Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Introduction

Gingerbread sandwich cookies are a festive treat perfect for the holiday season. Soft, spiced cookies paired with creamy frosting create a delightful balance of flavors and textures 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
• For the Frosting:
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk)

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
3. Step 3: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
4. Step 4: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut shapes using cookie cutters and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Step 5: Bake for 8–10 minutes, until edges are set. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
6. Step 6: To make the frosting, beat powdered sugar, softened butter, vanilla, and heavy cream together until smooth and fluffy.
7. Step 7: Spread or pipe frosting onto the flat side of one cookie, then gently press another cookie on top to form a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Tips & Variations

• Chill the dough before rolling to make cutting easier and prevent sticking.
• Roll dough evenly: thicker cookies stay soft, thinner cookies turn crispier.
• Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a snipped corner for neat frosting application.
• Add a pinch of salt to the frosting for a sweet-and-salty flavor contrast.
• Substitute molasses with honey or maple syrup for a lighter taste.
• Adjust spices to your preference, such as adding more cinnamon or skipping cloves.
• Try adding cinnamon or orange zest to the frosting for a unique twist.
• If you don’t have cookie cutters, use a cup to cut out round shapes.

Storage

Store gingerbread sandwich cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator 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 in advance and keep it refrigerated until ready to bake.

How do I prevent the frosting from melting on the cookies?

Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before applying frosting to avoid melting and slipping.

Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

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These Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies are a festive treat perfect for the holiday season. Soft, spiced gingerbread cookies sandwiched together with a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting make for a deliciously nostalgic and fun dessert. The recipe is easy to follow and yields beautifully shaped cookies with a rich, warm flavor and a luscious frosting that adds the perfect sweet touch.

• Author: Stella
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: Approximately 24 sandwich cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

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

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Set this mixture aside.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract and mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
3. Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until all ingredients are combined to form a soft and sticky dough. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to make it easier to handle.
4. Roll and Cut the Dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the chilled dough out to about ¼ inch thickness. Use gingerbread-shaped or round cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are set but the cookies remain soft. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
6. Make the Frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together the powdered sugar, softened butter, vanilla extract, and heavy cream (or milk) until the frosting is smooth, creamy, and fluffy enough to pipe or spread.
7. Assemble the Sandwich Cookies: Spread or pipe a generous amount of frosting onto the flat side of one cookie, then gently press another cookie on top to form a sandwich. Repeat this process with all the remaining cookies.

Notes

• Chilling the dough makes rolling and cutting much easier and prevents sticking.
• For softer cookies, roll the dough thicker; for crispier cookies, roll the dough thinner.
• Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the tip cut off for a neat frosting application.
• Add a pinch of salt to the frosting if you prefer a sweet-and-salty flavor profile.
• Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting to prevent the filling from melting.
• You can make the dough up to 3 days ahead and keep it refrigerated.
• Baked cookies (without frosting) freeze well for up to 2 months; thaw before frosting and assembling.
• These cookies store best in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freeze assembled sandwich cookies individually wrapped for up to 1 month, thaw before serving.
• Molasses can be substituted with honey or maple syrup, noting that the flavor will be lighter.
• Adjust spices according to your taste by increasing cinnamon or omitting cloves.
• Add cinnamon or orange zest to the frosting for extra flavor variety.
• If you don’t have cookie cutters, a cup can be used to cut round shapes.

Keywords: gingerbread cookies, sandwich cookies, holiday cookies, spiced cookies, molasses cookies, Christmas treats, homemade frosting, festive desserts