The Great Cookie Swap 2011 - Gingersnap Cream Cheese Sandwich Cookies

>> Monday, December 12, 2011


A few weeks ago, on twitter, I saw that Lindsay from Love and Olive Oil was going to be hosting a cookie swap! It was such a fantastic idea that I had to join in. She had a sign up where bloggers could sign up, get matched up with other bloggers, and exchange a dozen cookies by mail with three other bloggers. What a great way to get to know some other bloggers, taste some yummy cookies, and make some Christmas cookies myself!

Here were some of the cookies I got!
Jessica from The Novice Chef sent me these really delicious peanut butter sandwich cookies. They taste really close to these - which is so funny, because it's one of my families FAVORITE cookies!

Then I received these delicious bits! Yummy Chocolate Caramel Cookies from Heather at FarmGirl Gourmet. They reminded me of Salted Caramel Cookies - and they taste divine with peppermint ice cream!

Lastly, I received Pumpkin Suicide Cookies from Melanee at The Best Life Lived. They were a delicious batch of fall wrapped in a cookie that had a twist of a chocolate chip cookie.

Now I'm in a cookie coma from trying out all of these cookies!

And for myself, I had to decide on the cookie. It was a hard choice, but then I found the cookbook for Miette at the library. Miette is a great bakery in San Francisco/Oakland, and they have the best gingersnap cookies. You can find them all year round, and every time I'm in the Fairy building, I pick up a package. So when I found the cookbook... and the recipe for the gingersnaps was in there... it was a go! I made some small adaptions to the recipe, and made it a sandwich cookie with cream cheese frosting!- so so good.

So I sent a batch to Patricia, Chung, and Emily. Hope you ladies enjoyed them, and hope they made them in one piece! :)

Gingersnap Cream Cheese Sandwich Cookies (Adapted from Miette Bakery cookbook)

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Generous 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon crushed crystalized ginger
2 teaspoons fresh ginger puree (grated with a microplane)
granulated sugar for sprinkling

For Frosting
1 8 ounce package cream cheese frosting, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 pound (box) powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation
1. Sift together both flours, salt, and spices in a bowl and set aside.

2. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy for 3-4 minutes. Then add the honey and molasses, continuing to mix until fully incorporated.
3. Add the flour and spices to the butter and sugar mixture in three small batches, mixing until just combined. Stir in the crystalized ginger and ginger puree just until combined.

4. Form the dough into a round flat disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling out to cut into shapes.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface to 1/4" thick. Cut with a scalloped round cookie cutter, place on the lined cookie sheets approximately 1/2" apart. Sprinkle the cookies with the granulated sugar and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are browned. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

7. For frosting, beat all ingredients together until well mixed. Frost a small amount on a cookie, and sandwich them together. Enjoy!

6 comments:

Emily December 12, 2011 at 3:36 AM  

Thanks for the cookies. I had a great time participating and loved then your package came in the mail. It was the first box and made me so excited! The cookies were delicious!

carissa December 12, 2011 at 10:01 AM  

This is super fantastic. Things like this make me want twitter so I can find out about sweet things. I kid you not... I looked in my fridge, saw half and half that's about to expire, decided I should make caramel with it, but I also wanted chocolate chip cookies so I was about to look for a recipe. Look no further!!!

Katie December 12, 2011 at 10:45 AM  

Found your blog through The Novice Chef's blog! These cookie sandwiches look fab! Can't wait to give them a try!

Rebekah December 12, 2011 at 11:41 AM  

Emily - you are so welcome! I had a great time too! Can't wait for next year! :)

Rebekah December 12, 2011 at 11:41 AM  

Katie - welcome! Thanks for coming by. Would love if you tried them!

Anonymous,  December 18, 2011 at 6:10 AM  

WOOOOOO- I love Cookies Sandwiches! I feel like I get twice the treat :)

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