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ginger sandwich cookie with a bite out of it and spiced buttercream inside
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Ginger Sandwich Cookies with Caramel Filling

These ginger sandwich cookies are soft, chewy, filled with a spiced buttercream and have a dollop of rich, creamy caramel in the centre.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 40 minutes
Bake Time 12 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes
Servings 8 sandwiches
Calories 300kcal
Author Gabby

Ingredients

Ginger Cookies

  • ½ cup butter (regular, or dairy free)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup dark brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 egg
  • cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

Spiced Buttercream

  • ½ cup butter (regular or dairy free)
  • ¼ cup vegetable shortening
  • 1½-2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • pinch of salt

Caramel*

Instructions

Ginger Cookies

  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugars and beat until lightened and fluffy.
  • Beat in the molasses, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Once the molasses is fully combined, mix in the egg.
  • In two additions, pour the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl with the wet ingredients, folding gently to combine between each addition. With the final addition, fold until just combined. There should be a few streaks of flour still in the dough.
  • Scoop the dough into 2 tbsp-sized balls and placed them on the prepared baking sheets. The cookies will spread, so leave about 3 inches between each cookie on the baking sheets. Chill the dough in the fridge for 1 hour (you can skip this step if using dairy free ingredients).
  • After 1 hour, preheat oven to 350F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edged look set. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Let the cookies cool completely before assembling the cookie sandwiches!

Spiced Buttercream

  • While the cookies cool, make the buttercream. In the bowl of a standing or electric mixer, beat together the butter and shortening until smooth. If there are any pesky lumps, you can use a spatula to flatten them.
  • Add the powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached, making sure to scrape the edges of the bowl between each addition. Add in the spices and salt and mix.

Caramel

  • Wait until you are ready to assemble the cookies before beginning to make the caramel, as it will become harder to work with as it thickens. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan over low-medium heat. Stir them together and continue to stir until the mixture begins to bubble. Let the caramel bubble for about 10 seconds, then remove from heat and let it cool for 2-3 minutes. Assemble the sandwich cookies immediately.
  • Flip 8 of the cookies upside down and pipe (or scoop and spread) frosting onto each cookie (see pictures above for reference).
  • Use a small spoon to scoop 1 tsp* of caramel onto the middle of each cookie, then place a cookie (unfrosted) over top to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Notes

CARAMEL: You can definitely substitute this for a store-bought caramel if you don't want to make your own! The amount you use is up to you - I like just a little bit of caramel in mine, but feel free to use more than 1 tsp! 1 teaspoon is a good start to see if it's enough for your taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 114IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg