Ginger Molasses Sandwich Cookies
Soft and chewy Ginger Molasses Sandwich Cookies filled with a creamy, lightly sweetened cream cheese filling. Warmly spiced, crackly on top, and perfect for the holidays or anytime you want a cozy cookie that actually delivers on flavor.
Servings: 18
Calories: 279kcal
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for rolling
For the Filling:
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups flour, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cloves, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- In a separate bowl, cream ¾ cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in ¼ cup molasses and 1 egg until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough into 1-inch balls, roll in granulated sugar, and place 2 inches apart on the sheets.
- Bake 9 to 10 minutes, until the tops crack slightly and edges are just set. Cool completely before filling.
- Beat 4 ounces cream cheese and 3 tablespoons butter until creamy.
- Add 1½ cups powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla; beat until fluffy and smooth.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon filling on the flat side of one cookie and top with another to make a sandwich. Gently press to spread the filling evenly.
Notes
- Molasses: Use regular unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap. Blackstrap is too bitter and will overpower the warm spices.
- Chill the dough: Don’t skip the chill time. It keeps the cookies thick, chewy, and beautifully crackled instead of flat.
- Bake just until set: The cookies should look slightly soft in the center when you pull them out. They’ll firm up as they cool and stay chewy.
- Let cookies cool completely: Filling warm cookies will cause the cream cheese filling to melt and slide out the sides.
- Make-ahead friendly: You can bake the cookies a day ahead and fill them later. The assembled cookies taste even better the next day.
- Storage: Because of the cream cheese filling, store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them sit at room temperature before serving for a few minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 94mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
