Ginger sandwich cookies - Dairy Foods

Even though the holidays are pretty much over, the urge to bake cookies never leaves me. I made these ginger sandwich cookies on Sunday morning after browsing recipes on my iPad. These treats are really good, but super filling (they are basically two huge cookies sandwiched between a scoop of frosting). I brought them to work and received a lot of compliments.

Ginger sandwich cookies (recipe adapted from the Food and Wine iPad application: Holiday issue)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses

Filling

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position racks in the upper and lower thirds.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the cookies

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt.  In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 minutes.  Beat in teh egg and molasses.  Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until incorporated, scraping down the bowl.

Working in 2 batches, drop scant tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheets, 3 minutes apart.  Bake the cookies for 20 minutes, until risen and fallen and slightly firm; shift the sheets from top to  bottom and front to back halfway through for even baking.  Let cool slightly, then transfer the parchment paper to racks to let the cookies cool completely.  Bake the remaining cookies.

Make the filling

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the confectioners' sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in the lemon juice.

Arrange the cookies in pairs on a large work surface.  Spoon or pipe 1 rounded tablespoon of the lemon filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies, pressign them together so the filling spreads to the edge.

Note, though the recipe calls for baking for 20 minutes, I found that was too long and the first batch got a bit burned.  I would leave them in for about 15-17 minutes, depending on your oven.