We challenge you to name a more festive holiday cookie mash-up. For these Gingerdoodle Sandwich Cookies, we blended two classic cookies—the gingersnap and the snickerdoodle—to give you an entirely new, sweetly spiced holiday cookie. The perfect blend of chewy and crisp, these cookies get their signature spiced, slightly caramelized flavor from molasses and a blend of warm spices. But what really sets them apart is the Lemon Frosting sandwiched in the middle. Silky smooth and just a little bit tart, this frosting is the bright punch of citrusy flavor that takes these cookies from ordinary to extraordinary. The true key to these incredibly tender cookies and smooth, creamy frosting is the revolutionary Ankarsrum Original Mixer, a favorite of Swedish bakers for generations. Equipped with a dough roller and dough scraper attachment, the Ankarsrum mixer will make all your holiday cookie-baking a breeze. Just sit back and relax as the Ankarsrum mixer scrapes down the sides and bottom of the bowl for you. Holiday cookie season just got a whole lot easier!
- ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (147 grams) firmly packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) packed lemon zest
- ¼ cup (85 grams) molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
- 2¼ cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon (3.75 grams) baking soda
- 3¼ teaspoons (6.5 grams) ground cinnamon, divided
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cloves
- ½ cup (100 grams) sanding sugar
- Lemon Frosting (recipe follows)
- Assemble Ankarsrum mixer with stainless steel bowl and dough roller and dough scraper. Add butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and lemon zest to bowl; starting out on lowest speed (12 o’clock), turn machine on with dough roller resting against side of bowl. Increase mixer speed to highest setting (8 o’clock), and let cream for 1 minute. Turn off, and scrape roller and center of bowl with a spatula. Set machine to medium-high speed (4 o’clock), and cream for 2 minutes. Add molasses and egg. Continue creaming until mixture is light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Briefly pull arm/roller toward middle to help thoroughly combine all ingredients as needed.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, salt, baking soda, ¾ teaspoon (1.5 grams) cinnamon, cream of tartar, cardamom, and cloves. Set machine to lowest speed (12 o’clock), and add flour mixture to butter mixture. Mix just until combined; briefly pull arm/roller toward middle to help thoroughly combine all ingredients as needed. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir together sanding sugar and remaining 2½ teaspoons (5 grams) cinnamon.
- Using a 1½-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, scoop dough (about 27 grams each), and roll into balls. Roll balls in sugar mixture, and place 1½ to 2 inches apart on prepared pans.
- Bake until edges are set but centers still seem slightly underdone, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cool completely on pans on wire racks.
- Place Lemon Frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch French star piping tip (Ateco #862). Pipe about 1½ tablespoons (about 23 grams) frosting onto flat side of half of cookies. Place remaining cookies, flat side down, on top of frosting.
- ⅔ cup (150 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon (1 gram) packed lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2⅓ cups (280 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 2½ tablespoons (37.5 grams) heavy whipping cream
- Assemble Ankarsrum mixer with plastic bowl and balloon whisks. Add butter, lemon zest, and salt. Beat at high speed (6 o’clock) until combined, about 1 minute, stopping halfway to scrape sides of bowl. Add confectioners’ sugar and cream; begin mixing on lowest speed (12 o’clock), gradually increasing mixer speed to medium-high (5 o’clock), and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Use immediately.
I only made the cookie part. These are delicious—crisp, yet chewy, and heavy on the spices. I enjoyed them; however, they might not have the broad appeal a ginger cookie with less spice would have.