The countdown to the holidays is on, and I’ve got just the recipe to help you wow the peeps at your cookie swap!
If you’ve never done a cookie swap, it’s a super fun way to get into the holiday spirit with your pals! Get some inspiration here.
Anyway, these soft gingerbread sandwich cookies are a unique take on traditional cut-out cookies. Even better, that luscious layer of vanilla bean buttercream is melt in your mouth delicious! And technically, two cookies counts as one in this instance… so you get double the sweetness with half the guilt. Right? Let’s just go with that.
Watch how to make these dreamy gingerbread cookies step by step in the video below.
gingerbread sandwich cookies
These luscious mounds of soft and sugary gingerbread with a vanilla cream are the perfect holiday cookie swap recipe!
Ingredients
cookie batter
- 3 C all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 C packed brown sugar
- 1/4 C coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 C nondairy milk
- 1/4 C unsulphured molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 C granulated sugar, for rolling cookies
vanilla buttercream
- 3 C powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, softened but solid at room temperature
- 2 tbsp nondairy milk
- 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, spices, sea salt and set aside.
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In another large mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, coconut oil, nondairy milk, molasses, and vanilla until well combined. There should be no oil visibly separated.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold until it comes together into a soft but stiff dough. You should be able to handle it with your hands and not have any sticking.
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If it feels a little too soft, place the bowl and dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. Do not add more flour!
- Take a small amount of dough and roll it into a small ball in your hands approximately 1″ to 1 1/4″ wide. Roll it in granulated sugar and then place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and slightly flatten it with your hands.
- Bake one baking sheet at a time on the middle rack for 12 minutes. This will ensure all the cookies are baked evenly.
- Remove the cookies from the baking sheet onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely before frosting and assembling the sandwiches.
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To make the vanilla buttercream, beat together with a hand mixture 1 cup of powdered sugar with the coconut oil and nondairy milk. Once combined, add in another cup of powdered sugar.
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Slice through one layer of the vanilla bean skin. Using the end of a spoon, scrape all the inside out and add to the icing bowl with the last cup of powdered sugar. Beat until combined.
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If the mixture seems crumbly at this point, add a very small amount of nondairy milk and beat with the mixer again until it smooths out. Just add a couple drops of liquid at a time until the right consistency is achieved. It should be a stiff but spreadable buttercream and it should not drip or ooze.
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Take a spoonful of buttercream and spread it on the bottom of one cookie. Press another cookie on top until the buttercream just peeks out the sides slightly. Store the cookies in an air tight container at room temperature. You might need to refrigerate the cookies if you live in a very warm climate where the coconut oil buttercream could melt too much. These can also be frozen between layers of parchment paper in a container for longer storage over the holidays. Thaw before serving!
13 thoughts on “gingerbread sandwich cookies”
Hey Lauren, Do you think this batter work in a gingerbread mold like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XN0KSDI/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1919NYIH5072G
Thanks for everything!
Anne
I would use our other gingerbread cut out cookie recipe. Just silghtly different ratios / ingredients… better for this type of thing!
That vanilla bean butter cream looks to die for!!!! 😀
That looks so good! Do you think I can use a GF flour mix instead? Xx
Hello 🙂 Can I use this dough to make roll out gingerbread man? Or is it too soft? I will try these out either way 😉 Thanks xx
These worked so super well, made them for my flatmates then we watched Elf and devoured the lot hehe I had to use honey instead of molasses but still worked a treat:P 10/10 would recommend
I made this and the cookies where amazing, however, the frosting was way too sweet for me and the kids, which is a shocker. We enjoyed one with frosting and the rest without. Thanks for what you do!
I just finished making them, I could’ve done with a little less frosting though 😛 but generally I love them. Perfect gift as well.
If anyone is interested in low-fat baking: I used 2 Tbsp oil and 2 Tbsp applesauce and I got pretty darn tasty cookies…. the molasses and spices are perfect in this recipe. I also made them the other night using all applesauce and they were quite good for no added fat, but even better: no cookie hangover! The frosting is a bit overwhelming for me, but I think the frosting tastes pretty close to the filling of an Oreo cookie… if you’ve ever had one of those. Thank you for the great recipe! I’ll be making these again
I messed up the icing so ate them without and they were still really good on their own
friends + family all loved them
thanks!
These were delicious. For some reason my mixture was really dry so i had to add some more oil and milk but it ended up turning out great. I also didn’t bother with the filling as i had some icing left over from a cake I made so just filled some with that and ate the rest by themselves. Will definitely be making again.
Unfortunately these turned out really dry for me. I even took the suggestion from the comment below to add a little extra almond milk and oil, but it didn’t work.
Sad face