Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Please don’t be mad at me.

It’s just that I’ve had this recipe for weeks and have been holding it in the backlog so that I didn’t completely overload you with cookies.  Meanwhile, almost every person who has eaten one of these has asked me for the recipe.*  Biting into one of the gingersnap sandwich cookies is one of those moments when you stop and say, “oh, so this is what Christmas tastes like.”**  Spicy and crunchy gingersnaps balanced by a light and creamy cream cheese frosting.

*why yes I am able to share my cookies from time to time

**Disclaimer: I don’t even celebrate Christmas

This is the kind of cookie that you will enjoy so much that a few dozen cookies bites later you’ll have momentarily forgotten your infatuation with chocolate and peanut butter.  Yes, I’m pretty sure that you will forgive me for the delay as soon as you make them.

Gingersnap Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling
Makes 4 dozen cookie sandwiches

Gingersnaps:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup molasses

Whisk dry ingredients (flour through white pepper) in a medium bowl; set aside
In a large bowl beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer until
light and fluffy
Beat in egg and then molasses on medium speed until well combined
Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add in the dry ingredients just
until combined
Place prepared dough on a large piece of saran wrap and wrap tightly;
chill dough in refrigerator for 2 hours (up to 24 hours is fine) or
until dough is firm
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper
Scoop 2 teaspoons of cookie dough per cookie and roll into balls
Place dough balls on cookie sheets 1-2 inches apart
Bake for 12 minutes or until cooked all the way through
Set cookies aside to cool and prepare filling

Lemon Cream Cheese Filling:
½ of an 8-ounce block of light cream cheese softened at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups confectioners’ sugar*
Use the whisk attachment of an electric mixer to beat butter and cream
cheese on high speed until light and creamy
Mix in lemon juice and salt
Add in sugar ½ a cup at a time or until at desired consistency (*2
cups was the perfect amount for me but if you want a thicker texture
you may want to add up to another ½ cup)
Once cookies have cooled and filling is ready, prepare cookie sandwiches
Spread 1/2-1 teaspoon of filling on the bottom of a cookie
Top filling with another cookie and press lightly to stick together
(frosting may ooze out of cookie a little bit, that is ok)
Serve cookies immediately or store in the freezer up to 4 weeks

Cookie recipe slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Cream Cheese filling adapted from Cooking Light

The original reason for this recipe was to share it with some bloggers at the New York City Annual Holiday Cookie Swap.  I went to the cookie swap with Joanne and got the chance to meet some other lovely local bloggers.  The event was a part of Bloggers with Borders and proceeds went towards Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.   I can’t think of a better reason to bake, eat and share cookies.  There were an unbelievable amount to choose from and I “limited” myself to this package.

Have you discovered a new favorite cookie this year?

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