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Home - Cookies

Published: Dec 7, 2019 · Modified: Oct 5, 2021 by Amanda Powell · This post may contain affiliate links.

Milano Cookies Recipe

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Sure, the store-bought stuff is good, but nothing beats homemade milano cookies! Impress everyone during your cookie exchange this year. Easily customize the flavors with this easy to follow milano cookies recipe. 

cookies piled on cookie stand

If I had to name one cookie as the ultimate "adulting" cookie, it would be the Milano. Growing up, I always considered it to be a cookie that only grown-ups can enjoy, and it was out of bounds for someone my age.

As I grew up and had money of my own, I still shied away from Milanos, thinking they were for someone who was more responsible. The type of cookie you eat when you have your own house and car. It took me a while until I actually realized I was both being silly and also worthy of this cookie. 

I think this pretty much sums up my adolescence. 

cookies stacked in pan close up

 

Are Milano Cookies Italian?

Technically, no. The cookies were actually created by Pepperidge Farms in 1956. That being said, the cookie is based on Italian-style cookies. 

Are Milano Cookies Soft?

Milano cookies are light, buttery, crisp cookies that sandwich a rich, velvety chocolate ganache. They are far from soft, and make wonderful cookies to dip in a glass of ice-cold milk or your coffee because they can retain their structure well. 

homemade cookies scattered out on baking sheet

Can You Freeze Milano Cookies?

Absolutely! I love freezing them. They do get a little softer when thawed, but I don't mind that. If you want to keep your cookies crisp, I would refrain from freezing them. Honestly, I do enjoy eating them while they are still mostly frozen. 

Are Milano Cookies Gluten-Free

No, they are not gluten-free, but you can easily make it so by using a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix. I recommend using King Arthur Flour and Bob's Red Mill. 

cookies lined up in baking sheet

Want to Bake More Cookies?

If you want more cookies, try my double chocolate cookies or my cinnamon roll cookies! You may also enjoy my German thumbprint cookies and my s'mores stuffed cookies. My coconut chocolate chip cookies are a reader favorite. If you'd like to be more adventurous, try something like my edible sugar cookie dough! 

Recipe Card

milano cookies stacked in pan

Milano Cookie Recipe

Amanda Powell
These delicious milano cookies taste even better than the real thing!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 18 minutes mins
Cook Time 14 minutes mins
Total Time 32 minutes mins
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cookies
Calories 169 kcal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg white room temperature
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled

Ganache

  • 1 ¼ cups chopped dark chocolate
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • mint extract optional
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Mix together the flour and salt. Set aside.
  • Cream the butter and powdered sugar together until light. Beat in the eggs well Add in the vanilla and the melted butter and mix until well combined. Add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
  • Fit a piping bag with a large ½" round piping tip and fill with the cookie dough.
  • Pipe 2-inch lines of dough two inches apart on the parchment paper. Bake for 9 - 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
  • Turn off the heat and crack open the oven, and leave the cookies there to crisp for about 10 - 20 minutes, keeping an eye on them so they don't get too dark at the edges.
  • Allow to cool completely.
  • While the cookies are baking, heat the chocolate and heavy cream over a double boiler until smooth. Allow to cool completely.
  • Drop a teaspoon of the ganache onto half the cookies and top with the other half of the cookies. The ganache will harden over time.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Notes

If you want to make mint milanos, add a couple of drops of mint extract to your heavy cream before making the filling!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11g
Keyword chocolate, ganache, milano, milano cookies
Tried this recipe?Tag me on Instagram! @acookienameddesire #acookienameddesire

 

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About Amanda Powell

Baker, photographer, and sometimes world traveler behind A Cookie Named Desire. Obsessed with helping people live life sweetly with delicious food to share with the special people in your life and creating lasting memories.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sandra says

    January 07, 2025 at 9:21 am

    I love Milanos!
    What brand of chocolate do you suggest. I can purchase Ghiradelli 4 oz bars at my local store. Is that acceptable?

    Reply
    • Amanda Powell says

      January 07, 2025 at 2:01 pm

      Use whatever chocolate you love eating the most 🙂

      Reply
  2. Kay says

    January 03, 2025 at 1:23 pm

    Hi — does this recipe make 12 individual cookies or 12 sandwiches (meaning 24 individual cookies)? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Amanda Powell says

      January 07, 2025 at 2:01 pm

      12 sandwiches!

      Reply
  3. Janet Blake says

    December 17, 2024 at 3:59 pm

    I do not own a piping bag (yet). Can I use a sandwich bag, and how much of the corner do I have to cut off? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amanda Powell says

      December 17, 2024 at 4:25 pm

      Yes, a sandwich bag will work! You need to cut enough that you can comfortably pipe the batter. You can always cut a little more, so start with a smaller hole and adjust as needed.

      Reply
  4. Emma says

    November 13, 2024 at 2:20 pm

    Yep, these are just like Milano cookies. Not too sweet or anything just perfectly airy, light, and crisp. I will be keeping this recipe for sure. I’ve tried others but the texture was never right, so thank you for this recipe. For anyone wanting to make them, USE THIS RECIPE! -make sure to spoon and level when measuring your flour and powdered sugar‼️5 stars

    Reply
  5. April says

    August 16, 2024 at 12:20 am

    Other comments said this was just like the real thing, which convinced me to try this recipe- and yes they are just like the real thing. I was impressed. The cookie itself is delightfully crispy when coming out of the oven, way sweeter than I expected but the chocolate balances it out perfectly. The cookies soften with the ganache in them over time to be slightly softer than store bought version- both ways taste good. I used semisweet, not dark chocolate. It was perfect. I had a sort of production line going in the kitchen and my brother was eating them as fast as I could make them, we had none left over. Perfect. 10/10.5 stars

    Reply
  6. Louise says

    June 13, 2024 at 1:49 pm

    Agree - these are amazing!

    Reply
  7. sam says

    February 19, 2024 at 8:09 am

    Finally!

    A recipe from the internet that actually works!
    The cookies were perfect, like "lengua de gato".

    Make sure you leave room, as these spread. They are actually thinner than the regular milanos, that suits me just fine.

    And like others, it made about twice the ganache as needed, so I halved it, and it was perfect.

    I will add that the ganache is perfect for cookies, with a 1:2 cream-to-chocolate ratio (other recipes online do 1:1, that's for cake).

    I will try orange milanos, next time.

    Thanks so much!5 stars

    Reply
  8. Tammy says

    September 02, 2023 at 9:41 am

    Can you please tell me how many cookies this recipe makes? I am going to make them for a group of people at my Church!
    Thank you for sharing your recipe.

    Reply
    • Tammy says

      September 02, 2023 at 9:45 am

      Forgot, can I use milk chocolate instead of dark Chocolate?

      Reply
      • Sam says

        March 07, 2024 at 9:22 am

        I tried with ALL milk choclate, way too sweet. Did 1/2 milk, and 1/2 70% was much better.

  9. Laura Walsh says

    March 14, 2023 at 2:01 pm

    Great idea for a cookie. Could you post a photo of the piped cookie before it is baked? Pictures help me to understand your recipe instrutions better.

    Reply
    • Amanda Powell says

      March 17, 2023 at 1:20 pm

      If it would be helpful. I can add this recipe to my list to make a video of me making it, plus create process photos.

      Reply
      • Emily says

        April 14, 2023 at 7:54 pm

        YES PLEASE

  10. Terri says

    December 17, 2022 at 4:55 am

    Is it possible to make these gluten free and egg free?

    Reply
    • Amanda Powell says

      December 20, 2022 at 8:33 pm

      You can replace the flour with a gluten-free baking mix. I do not think you can make the recipe egg-free though as I have never tried, sorry!

      Reply
      • Dairy free lady says

        February 03, 2023 at 7:50 pm

        I think you should be able to replace the egg with aquafaba. That is what I was going to try (but with the gluten).

  11. Rosanne says

    November 08, 2022 at 11:15 am

    How do you get your cookies to have that perfect shape with the rounded edges!

    Reply
    • Amanda Powell says

      December 05, 2022 at 3:13 pm

      It really takes practice with the piping. Keep your piping bag directly above the baking sheet and apply a light pressure. Toward the bottom, release the pressure, and bring your hand back up the piped cookie just slightly. Practice makes perfect! I have a double chocolate version coming in my cookbook, so be sure to look out for those!

      Reply
  12. Jenae says

    February 02, 2021 at 1:20 am

    Delicious recipe! But the amount of ganache was wayyy too much for the number of cookies it made. I had more than half a cup of chocolate ganache leftover after filling all the cookies.

    Reply
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Hey, I'm Amanda!

I am the baker and photographer behind A Cookie Named Desire. I'm a cookbook author, food science nerd, world traveler (sometimes) with a major weakness for cookies and cheese.

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