Lemony Gingerbread Whoopie Pies -- The Mugs Still Standing

Christmas Eve at the duplex. The mug shelf has the three Marc mugs, unchanged, a permanent exhibit. Nobody gave Dad a mug this year. Nobody will. The mugs are Marc's. The tradition is Marc's. And the tradition is over, except that the mugs remain, and the remaining is its own kind of continuation.

After standing in that kitchen looking at those three mugs, I needed to do something with my hands—something that smelled like Christmas even when Christmas felt broken. Gingerbread has always been the scent of the season for me, and the lemon cuts through just enough to keep it from being too heavy, the way a good memory does. I made these lemony gingerbread whoopie pies that night, and I didn’t share them with anyone, and that felt exactly right.

Lemony Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 1 hr (includes chilling) | Servings: 12 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, divided
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp whole milk
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Make the dough. Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup of the softened butter and the brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla until combined. Add the flour mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk, mixing until just combined. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat and portion. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into balls, placing them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Gently flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand.
Bake. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the cookies are set at the edges but still soft at the center. Do not overbake. Let them cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the lemon cream filling. Beat the remaining 1/4 cup butter and the cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy. Add the sifted powdered sugar gradually, mixing on low until incorporated. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and beat on medium until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Assemble. Match cooled cookies into pairs of similar size. Spread or pipe a generous dollop of lemon cream filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then press the second cookie gently on top. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Set and serve. Arrange finished whoopie pies on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes to let the filling firm up slightly before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Lemony Gingerbread Whoopie Pies -- The Mugs Still Standing