Sachertorte Cookies. A deep chocolate thumbprint cookie filled with apricot jam and sealed with chocolate ganache. A tempting treat for tea time. They freeze extremely well for Holiday baking too!
Sachertorte Cookies
Ever heard of a Sachertorte? (Pronounced sash-er-tort)
Wikipedia tells us, “Sachertorte is a specific type of chocolate cake, or torte, invented by Austrian Franz Sacher in 1832 for Prince Wenzel von Metternich in Vienna, Austria. It is one of the most famous Viennese culinary specialties.”
Viennese Sachertorte
It is traditionally quite a dense chocolate cake, with an apricot filling and covered in a layer of chocolate. Apparently, it is essential to serve this torte with whipped cream to help moisten the somewhat dry cake as you eat it.
Why not use a better, more moist cake recipe? I do not know but I won’t argue with Viennese tradition.
Dark chocolate chips are my preference for the topping but you can use semi-sweet if you like.
I first heard of Sachertorte many years ago when my mother came across a recipe in a magazine. The only thing was, it wasn’t a torte, it was an interpretation in cookie form.
The recipe was featured as the winner of the Pillsbury Bake Off in 1982. Phyllis Wolf from Salem, Oregon, won $2,000 at that 30th annual bake off for her version Sachertorte Cookies
Sachertorte Cookies
Variations on Sachertorte Cookies
That original recipe called for instant chocolate pudding in the cookie dough, which we did use many years ago. Years later I adapted the recipe to give the cookie dough a deeper chocolate flavour.
That is the same basic recipe I use now for Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies too.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Another different variation on this recipe is one we made quite often, especially at the Holidays. That version substituted the apricot jam with mint jelly. That’s the same sort of jelly as jarred sweet grape jelly.
Sweet mint jelly is also a great filling in these cookies.
E. D Smith was a popular brand that we used here in Canada but I know that Smucker’s makes one in the US as well. I always thought the chocolate mint version was a bit more festive.
As we approach the Holiday baking season, I’m suggesting this recipe as yet another freezer friendly cookie to add to your treat trays this season. Be prepared to be asked for the recipe!
You might also like to try some of our very popular recipes in our Best Newfoundland Christmas Cookies Collection. They are definitely worth making at any time of year!
Newfoundland Christmas Cookie Recipes
For other filling ideas try our mint cream version and our orange cream version.
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Sachertorte Cookies
Sachertorte Cookies. A deep chocolate thumbprint cookie filled with apricot jam and sealed with chocolate ganache. A tempting treat for tea time. They freeze extremely well for Holiday baking too!
Ingredients
For the chocolate thumbprint cookie dough
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
For the chocolate covering
- 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
You will also need
- 1 cup apricot jam (approximately)
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar well.
- Beat in the egg.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and milk.
- Sift together the flour, salt, cocoa baking soda and baking powder.
- Blend the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Roll the dough into 3/4 to 1 inch balls and lay them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Using your thumb or the round end of the handle of a wooden spoon, make a deep indentation into the centre of each dough ball. about 3/4 of an inch wide.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes until firm to the touch when baked.
- When the cookies are removed from the oven, and while they are still warm, use the round end of a wooden spoon handle or similar instrument to press the centre depressions in the cookies down again to create a good "well" in the centre of the cookies.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before continuing to fill the cookies.
To prepare the chocolate covering
- In a small saucepan heat the whipping cream to almost boiling over medium low heat.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the chocolate chips until melted.
To assemble the cookies
- Spoon about 1/2 tsp of the apricot jam into the cookie "wells"
- Spoon a dollop of the chocolate over the apricot jam to cover it.
- Cool completely at room temperature until the chocolate sets.
- Store or freeze in airtight containers.
Notes
Recipe Notes
It is important in this recipe not to over-measure the flour. Sifted then measured is best for this recipe. if the dough seems too dry, add another tablespoon or 3 of milk if needed to ring it together. Too much milk and the cookies will flatten though, so be careful to have the dough firm enough to make the impression in the centre that will keep its shape when baking.
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Nutrition Information
Yield
30Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 153Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 17mgSodium 86mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 1gSugar 15gProtein 2g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Brian McCarthy
Thursday 17th of October 2019
Good evening Barry. I just wanted to comment on these cookies. I made them this morning and they turned out perfectly. I shared them around and they were a success. I only had one because I am a diabetic and one was pushing the boundaries. Thanks for the recipe.
Diana Coady
Tuesday 8th of October 2019
Barry,
When a recipe calls for “milk” is it better to use evaporated milk or fresh? I’m on the fence about this. Thank you!
Diana
Barry C. Parsons
Tuesday 8th of October 2019
Not much difference in small amounts and really either is fine. In cakes and other things where more milk is usded, it can bring extra richness and flavour to the recipe.