Description
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies feature warmly spiced cookies and creamy brown butter frosting. A delightful, comforting treat for any season, made with love.
Ingredients
Scale
- Cookie Essentials:
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (120ml) molasses (unsulphured, robust)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Warm Spices & Sweeteners:
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Brown Butter Frosting Fixings:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (or cream)
- Optional Touches:
- Pinch of nutmeg or allspice (for cookies)
- Tiny pinch of black pepper (for cookies, adds warmth)
Instructions
- Mix the Dry & Wet:: First things first, get your dry ingredients together in a medium bowl – flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and a pinch of salt. Whisk ’em up! In a separate, larger bowl, cream together your softened butter and brown sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This is where I sometimes get impatient and don’t cream long enough, and the cookies aren’t as tender. Add the egg and molasses, mixing until well combined. It’ll look a bit messy, but that’s okay, hon!
- Combine and Chill:: Gradually add your dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix! Once it forms a soft dough, flatten it into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This chilling step is non-negotiable! I once skipped it because I was in a rush, and the dough was impossible to roll, spreading all over the baking sheet. Learn from my mistakes!
- Roll and Cut:: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your chilled gingerbread dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Grab a round cookie cutter – I use about a 2-inch one – and cut out your shapes. The kitchen will start smelling like pure holiday joy, trust me! Carefully transfer them to your prepared baking sheets. Don’t crowd them; they need their space!
- Bake the Gingerbread Cookies:: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just set and slightly darker. They might still seem a little soft in the middle, but that’s what we want for chewy cookies! Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. I’ve tried moving them too soon, and they just break apart. Patience is key here!
- Make the Brown Butter Frosting:: While the cookies cool, make that glorious brown butter frosting. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it turns a lovely amber color and smells nutty. Watch it like a hawk; it goes from perfect to burnt in a second! Remove from heat, let it cool slightly. In a bowl, whisk the brown butter with powdered sugar, vanilla, and a tiny splash of milk until smooth and creamy. If it’s too thick, add more milk a teaspoon at a time. This frosting is a game-changer for these sandwich cookies!
- Assemble Your Sandwich Cookies:: Once the cookies are completely cool – and I mean *completely* – spread a generous dollop of that delicious brown butter frosting onto the flat side of one cookie. Top with another cookie, gently pressing to form a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies and frosting. The final result should be beautifully spiced, chewy Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies with a sweet, nutty filling. They’re just begging to be eaten!