Ginger Creme Sandwich Cookies — Sweet Enough for the Best Day

The cookbook’s page proofs arrived Wednesday morning by FedEx. The proofs are essentially the finished book in unbound form — the hardcover’s typography, the chapter ornaments, the recipe photographs, the inside-flap photo of Cody and me at the cafe’s back kitchen taken last September during the photography sessions. The book is one hundred and seventy-two pages long, hardcover, eight-by-ten format, full-color throughout.

I sent Cody a copy via overnight FedEx Wednesday afternoon. He saw the proofs Friday morning at the cafe before service. He called me at ten-fifteen AM Friday from the cafe’s back kitchen. He was crying. He said, “Kaylee, I have my hands on a book with my name on it.” He could not say more than that for about a minute.

Mama was at the cafe Friday too. She had the cookbook in her hands when Cody called me. She got on the FaceTime when Cody passed her the phone. She held up the cover to the camera. She didn’t cry but she did the throat-tightening thing. The two of them at the cafe’s back kitchen with the proofs of the book they had earned was the kind of moment that doesn’t need a soundtrack.

The book is real now. It has been real for a long time but it is real-with-photographs-and-binding now. The publication target is October. The presale opens in August. The cafe is hosting a launch dinner in early November.

Sunday I made ginger creme sandwich cookies because the day — the week — deserved a sweet for the moment. Ginger creme sandwich cookies are the spiced-cookie version of an Oreo — molasses-and-ginger spice cookies sandwiched around a cinnamon-cream filling. The combination reads holiday-leaning year-round and is the right kind of celebratory-cookie that doesn’t feel like an over-celebration.

The technique on the cookies: in a stand mixer, beat three-quarters cup of softened butter with one cup of dark brown sugar packed for three minutes. Add one egg, a quarter-cup of dark molasses, a teaspoon of vanilla. Mix smooth.

The dry ingredients: two and a quarter cups of all-purpose flour, two teaspoons of ground ginger, one and a half teaspoons of cinnamon, a half-teaspoon of cloves, a quarter-teaspoon of allspice, a teaspoon of baking soda, a half-teaspoon of salt. Mix until just combined.

Roll the dough into small balls (a teaspoon each). Roll each ball in granulated sugar. Place on parchment-lined sheet pans. Bake at three-fifty for ten minutes until cracked across the tops and just set at the edges. Cool completely.

The cinnamon-cream filling: a stick of softened butter beat with three cups of powdered sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon, a half-teaspoon of vanilla, a pinch of salt, two tablespoons of milk for four minutes until fluffy.

The sandwich assembly: pair up the cooled cookies. Pipe a generous tablespoon of filling onto the bottom of one cookie. Top with the matching cookie. Press gently. Repeat.

Twenty-four sandwiches from one batch. Mama had three. Brayden had two. Dustin had three. Wyatt had a small piece. The remaining sixteen went into a tin on the counter. The cookbook is on its way to the printer. The world keeps moving forward. The kitchen keeps cooking through the moments that matter.

Molasses-ginger cookies. Cinnamon-cream filling sandwiched. Twenty-four pairs. Here’s the build.

Ginger Creme Sandwich Cookies

Prep Time: 20 min | Chill Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 24 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup for rolling
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• For the Creme Filling:
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1–2 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and 1 cup granulated sugar with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
3. Add wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Combine and chill. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl.
6. Shape the cookies. Scoop dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tbsp each). Roll each ball in the granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops begin to crack. Do not overbake—they should be soft in the center. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Make the creme filling. Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating on low until incorporated, then increase to medium-high and beat until creamy. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until the filling is spreadable but holds its shape.
9. Assemble. Match cookies into pairs of similar size. Spread or pipe about 1 1/2 tsp of creme filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then press the second cookie gently on top. Repeat with remaining cookies.
10. Serve or store. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving for the softest texture.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 215 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 98mg