This month was a crazy one. Not only were we moving (and I promise I’ll stop talking about that-the way I’m carrying on it sounds like I’m the first and only person to ever move) but I also had a Daring Baker’s Challenge to do which comprised of two items and I was also co-hosting August’s Daring Baker’s Challenge. I thought I was ok until a last minute switch around of plans meant that we had to pack within 2 days rather than 5 which had my baking schedule squished up tighter than an accordion. And I was jammed inside it.
I didn’t get to make these in time but curiousity got the better of me. These cookies are based on the Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie. We don’t have that brand readily available here but I have fond memories of eating their Chess Cookies and these very Milano cookies so one day when I had an excess of egg whites (fromthe choux that I’ve been making so often) I decided to make them as they required almost a cup’s full of whites. Bakers will know what I mean. You’ve made plenty of pavlovas and meringues and you yearn for something else to do with your egg whites. This proved irresistible along with the chance to eat these cookies again.
The recipe is very straightforward and easy and as for the cookie? It’s wonderful – crispy, light and buttery it’s also lightly aromatic via the inclusion of lemon essence and vanilla. Sandwiching them together with the chocolate is also delicious and very much like my memory of the MIlano cookie but even by themselves I found these irresistible. So if you’re ever faced with the excess egg white dilemma or if you just love delicate, crispy buttery cookies I urge you to make these. When Mr NQN ate his first one – and I should preface this by saving that he dislikes most cookies – his eyes lit up and he nodded. “Yes! I like that one!” he says enthusiastically.
So tell me Dear Reader, what is your favourite ever cookie or biscuit?
Milan Cookies
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, from Food Network website
Prep Time: 20 min
Inactive Prep Time: 0 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 0 min
Serves: about 3 dozen cookies
- 12 tablespoons (170grams/ 6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cups (312.5 grams/ 11.02 oz) powdered sugar
- 7/8 cup egg whites (from about 6 eggs)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon extract
- 1 1/2 cups (187.5grams/ 6.61 oz) all purpose flour
Cookie filling:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 orange, zested
1. In a mixer with paddle attachment cream the butter and the sugar.
2. Add the egg whites gradually and then mix in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
3. Add the flour and mix until just well mixed.
4. With a small (1/4-inch) plain tip, pipe 1-inch sections of batter onto a parchment-lined sheet pan, spacing them 2 inches apart as they spread.
5. Bake in a preheated 350F/160C degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Let cool on the pan.
6. While waiting for the cookies to cool, in a small saucepan over medium flame, scald cream.
7. Pour hot cream over chocolate in a bowl, whisk to melt chocolate, add zest and blend well.
8. Set aside to cool (the mixture will thicken as it cools).
9. Spread a thin amount of the filling onto the flat side of a cookie while the filling is still soft and press the flat side of a second cookie on top.
10. Repeat with the remainder of the cookies.
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36 Comments | Add your own
Very pretty and delicious looking! Great job!
Cheers,
Rosa
Your Milano Cookies look absolutely wonderfull!
I loved these biscuits and it was great to find a new way to use left over egg whites.
Your milanos look great! I have some extra egg whites in my refrigerator right now, so I’m inspired to try these. Favorite cookie ever would have to be a sugar cookie.
I only was able to make one of the cookie versions for DB last month, too. (Busy with more boring things than you!) I ate plently of these cookies when I lived in Boston so knew how they tasted quite well. That’s why I quickly opted for the mallow versions – one of my weaknesses. Though I love how you have made them even after the challenge. Great idea! These look lovely. Cute butterfly chain.
Tim Tams win Hands down for me
Homemade choc chip cookies in america are somehow better than the ones here… i dont know why? they are caramelised without being over sweet… maybe its the chocolate they use?
I still havent gotten around to making the croqembouche cupcakes but they are on my to do list.
Beautiful! Perfect Sunday afternoon tea food.
Very pretty, indeed! They look lovely!
I love the Pepperidge Farm Milan cookies! Your cookies look absolutely perfect. I would have to say, my all-time favorite cookie is the chocolate chip cookie (maybe because I have such fond memories of making these as a child with my mom and sis). Straight out of the oven, they’re warm, chewy, and the perfect balance between chocolate morsels and vanilla cookie…divine!
Aaah…I’ve been seeing these around everywhere and I can’t get them off my brain!
My fav cookie would be this Korean buttery, crumbly cookie called Margaret…soooo good!
Tea time …coffee time, breakfast time…really buttery cookies for all the day!
I’d like to make 2 with dulce de leche right now
All the best,
Gera
OMG these look incredible L!!
My favourite would have to be either good old Kingstons or my own choc chip cookies.. I get a whole block of dark chocolate to chop chunkily and throw in.. delish!!
They look so deliciously simple. I like plainer biscuits like that. Tim Tams are fabulous but I can never eat too many. As I get older I am shying away from overly sweet things.
They’re beautiful! Glad to hear they even impressed your non-cookie-lover. My boyfriend was skeptical about the citrus, but he loved them more and more with every one he ate!
love the look of these milano cookies! my favourite biscuit/cookie would have to be the macaron.
Your presentation looks very professional like something out of a cookbook! Those cookies look yummy too, hopefully easy to make for a cooking beginner like me.
I can’t decide between my three favourites: Tim Tams dipped in coffee, moist/chewy choc chip cookies (the more chocolate the better) and buttery macadamia cookies.
These look just divine. I must admit, I love the good old ANZAC cookie. Nice and chewy or crisp as a cracker – doesn’t matter. I also love macaroons… but only in St-Germaine-des-Pres in Paris, of course…
I’m glad I’m not the only one who got crisp cookies – so many people ended up with cakey ones with this recipe. Yours look just wonderful, so I’m glad you squeezed this in (so excited about August’s DB, btw). As for my favorite cookie? Jam thumbprints – they’re just deadly!
Looking very goood! I love Milano cookies and I used to stock up Pepperidge farm Milano Cookies …until I realized that I had gained so much weight… lol
was this any harder or easier than other cookie/biscuit recipes?
my favourites are Tim Tams, Milano, and country Ma’am (Japanese one)
Your Milan cookies look georgous: a real treat!
Beautiful picturs again!! Yummie too!
One word. Gorgeous! In France, those cookies are called langues de chat (cat’s tongue)
These look so yummy! I think Milanos were marketed here under another brandname but they didn’t last long in the supermarkets – pity. I can almost taste how delicate the biscuits are!
Good for you Lorraine. Brilliant stuff this! They look lovely & you make them sound divine. I didn’t get as far as the Milanos! Where did July go? Lov the challenge U are hosting with Angela this month…YAY!!
nicely done, lorraine–i’m glad you went ahead and made them so i could gaze at them fondly. my favorite cookie? right now it’s the oatmeal scotchie.
Those cookies look wonderful and very delicious. My fav cookie is definitely the humble chocolate chip cookie. I am also quite partial to a good old buttery shorbread
Nice touch with the chocolate filling Lorraine. My daughter Gabriella makes something similar called cat’s tongues , very addictive!
My favourite biscuit is our home-town traditional Italian Christmas biscottini.They’re loaded with everything and each year we have to make more and more batches as we give them away as edible presents in pretty packaging.
Wow, they look terrific. You did a beautiful job.
My favorite store bought cookies are the Milanos! I’m so happy to have a recipe now!
Gorgeous cookies and sound absolutely scrumptious!
I’m glad you got a chance to make these cookies. I found them irresistible too. Oatmeal toffee cherry chocolate chip cookies are my favorite http://barbarabakes.blogspot.com/2008/02/oatmeal-toffee-cookies.html
Looks straight from the pepperidge farm bag! Cool.
Hi Rosa-Thankyou so much!
Hi Marthe-Thanks so much!
Hi Anita-I agree! I had so many in my fridge
Hi Lisa-Thankyou! Ooh yes the classic sugar cookie! I love those
Hi Julia-Hehe what were you up to?
Thanks, yes I wouldn’t have but I just had so many whites that I didn’t know what to do with! 
Thanks 
Hi Tara-Hehe I think many people would agree with you!
Hmm perhaps it is the chocolate? Cool! 
Hi romaverona-Thankyou! Yes they are aren’t they
Hi Lisa-Thankyou so much
Hi Faith-Me too! Although it has been so long since I had one
Thankyou! Mmm yes sounds divine indeed! 
Hi Sophia-hehe luckily you can easily buy them. We can’t here!
Margaret? What a funny name for a cookie!
Hi Gera-Mmm I wonder what these would be like with some Dulce de leche?
Hi Lulu-Thankyou! Oh yes I remember Kingstons! :O I used to looove them
Hi Esz-Thanks, they really are!
Ahh that’s probably a good thing though! 
Hi Julie-Thankyou! I was amazed when he said that!
Hehe that’s great!
Hi Panda-Thanks
Oh yes how could I have missed the macaron? 
Hi jess-Aww thankyou! They’re very easy. I think the fiddliest bit is the piping
Oh yes macadamia cookies are fantastic!
Hi Tania-Thankyou!
Ooh yes Anzac Cookies are so good and I love oatmeal in cookies. Hehe! 
Hi Caitlin-Ah yes I thought that was funny too!
Thanks so much and so glad that you like August’s DB too 
YOu know I don’t think I’ve ever had a homemade one? I must fix that! 
Hi Yas-Thanks! Haha yes that’s the negative isn’t it!
I love these Tohato Sesame cookies that Angels from Creating a Stir sent me. OMG so moreish!
Hi Sophie-Thankyou so much!
Hi Jackie-Thankyou! Yes that’s right
I always thought of them as that until I tried Milanos 
Hi Moya-Oh no, really? They’re so good! I’m thinking of making these again
Hi deeba-Thanks! I know July was a crazy busy month wasn’t it!
Thankyou so much! 
Hi grace-Thanks so much
oooh oatmeal is so good in cookies!
Hi sandra-Thankyou so much
I agree, both of those cookies are to die for!
Hi Matilda-Thanks!
What a talented daughter! What a gorgeous idea for a present! 
Hi Bethie-Thankyou so much!
Hi Paula-Oh fantastic! I hope you enjoy making them
Hi 5 Star Foodie-Thankyou so much!
Hi Barbara-Oh those look divine! Oatmeal and toffe together? How blissful!
Hi Soma-hehe why thankyou! That’s an awesome compliment!
Hi Lorraine. I gave the recipe a go this weekend. Yummo. Thanks for sharing.
this is one recipe going into my recipe box!
Hi, I stumble across your website lastweek while searching for Rocky Road recipe. I must say all of the recipes looks very attractive and it was hard for me to pick which one I should start with. Anyway, I managed to bake this cookie yesterday and it turn out beautiful. One thing that I am not sure of is, is the cookie meant to be crunchy or soft? It kind of gone soft on me today (next day).
Wauw, those remind of the once my nana used to make me when I was little,,fantastic! thatns for this post!
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