Ginger Molasses Maple Cream Sandwich Cookies

You know what I love even more than a cookie?

More than one cookie.

And if those cookies are fluffy, ginger-spiced nuggets locked in a maple cream cheese embrace?

Let’s get hitched.

OK, no I’m not actually going to marry a cookie. For one, I like to think that Ben would be perturbed. For two, cookie monogamy sounds miserable.

Were I to lock it down forever with a baked good, however, these Ginger Molasses Maple Cream Sandwich Cookies would be a blissful choice.

Hence, I choose these fat little morsels of ginger glory as my contribution to the 1^st Annual Blogging Buddies Virtual Cookie Exchange. I’ve teamed up with four of the web’s best bakers to bring you an appetizing array of cookie recipes. PLUS, I’m hosting another apron giveaway {details at bottom of post.} Best. Friday. Ever.

Bake any all of the below and be the star of your next cookie exchange!

• Turtle Thumbprint Cookies by Jessica of Portuguese Girl Cooks
• Granola and Graham Cracker Cookies with Chocolate Chips by Ashley of Baker By Nature
• Grandma’s Sugar Cookies by Joan of Chocolate, Chocolate, and More
• Heath Toffee Bars by Erin of Dinners Dishes and Desserts

And just for you: The Law Student’s Wife’s Ginger Molasses Maple Cream Sandwich Cookies.

We begin with twin puffs of holiday happiness, the ginger molasses cookies. Not for the flavor-shy, these babies pop with ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Their texture is a pleasing paradox of classic cookie chew and soft cloud of ginger gladness.

Next, we gleefully squish our pleasingly plump ginger molasses cookies together, maple cream cheese frosting style. This dreamy filling delicately enhances the flavor of the cookies and happens to be killer good when licked directly off the back of a spoon. Don’t be shy.

Ginger Molasses Maple Cream Sandwich Cookies require little effort beyond letting the cookies cool long enough to prevent the filling from melting into maple cream hot lava, however enticing maple cream hot lava may sound. Do eat the obligatory, mouth-scorching, fresh-off-the-sheet cookie first. Then hide them. Try to forget about them. Ignore the fact that your house smells like a magical gingerbread palace.

Once the cookies cool, slather them with maple cream and reward yourself for your remarkable patience. You certainly deserve an extra Ginger Molasses Maple Cream Sandwich Cookie…or five.

Now onto the giveaway!

In honor the 1^st Annual Blogging Buddies Virtual Cookie Exchange (and by popular demand) I’m hosting a second apron giveaway from Etsy shop MitzieAprons4U! I first shared my love of Mitzie’s aprons a few weeks ago and am thrilled to be featuring her again.

Look sassy while frosting that umpteenth batch of Christmas cookies, be the holiday Hostess with the Mostess, or surprise the baking queen in your life with one of Mitzie’s unique, handmade creations. One lucky winner will have her choice between the four festive aprons you see pictured in this post (the three below and the first pictured above).

For up to SIX entries to win a MitzieAprons4U holiday apron, complete the following. Each will earn you a separate entry to the giveaway.

Mandatory Entry: Visit Mitzie’s Etsy shop here and leave a comment on my blog below with a link to the apron you’d most like to wear while baking this holiday.

Entry 2: Like The Law Student’s Wife on Facebook here and leave a separate comment saying you did.

Entry 3: Subscribe to The Law Student’s Wife RSS feed OR become an email subscriber (enter your email address in the space provided at the upper right of this webpage) and leave a separate comment saying you did.

Entry 4: Tweet about the giveaway saying, “I just entered the @LawStudentsWife holiday apron giveaway! #giveaway bit.ly/W7Fieq” and leave a separate comment saying you did.

Entry 5: Tweet about the cookie exchange saying, “Fabulous, festive cookie recipes from Blogging Buddies Virtual Cookie Exchange#cookies bit.ly/W7Fieq” and leave a separate comment saying you did.

Entry 6: Follow @LawStudentsWife on Twitter and leave a separate comment saying you did.

Rules: Open to U.S. residents only. Giveaway runs from 12:00 AM EST 12/14/2012 through 12:00 AM EST 12/19/2012. Winner will be receiving his/her choice of ONE (1) of the 4 holiday aprons shown above (based on availability). One (1) winner with valid entry will be chosen by random.org. I will email the winner for shipping information. Winner will have 48 hours to respond, or I will choose another winner.

Disclaimer: I do own one of Mitzie’s aprons. Opinions are, always, 100% my own.

HAPPY BAKING!

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Ginger Molasses Maple Cream Sandwich Cookies

Fluffy ginger molasses cookies bursting with spice sandwich a rich maple cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour — or sub all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 egg — at room temperature
• Granulated sugar — for rolling the cookies

For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, — softened (I used reduced fat Neufchâtel)
• 2 tablespoons butter, — softened
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, sift together the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt, then lightly stir to combine.
3. In a large mixing bowl (or a standing mixer fit with the paddle attachment), beat the brown sugar, oil, and molasses on medium speed for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, add the egg, and beat for 1 minute. Give the bowl a good scrape with a rubber spatula and beat for 1 more minute. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Use a spoon to scoop tablespoon-sized hunks of dough. With your hands, form dough into balls, then roll each cookie in granulated sugar. Place on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9 minutes until just set. (They will appear underdone. Resist the urge to overbake). Let cool on the baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

For the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add maple syrup, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Continue beating until well combined and smooth.
2. Slather a healthy dollop onto the flat side of a single cookie, then press against the flat side of a second to form a cookie “sandwich.” Enjoy and repeat!

Recipe Notes

Storage tip: If you will not be devouring all of the cookies in a single sitting, frost only what you plan to eat right away (plus one more—you’ll be glad you to have an “extra.”) Store the remaining cookies in an airtight container and the maple cream filling in the fridge.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Easy Cookie Recipe, Ginger Molasses Maple Cream Sandwich Cookies

All text and images © Erin Clarke / Well Plated.

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