Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies Recipe
Introduction
These gingerbread sandwich cookies are a festive treat perfect for the holiday season. Soft, spiced cookies are paired with a creamy, sweet frosting to make delightful little sandwiches that everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (for frosting)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (for frosting)
Instructions
- Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
- Step 3: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill.
- Step 4: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Step 5: Bake the cookies for 8–10 minutes until edges are set. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Step 6: To make the frosting, beat together powdered sugar, softened butter, vanilla extract, and heavy cream until smooth and fluffy.
- Step 7: Spread or pipe frosting onto the flat side of one cookie, then sandwich with another cookie on top. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Tips & Variations
- Chill the dough before rolling to make cutting easier and prevent sticking.
- Roll dough evenly; thicker cookies will be softer while thinner ones will be crispier.
- Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped for neat frosting application.
- Add a pinch of salt to the frosting for a sweet-and-salty flavor contrast.
- Try swapping molasses with honey or maple syrup for a lighter flavor.
- Add cinnamon or orange zest to the frosting for a flavorful twist.
- If you don’t have cookie cutters, use a cup to cut out round cookies.
Storage
Store the sandwich cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze the assembled cookies individually wrapped for up to 1 month. Thaw before serving.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the dough up to 3 days ahead and keep it refrigerated until ready to use.
How do I prevent the frosting from melting?
Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before frosting to prevent the filling from melting or sliding off.
PrintGingerbread Sandwich Cookies Recipe
These Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies are a festive and delicious treat perfect for the holiday season. Soft and flavorful gingerbread cookies are sandwiched together with a smooth, creamy vanilla frosting, creating a delightful balance of spicy and sweet. Easy to make with simple ingredients and requiring just basic baking tools, these cookies are sure to become a seasonal favorite for family and friends.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies (12 sandwiches) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk)
Instructions
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Then add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. The dough will be soft and sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Roll and Cut the Dough: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Use gingerbread-shaped or round cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced evenly.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set and just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: In a small bowl, beat together the powdered sugar, softened butter, vanilla extract, and heavy cream (or milk) until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and spreadable.
- Assemble the Sandwich Cookies: Once the cookies have fully cooled, spread or pipe a generous layer of frosting onto the flat side of one cookie, then gently sandwich it with another cookie. Repeat with the remaining cookies to create sandwiches.
Notes
- Chilling the dough before rolling helps make it easier to handle and results in cleaner cookie shapes.
- Rolling the dough evenly will help cookies bake uniformly; thicker cookies are softer, thinner cookies are crispier.
- Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped for neatly applying the frosting.
- Adding a pinch of salt to the frosting can enhance flavor by balancing sweetness.
- Ensure cookies are completely cool before frosting to prevent the filling from melting and becoming runny.
- Dough can be made and chilled up to 3 days in advance.
- Baked cookies can be frozen without frosting for up to 2 months.
- Assembled sandwich cookies can be frozen individually wrapped for up to 1 month.
- Substitute molasses with honey or maple syrup for a lighter flavor variation.
- Add cinnamon or orange zest to the frosting for a flavor twist.
Keywords: gingerbread cookies, gingerbread sandwich cookies, holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, ginger spice cookies, festive cookies, frosted sandwich cookies
