Marry Thompson This Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies Recipe is a soft and spicy recipe, which is made with rich molasses and filled with a tangy cream cheese frosting. It’s a great choice for holiday parties, ready in about 3 hours.
Jump to RecipeGingerbread Sandwich Cookies Recipe Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. allspice
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 tsp. grated orange zest
- 3/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- Coarse sugar, for sprinkling
For the filling:
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 Tbsp. salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
How To Make Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies Recipe
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and orange zest until well combined.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. With the mixer still running, drizzle in the molasses and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the room temperature egg and beat until fully incorporated.
- Make and Roll the Dough: Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing until just combined after each addition. The dough will be dense and may seem dry. Divide the dough in half, place each half between two large pieces of plastic wrap, and roll each into a ¼-inch-thick rectangle.
- First Chill: Stack the rolled-out dough sheets on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
- Cut and Second Chill: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and cut it into star shapes (or your desired shape) with a 3-inch cookie cutter. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar and gently press it in. Arrange the cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and refrigerate for 1 more hour.
- Make the Filling: While the cookies chill, prepare the filling. In a large bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese and butter with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the powdered sugar in batches. Finally, beat in the vanilla and cinnamon until smooth. Scrape the filling into a large resealable plastic bag and refrigerate.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the chilled cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are just set but still soft to the touch.
- Cool Completely: Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble: Once the cookies are cool, snip a corner off the bag of filling. Pipe a swirl of filling onto the flat bottoms of half of the cookies, then top with the remaining cookies to create sandwiches.
Recipe Tips
- Why does this dough need to be chilled twice? The first chill firms up the soft dough, making it possible to cut clean shapes. The second chill, after the cookies are cut, is crucial for preventing them from spreading in the oven, ensuring your stars keep their sharp points.
- How do I keep gingerbread cookies soft? The key is to not overbake them. Pull them from the oven when they are just set in the middle and still feel soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Can I make this dough ahead of time? Yes. You can refrigerate the wrapped dough discs for up to 2 days before rolling. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months; just thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before use.
- How do I prevent the dough from sticking? The recipe cleverly has you roll the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap, which eliminates the need for extra flour and prevents sticking. Also, dip your cookie cutter in a little flour before each cut for clean edges.
What To Serve With Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
These festive cookies are a perfect holiday treat on their own or with a warm drink.
- A cold glass of milk
- A mug of hot chocolate
- A cup of spiced tea or coffee
- A glass of eggnog
How To Store Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
Refrigerate: Due to the cream cheese filling, these cookies must be stored in the refrigerator. Place them in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze: For best results, freeze the baked, unfilled cookies between layers of parchment paper. Thaw at room temperature, then fill them just before serving.
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 250kcal
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 200mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes, the recipe notes that the dough will be dense and dry. It’s a stiff dough, which is necessary for holding its shape. As long as it comes together when mixed, it’s perfect.
Of course. A simple vanilla buttercream, a lemon-flavored frosting, or even a white chocolate ganache would be delicious alternatives to the cream cheese filling.
Yes, molasses is an essential ingredient for the classic deep, rich, and slightly bitter flavor of gingerbread. For a darker, more robust flavor, use blackstrap molasses.
Try More Recipes:
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy24
servings30
minutes10
minutes250
kcalSoft and chewy gingerbread cookies, spiced with classic holiday flavors and a hint of orange zest, sandwiched together with a sweet and tangy cream cheese filling.
Ingredients
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2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
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2 tsp. baking soda & 1/2 tsp. salt
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1 1/2 tsp. total mixed spices (cinnamon, ginger, etc.)
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3/4 cup salted butter, softened
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1 cup total sugars (3/4 cup granulated, 1/4 cup brown)
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1/4 cup molasses
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1 large egg
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For Filling: 8 oz. cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. butter, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, all spices, and orange zest.
- Cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in molasses, then the egg.
- On low, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a dense dough forms.
- Divide dough in half, roll to 1/4-inch thickness between plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Cut dough into shapes, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and chill on parchment-lined baking sheets for 1 more hour.
- While chilling, beat all filling ingredients together until smooth and refrigerate.
- Bake cookies at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until just set. Cool completely.
- Pipe filling onto the flat side of half the cookies and top with the remaining cookies.
Notes
- The double-chill process is essential for this recipe; do not skip it if you want perfectly shaped cookies that don’t spread.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. They should be soft when they come out of the oven to ensure a chewy final texture.
- Rolling the dough between plastic wrap is a mess-free way to handle this sticky dough without adding extra flour.
- Because of the cream cheese filling, these cookies must be stored in the refrigerator.