These cookies started out as ginger snaps. And then I realized that I didn’t have any ground ginger, remembered that I don’t actually like molasses, and worried that ginger snaps are often teeth-breakingly crunchy. Also, I wanted something lemony. So I improvised and ended up with these soft sandwich cookies. The fresh ginger is refreshing and pairs nicely with the lemon. The honey is mild, and much better than molasses. I might even suggest that it lends the soft texture to these cookies.
Honey Ginger Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Buttercream
For the cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 stick plus 2 T unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar, separated
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
2 T fresh ginger, diced
Preheat an oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small saucepan over low heat, dissolve 1/4 cup sugar with the ginger. Take care to stir often and watch it closely. Once dissolved, take of the heat. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. In a mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Cream in remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Add egg, honey and ginger-sugar mixture. Add flour and stir just to combine.
Place 1 T size dollops of cookie dough about 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet. These cookies will spread out and flatten quite a bit while cooking. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a rack before frosting.
For the buttercream
6 T unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the zest and lemon juice. Beat in the powdered sugar. Spread a large dollop of frosting on one cooled cookie and top with another.
Jordan and I both enjoyed these cookies. While they won’t become my go-to cookie, Jordan says he wants to give them another try. The cookie was overshadowed by my very lemony buttercream frosting. Jordan thought I was just crazy to try a new cookie and a new frosting in just one confection—maybe I’ll bake only the cookies next time.
-Emily