This afternoon is Bramble Berry’s holiday party. The entire staff is doing a White Elephant and a Cookie Exchange (I’m super excited). I found this fabulous recipe in Food and Wine Magazine and got to work Sunday night so I could impress my fellow coworkers. I decided to plunge into Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream Filling (drool). I’ve already sampled a few and the verdict is: DELICIOUS! Here’s the recipe in case you need cookies for a last minute cookie exchange. The photo below was taken by the experts at Food and Wine Magazine. My cookies, I trust, taste just as good but eh hem, um, don’t look quite the same.
Ingredients1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
Filling
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
Filling
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
ONE: Preheat the oven to 350° and position racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.TWO (the cookies): In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and molasses. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until incorporated, scraping down the bowl.
THREE: Working in 2 batches, drop scant tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheets, 3 inches apart. Food and Wine says to bake the cookies for 20 minutes on 350° (I baked mine for 15 minutes and they still got a little bit crispy), until risen and fallen and slightly firm; shift the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through for even baking. Let cool slightly, then transfer the parchment paper to racks and let the cookies cool completely. Bake the remaining cookies.
FOUR (filling): In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the confectioners’ sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice (I doubled the amount of lemon required for a more tart taste – worked out great).
FIVE: Arrange the cookies in pairs on a large work surface. Spoon or pipe 1 rounded tablespoon of the lemon filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies, pressing them together so the filling spreads to the edge.
THREE: Working in 2 batches, drop scant tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheets, 3 inches apart. Food and Wine says to bake the cookies for 20 minutes on 350° (I baked mine for 15 minutes and they still got a little bit crispy), until risen and fallen and slightly firm; shift the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through for even baking. Let cool slightly, then transfer the parchment paper to racks and let the cookies cool completely. Bake the remaining cookies.FOUR (filling): In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the confectioners’ sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the lemon juice (I doubled the amount of lemon required for a more tart taste – worked out great).FIVE: Arrange the cookies in pairs on a large work surface. Spoon or pipe 1 rounded tablespoon of the lemon filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies, pressing them together so the filling spreads to the edge.
Make Ahead: The sandwich cookies can be stored in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper for up to 1 week.
Check out the original recipe online here
