Ginger Creme Sandwich Cookies — Sweet Enough for the Best Day

The corporate-luncheon February 13 went smoothly. The Valentine’s-themed menu (roasted-red-pepper soup, chicken-Caesar and pesto-pasta-salad options, heart-shaped raspberry-cream tart) is now a year-over-year repeat-favorite at the brokerage. Brayden is one hundred and twenty-four weeks old. Valentine’s Day was Wednesday. The ginger creme sandwich cookies are the small Valentine’s gesture.

The ginger creme sandwich cookies are two small ginger-snap cookies sandwiching a small dollop of vanilla-buttercream creme filling. The cookies are crisp at the edges and chewy in the middle. The creme filling is the small soft contrast to the cookie’s spice-and-crunch. The format is the small Oreo-style two-cookie format adapted to the ginger-snap recipe.

The technique question on the sandwich-cookie is the cookie-uniformity. The two cookies in each sandwich need to be the same size (or at least close). The trick is using a small cookie-scoop (number-fifty disher, about three-quarters of an inch in diameter) and chilling the dough for an hour before scooping. The chilled dough produces uniform cookies.

Wednesday I made eighteen sandwich cookies (nine sandwiches). I had three. Dustin had four. Brayden had a small piece of plain ginger-snap. Aunt Linda came up Thursday morning and had three.

Ginger Creme Sandwich Cookies

Prep Time: 20 min | Chill Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 24 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• For the Creme Filling:
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1–2 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and 1 cup granulated sugar with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
3. Add wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Combine and chill. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl.
6. Shape the cookies. Scoop dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tbsp each). Roll each ball in the granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops begin to crack. Do not overbake—they should be soft in the center. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make the creme filling. Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating on low until incorporated, then increase to medium-high and beat until creamy. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until the filling is spreadable but holds its shape.
9. Assemble. Match cookies into pairs of similar size. Spread or pipe about 1 1/2 tsp of creme filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then press the second cookie gently on top. Repeat with remaining cookies.
10. Serve or store. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving for the softest texture.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 215 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 98mg