Homemade gingerbread cookies are just not the same if you can’t cut them into adorable shapes. Find out the trick to making the best shaped and decorated gingerbread sandwich cookies just for Christmas!
Table of Content
This holiday-themed cookie has two of kids' favorite things: gingerbread and jam. And it is a great way to get kids into the kitchen. Moreover, this recipe is a great way to adorn the Christmas cookie platter.
Why make these cookies
- Gingerbread is the perfect holiday cookie with the warmth of fall from the molasses and spices.
- And all the ingredients in this recipe are easy to find or simple pantry staples.
- Also, I am using an electric mixer ( hand mixer or stand mixer) but you can also use just a large bowl and whisk.
- This cookie with a nice ginger taste will keep at room temperature for up to a week. And is perfect to add to your holiday cookie platter during Christmas.
- In addition, the process is also very simple and straightforward:
- Prepare the cookie dough - 10 mins
- Chill cookie dough - 15 mins
- Roll cookies - 10 mins
- Chill cookies - 10 mins
- Bake cookies - 10 mins
Ingredients and substituions
- All-purpose flour - The amount of flour in the recipe will determine how dense the cookies will be. So, make sure to measure the ingredients correctly.
- Sugar - I like to use white sugar for that wonderful crisp outside and brown sugar for that soft and chewy inside. But, you can also use a combination of white and brown sugar.
- Egg - We have just one egg so make it a large egg.
- Molasses - Use unsulphured molasses. I like to use the dark not light. The light variety just does not give it enough flavor. Blackstrap molasses is a little bitter with a distinct robust flavor.
- Spices - Today, I am using 1 teaspoon ground ginger, just a ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and freshly grated nutmeg. You can also use teaspoon ground cloves.
How to make gingerbread sandwich cookies
- Dry ingredients - In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices - cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg.
- Dough - In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Then, add the molasses and egg. Followed by flour mixture, orange, and vanilla extract. Combine well.
Pro tip - Make sure to cream the butter and sugar until the sugar is almost dissolved in the butter and it all becomes very lighter in color.
- Chill dough - Divide the dough into two, wrap in plastic, and let chill until firm enough to roll - about 2 hours or overnight.
Pro tip - Do not skip on the chilling time. Otherwise, it will be too soft to roll and the cookies will spread. - Next, roll the chilled cookie dough to about ⅛ inch in thickness on a lightly floured surface.
Pro tip - It is best to roll these cookies thin. Otherwise, when you fill and sandwich them they will look bulky. Also, I use a rolling pin with spacers so the dough is the same thickness all over.
- Cut the cookies
- For the bottom cookies, cut out the disc using a Linzer cookie cutter without the center attachment. Alternatively, use a 3-inch round cookie cutter.
- For the top cookies, cut out the disc using the Linzer cooker cutter with the center attachment on. Alternatively, use a 3-inch round cookie cutter combine with a 0.5 cookie cutter.
- Chill cookies - Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Leaving a little gap between them for circulation. Then, place the cookie sheet in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
Pro tip - Chilling the cookies is a sure way to ensure the cookies do not spread. You can also leave the rolled cookies well wrapped in the fridge for up to 48 hours before baking.
- Preheat the oven at 177°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4
- Bake - Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake the cookies on the center for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Cool them on the cookie sheet for 10 mins. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sandwich the cookies - Place ½ teaspoon of jam or another filling of your choice on the bottom cookie. Dust the top cookies with powdered sugar (confectioners sugar). Then, sandwich the two pieces together.
Pro tip - It is better to dust the top cookies before you sandwich them to prevent sugar from getting into the filling. - Storage - Store them in an airtight container or cookie jar for up to a week.
Tips for success
- First, always have all the ingredients at room temperature so the butter and sugar can cream until light and fluffy.
- And rest the dough before rolling the cookies. Resting helps the butter firm up again which makes it easier to work and prevents spreading
- If the rolled cookie dough is soft, put it back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Chilled cookie dough will give well-defined shapes so you won't have to struggle with them being so soft.
- Preheat the oven for a good 15 minutes making sure it is at the right temperature. A cold oven will spread the cookies.
- Also, place cut cookies in the fridge while the oven is preheating to prevent them from spreading.
- When baked, leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. This will prevent them from sweating on the bottom.
More cookie recipes
- Christmas Spritz Cookies or Christmas Star Cookies
- Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies or Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
- Classic Gingerbread cake or Gingerbread Cupcakes
- Spiced Gingerbread Loaf Cake
- The Best Molasses Cookies and Old Fashion Soft Molasses Cookies
- Shortbread with Molasses
- See all holiday cookies or all cookie recipes
Frequently asked questions
How long will these cookies keep?
These cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
What is the substitute for molasses in these cookies?
You can substitute 1 cup molasses with equal parts of honey, dark corn syrup, or maple syrup. And you can also use ¾ cup dark brown sugar for every 1 cup of molasses. Having said that, molasses has a distinct taste and flavor which you will not get from honey, corn syrup, or maple syrup. These will give you a similar texture but not the same taste.
Do these cookies spread?
The cookie needs the right temperature for baking. So the cookie spreads just enough and the outside bakes to a crisp preventing any more spreading (hope that makes sense). Hence, finding the right temperature is essential. Therefore, please follow the recipe directions.
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Printable Recipe
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 154kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 24 cookies
Description
Homemade gingerbread cookies are just not the same if you can’t cut them into adorable shapes. Find out the trick to making the best gingerbread sandwich cookies—shaped and decorated just like Christmas.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Makes 30 sandwich cookies
- 3½ cups (435 g) All-purpose flour
- 10 tablespoon (140 g) Butter (unsalted, room temperature)
- ¾ cup (165 g) Dark brown sugar (packed)
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) Molasses (light or dark)
- 1 large Egg
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Ground Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon Powder
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cloves
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg (freshly grated)
- ¼ teaspoon Orange extract ((or 1 teaspoon orange zest) )
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Filling
- ½ cup (170 g) Strawberry jam (or other flavored jam)
Dusting
- ¼ cup (240 g) Powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
Instructions
- Dry ingredients - In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices - cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg.
- Dough - In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Then, add the molasses and egg. Followed by flour mixture, orange, and vanilla extract. Combine well. Pro tip - Make sure to cream the butter and sugar until the sugar is almost dissolved in the butter and it all becomes very lighter in color.
- Chill dough - Divide the dough into two, wrap in plastic, and let chill until firm enough to roll - about 2 hours or overnight. Pro tip - Do not skip on the chilling time. Otherwise, it will be too soft to roll and the cookies will spread.
- Roll the chilled cookie dough to about ⅛ inch in thickness on a lightly floured surface.Pro tip - It is best to roll these cookies thin. Otherwise, when you fill and sandwich them they will look bulky. I use a rolling pin with spacers so the dough is the same thickness all over.
- Cut the cookiesFor the bottom cookies, cut out the disc using a Linzer cookie cutter without the center attachment. Alternatively, use a 3-inch round cookie cutterRound cookie cuttersFor the top cookies, cut out the disc using the Linzer cooker cutter with the center attachment on. Alternatively, use a 3-inch round cookie cutter combine with a 0.5 cookie cutter.
- Chill cookies - Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Leaving a little gap between them for circulation. Place the cookie sheet in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes. Pro tip - Chilling the cookies is a sure way to ensure the cookies do not spread. You can leave the rolled cookies well wrapped in the fridge for up to 48 hours before baking.
- Preheat the oven at 177°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4
- Bake - Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake the cookies on the center for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Cool - Once baked, cool them on the cookie sheet for 10 mins. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sandwich the cookies -Place ½ teaspoon of jam or another filling of your choice on the bottom cookie. Dust the top cookies with powdered sugar (confectioners sugar) then sandwich the two pieces togetherPro tip - It is better to dust the top cookies before you sandwich them to prevent sugar from getting into the filling.
- Storage - Store them in an airtight container or cookie jar for up to a week.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Always have all the ingredients at room temperature so the butter and sugar can cream until light and fluffy.
- Rest the dough before rolling the cookies. Resting helps the butter firm up again which makes it easier to work and prevents spreading
- If the rolled cookie dough is soft, put it back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Chilled cookie dough will give well-defined shapes so you won't have to struggle with them being so soft.
- Preheat the oven for a good 15 minutes making sure it is at the right temperature. A cold oven will spread the cookies.
- Place cut cookies in the fridge while the oven is preheating to prevent them from spreading.
- When baked leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. This will prevent them from sweating on the bottom.
Bake Ahead and Freezing Instructions
- Dough - You can freeze the dough for 3 months wrapped well in a ziplock bag. Then, thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.
- Rolled cookies - And, you can also freeze the rolled cookies on a cookie sheet between parchment papers. In addition, wrap the tray in plastic to prevent drying out. They will stay for up to a month.
- Baked cookies - Alternatively, freeze the baked cookies between parchment papers for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.
Adapted from -
Nutrition Information
Calories: 154- kcalCarbohydrates: 24.5- gProtein: 1.9- gFat: 5.5- gSaturated Fat: 3.3- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2- gMonounsaturated Fat: 0- gTrans Fat: 0.2- gCholesterol: 24- mgSodium: 43- mgPotassium: 0- mgFiber: 0.5- gSugar: 13.6- gVitamin A: 0- IUVitamin C: 0- mgCalcium: 0- mgIron: 0- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Dionne
These are the cookies that make me feel at home. Fantsatic recipe - easy and delicious!
Carrie Robinson
Such a perfect sweet treat for the holidays! Totally adding this to my holiday baking list. 🙂
Alisa Infanti
I have never seen gingerbread with jam. What a great idea.
Joyce
I love gingerbread cookies but making them into sandwich cookies with a bit of jam really made it something special. Thank you so much for this recipe, it was a hit.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Joyce. Happy you enjoyed these
Dannii
I love anything with gingerbread and these sandwich cookies look super cute.
Usha
Could you please suggest substitute for egg in the recipe.
Veena Azmanov
This recipe works better with eggs.