chocolate and butter, and heat for 30 seconds, stir and heat again for 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. If needed, heat once more for 15 seconds. Make sure not to overheat the chocolate.
• In another small mixing bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a medium mixing bowl with electric beaters or stand mixer beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy; about 3-4 minutes.
• Reduce the mixing speed to low and add in melted chocolate while continuing to beat together until well combined. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Once combined stir in the chocolate chunks.
• Line a baking pan with parchment paper and add a heaping tablespoon of dough, I used a small cookie dough scoop. Bake for 10-12 minutes, larger cookies 12-15 minutes or until cookies are shiny & crackly yet still soft and chewy in the center. Cool the cookies on baking sheets for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Filling

• Add milk into a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, immediately whisk in flour until no lumps are left. Cook and stir until mixture is thick cold milk into a small saucepan, like a pudding or gravy. Yes, you are making a roux for a dessert.
• Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, set it aside and let it completely cool.
• Once cooled, cream together butter and sugar using an electric or stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy, about 7-8 minutes.
• Add in the cooled milk mixture and beat again until mixture is creamy and looks like whipped cream.

Ganache

• In a small saucepan add the whipping cream and bring to a boil, remove from heat and add in chocolate chips. Do not mix or stir them in, let the chocolate sit for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let it cool for about 15 minutes while filling the cookies.

Assembly

• In a frosting piping bag or Ziploc with the corner snipped off and add the filling into the bag.
• Pipe some frosting on top of one cookie, add filling, and top with another cookie. You can also just spread a thick layer of frosting, no need for a piping bag. Keep it simple, just like a sandwich.
• Repeat this step with remaining cookies and frosting.
• Spoon slightly cooled ganache over each cookie. Place in fridge until the ganache is set, and then serve.

Notes

Ganache recipe from Dash of Sanity

 

Nutrition

Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 202mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 768IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg

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