White Chocolate Sandwich Cookies Recipe — Creamy Filling & Crisp Cookies

Learn how to make delicate white chocolate-filled sandwich cookies with this simple, tasty recipe. These hazelnut-flavored shortbread cookies stay tender and are paired with a smooth white chocolate ganache for a delightful treat.

Shortbread sandwich cookies

These small hazelnut shortbread cookies are hard to resist. They’re tender, subtly nutty, and filled with a creamy white chocolate ganache that complements the shortbread perfectly.

The recipe has two main components: a shortbread dough flavored with hazelnut meal and a simple white chocolate ganache. Both are straightforward and quick to prepare.

These sandwich cookies are easy to make at home and work well for everyday snacks, kid-friendly treats, or as an elegant offering for guests.

>> See all the cookies and shortbread recipes from the blog

Ingredients and substitutions

Below is an overview of the main ingredients and suggested swaps. Exact quantities are provided in the recipe card further down.

Shortbread

• Flour: All-purpose (white wheat) flour works best for a tender crumb.
• Powdered sugar: Use powdered sugar for a fine texture. You can substitute caster sugar if needed, or try a light brown sugar for a different flavor.
• Hazelnut flour: Adds a nutty aroma. Substitute almond flour if you prefer.
• Salt: A pinch enhances the flavors.
• Butter: Cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces.
• Egg: One large egg at room temperature to bind the dough.

Ganache filling

• White chocolate: Use good-quality baking white chocolate or white chocolate chips for a smoother, less sweet ganache. If you prefer, swap for milk or dark chocolate.
• Heavy cream: Full-fat cream (at least 30% fat) for a rich ganache.
• Optional: Fold in crushed toasted hazelnuts or almonds for texture and extra flavor.

⚠️ Quantities and full instructions are available in the recipe card at the end of the page.

How to make shortbread sandwich cookies filled with white chocolate ganache

This is a hazelnut variation of a classic cut-out sugar cookie dough, made so it keeps its shape and doesn’t spread during baking.

1 – Shortbread dough

1. Combine the dry ingredients—flour, hazelnut meal, powdered sugar, and salt—in a large bowl.
2. Add the cold, chopped butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
3. Add the egg and gently bring the dough together with your hands until it forms a smooth, homogeneous ball. Avoid overworking the dough.
4. Wrap the dough and chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

Tip: To speed things up, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment and freeze for 10 minutes before cutting.

2 – Cut-outs

1. Roll the chilled dough to about 3–4 mm thick on a lightly floured surface or between parchment sheets.
2. Cut rounds with a 5 cm diameter cookie cutter.
3. Arrange the rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Freeze the cut-outs for 15–30 minutes to help them hold their shape during baking.

Tip: Chilled dough is firmer and yields cleaner cookie rounds when cutting.

3 – Baking

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
2. Place the cookies on a baking sheet spaced about 5 cm apart.
3. Bake on the middle rack for about 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
4. Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tip: Avoid overbaking. Cookies should feel slightly soft in the center and will firm up as they cool.

4 – White chocolate ganache

1. Place the white chocolate and heavy cream in a heatproof bowl.
2. Gently melt over a double boiler or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth and glossy.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until the ganache is completely cool and firm enough to pipe.

5 – Assembly

1. Fill a pastry bag with the chilled ganache.
2. Pipe a dollop of ganache onto the center of one cookie.
3. Top with a second cookie and press gently to spread the filling evenly.
4. Chill the assembled sandwiches briefly so the ganache sets.
5. Serve with coffee, tea, or a latte.

Conservation

In the fridge: Store the filled cookies in an airtight container or wrapped for up to 1 week.

At room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Freezing: Freeze cookies, filled or unfilled, for up to 3 months. Thaw gently at room temperature.

More filling ideas

If you’d like to swap the white chocolate ganache, try one of these alternatives:

• Fruit jam or preserves
• Salted caramel sauce
• Nutella or another chocolate-hazelnut spread
• Dark or milk chocolate ganache
• Almond, peanut, or coconut butter
• Praline paste

More shortbread

• Snowflake cookies
• Snickerdoodle cookies
• Gingerbread men
• Chocolate crinkles
• Spritzgebäck (German spritz cookies)
• Iced gingerbread cookies
• Linzer cookies with jam
• Nutella Linzer cookies
• Soft & chewy M&M cookies
• Chocolate chip cut-out sugar cookies
• Chocolate cut-out cookies

More white chocolate recipes

• White chocolate truffles
• Coconut balls
• White chocolate ganache
• Coconut truffles
• Oreo white chocolate fudge

Did you like this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment with your feedback. If you try it, tag the author on Instagram to share your photos!

Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

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• Author: Fadela
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 20 cookies