gingerbread cookies : Nothing says cozy baking like molasses-scented dough and a soft, chewy bite. These Chewy Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies take the classic gingerbread cookie and turn it into a handheld, nostalgia-packed sandwich — crisp at the edges, pillowy in the center, and loaded with a spiced filling that complements the warm ginger-molasses base. Whether you’re baking for a holiday cookie swap, a weekend treat, or to pair with coffee, this recipe is built for reliability and flavor.
If you’ve been frustrated by dry, crumbly gingerbread, or by cookies that spread too thin and lose that chewy center, this recipe is for you. I’ll explain the why behind each ingredient, give chef-level technique notes to guarantee chewy success, and offer adaptable variations — from dairy-free to ultra-chocolate — so you can make these cookies your own.
(Image prompt: Close-up, high-resolution photo of two Chewy Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies stacked, showing a soft molasses-spiced cookie with a smooth cinnamon-buttercream filling; warm lighting, rustic kitchen background, garnished with crystallized ginger pieces.)
You might also like a chewy twist on other ginger recipes — try our Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies for a crackled finish.
Why these Chewy Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies work
Good cookie texture is controlled by four main factors: fats, sugar, flour/gluten development, and temperature (both dough temperature and oven temperature). For chewiness we:
- Use a balance of brown sugar and granulated sugar. Brown sugar brings moisture and molasses flavor; white sugar adds structure and spread control.
- Incorporate an extra egg yolk for richness and chew (yolks add fat and emulsifiers).
- Use molasses for flavor, color, and added moisture.
- Control gluten development by mixing only until combined and chilling the dough to limit spread.
- Bake at a temperature that allows the outside to set quickly while the center stays soft.
The sandwich format — a soft, flavorful filling — plays into texture contrast. A little acid in cream cheese-based fillings brightens the spices, while buttercream gives a cleaner, sweeter anchor.
Print
Chewy Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
- Total Time: 100 minutes
- Yield: 24 sandwich cookies (48 cookies total) 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Make irresistibly soft, chewy gingerbread sandwich cookies filled with spiced buttercream or cream cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 1/3 cup (110 g) unsulphured molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped (optional)
- For Buttercream Filling: 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1–2 tbsp milk or cream
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Whisk dry: In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a stand mixer, beat butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
- Add eggs and molasses: Beat in egg and yolk, then molasses and vanilla until combined. Scrape bowl.
- Combine: Reduce mixer speed and add dry ingredients in two batches; mix until just combined. Fold in crystallized ginger if using.
- Chill: Form dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, chill at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours).
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Roll and cut: On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut 2-inch rounds.
- Bake: Place cookies 2 inches apart. Bake 8–10 minutes until edges are set but centers still soft. Let cool 5 minutes on sheet then transfer to rack to cool completely.
- Make buttercream: Beat softened butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon, add milk 1 tbsp at a time until spreading consistency; add pinch of salt.
- Assemble: Pair cookies by size, pipe ~1–2 tbsp buttercream on flat side of one half, sandwich and press lightly. Chill briefly to set.
Notes
For best results, chill the dough and avoid overmixing to ensure chewy cookies.
- Prep Time: 90 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: gingerbread, sandwich cookies, holiday baking, cookies, soft cookies
Ingredient breakdown: what each item does (and smart swaps)
Understanding ingredient roles will let you swap successfully without wrecking texture.
- All-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups): Structure. Replacing with a 1:1 gluten-free blend often works but expect a slightly more crumbly texture. For stronger chew, you can replace up to 1/4 cup with bread flour (more gluten).
- Baking soda (1 tsp) + baking powder (optional 1/4 tsp): Leavening. Baking soda reacts with acidic molasses to create lift and tenderness. Don’t skip or reduce too much.
- Ground ginger (2 tbsp), ground cinnamon (1 tbsp), ground cloves (1/2 tsp), ground nutmeg (1/4 tsp): Spices — key for classic gingerbread warmth. Freshly ground spices are brighter.
- Salt (1/2 tsp): Balances sweetness and intensifies spice notes.
- Unsalted butter (3/4 cup, softened): Fat for flavor, tenderness, and mouthfeel. You can use margarine or vegan butter (look for 80% fat content) for a dairy-free swap; results may vary.
- Brown sugar (3/4 cup, packed): Moisture, chewiness, and molasses flavor. Dark brown is richer.
- Granulated sugar (1/4 cup): Structure and lightness.
- Egg + extra yolk (1 egg + 1 yolk): Egg white adds structure; yolk adds richness and chew. For egg-free, use 3 tbsp aquafaba + 1 tbsp oil — texture will be slightly different.
- Molasses (1/3 cup): Classic gingerbread backbone — flavor, color, and acidity which reacts with baking soda. Unsulphured molasses recommended. Blackstrap is very intense; use sparingly.
- Vanilla extract (1 tsp): Balances and rounds spices.
- Optional: crystallized ginger (1/4 cup, chopped) — adds studded ginger pockets and texture.
For fillings:
- Classic cinnamon buttercream: powdered sugar, butter, a touch of cream, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
- Cream cheese filling: full-fat cream cheese + powdered sugar + vanilla (tangy and cuts the sweetness).
- Chocolate ganache: semi-sweet chocolate + cream (for an adult, richer sandwich).
Pro tip: using browned butter in the dough gives a nutty depth but will change texture slightly; cool browned butter to room temp before creaming with sugar.
Equipment and prep notes
- Stand mixer with paddle or hand mixer — good for creaming evenly. You can make by hand, but creaming takes longer.
- Baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone mats.
- 2-inch round cookie cutter or tablespoon scoop for uniform cookies.
- Cooling rack.
- Piping bag for filling — optional but gives a clean finish.
Make sure to measure flour correctly: spoon into the measuring cup and level — packing flour causes dry, dense cookies.
Recipe card: Chewy Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
Yield: about 24 sandwich cookies (48 cookies total before sandwiching)
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus 1 hour chill)
Bake time: 8–10 minutes per sheet
Total time: ~1 hour 50 minutes (including chill)
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150 g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 1/3 cup (110 g) unsulphured molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped (optional)
Buttercream filling (Cinnamon Buttercream)
- 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1–2 tbsp milk or cream
- Pinch of salt
Method
- Whisk dry: In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a stand mixer, beat butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
- Add eggs and molasses: Beat in egg and yolk, then molasses and vanilla until combined. Scrape bowl.
- Combine: Reduce mixer speed and add dry ingredients in two batches; mix until just combined. Fold in crystallized ginger if using.
- Chill: Form dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, chill at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours).
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Roll and cut: On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut 2-inch rounds. (Tip: chill cut rounds for 10 minutes before baking to reduce spread.)
- Bake: Place cookies 2 inches apart. Bake 8–10 minutes until edges are set but centers still soft. Let cool 5 minutes on sheet then transfer to rack to cool completely.
- Make buttercream: Beat softened butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon, add milk 1 tbsp at a time until spreading consistency; add pinch of salt.
- Assemble: Pair cookies by size, pipe ~1–2 tbsp buttercream on flat side of one half, sandwich and press lightly. Chill briefly to set.
Nutrition (per sandwich cookie — estimate)
- Calories: ~230–280 kcal
- Fat: 12–15 g
- Carbs: 30–35 g
- Protein: 2–3 g
Step-by-step method with cooking insights and troubleshooting
Baking is chemistry — small changes alter results. Here are the step-by-step actions with explanations and fix-it tips.
Creaming sugar and butter properly
- Why: Creaming aerates the butter which helps with lift and texture. Over-creaming increases air and can cause excessive spread. Aim for 2–3 minutes until pale and ribbon-like.
- Tip: If butter is too soft, the dough will be greasy and spread. If too cold, mixing will be lumpy. Room temperature butter (soft but not melting) is ideal.
Adding eggs and molasses
- Why: Molasses brings acidity to activate baking soda. Add egg first to emulsify the molasses into the batter; it helps incorporate evenly.
- Tip: Scrape the bowl between additions to avoid streaks of dry flour or clumps.
Mixing flour — don’t overwork
- Why: Overmixing develops gluten which makes cookies tough. Mix until no dry streaks remain.
- Tip: Finish any stubborn streaks by folding with a spatula rather than extra mixer time.
Chilling the dough — essential
- Why: Chilling solidifies fats so cookies don’t spread too thin in the oven. It also hydrates the flour so flavors meld.
- Tip: If you forget to chill, reduce oven temp by 15°F and bake a little longer — results are a workaround but not as good as proper chilling.
Rolling thickness and temperature control
- Why: Thickness determines chew — thinner cookies crisp more. For chewy centers, roll to 1/4 inch.
- Tip: On warm days, chill dough between cuttings. Use a chilled baking sheet for the first batch to prevent shock spread.
Baking time — watch the edges
- Why: Letting cookies bake until edges barely set ensures chewy center. Cookies continue to cook slightly on the hot sheet.
- Tip: Remove when the center still looks slightly underdone; they will firm up while cooling.
Cooling and sandwiching
- Why: Fully cooled cookies prevent filling from melting and becoming runny.
- Tip: If your filling is too soft, chill briefly before piping. Press gently when sandwiching to avoid squishing the cookie.
Common mistakes and fixes
- Flat, greasy cookies: butter too soft or too much sugar; chill dough and reduce oven temps.
- Dry, crumbly cookies: too much flour or overbaking; measure flour correctly and watch bake time.
- Bitter spice: old or too much cloves/ginger; use fresh spices and measure precisely.
Expert tips & pro advice for reliably chewy cookies
- Weight ingredients when possible. Baking is precise; grams remove guesswork.
- Use dark or robust molasses for flavor. Light molasses is milder.
- Replace 1 tbsp of flour with cornstarch for a softer, more tender bite.
- Let chilled dough come to just-soften (10 minutes) before rolling to avoid cracking but maintain structure.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the middle rack for even heat.
- If you want a chewier interior, reduce baking soda slightly and add 1 tbsp of sour cream or Greek yogurt — the acid and extra moisture help tenderness.
Fillings and flavor combinations
Your filling makes the sandwich identity. A few favorite pairings:
- Cinnamon Buttercream (recipe above): Classic, sweet, and bright with cinnamon.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: 4 oz cream cheese + 1/4 cup butter + 1–1.5 cups powdered sugar + 1/2 tsp vanilla — tangy and balances spice.
- Chocolate Ganache: 4 oz chopped chocolate + 1/4 cup heavy cream, chilled until pipeable — rich and luxe.
- Salted Caramel Buttercream: Add 2–3 tbsp salted caramel to the buttercream for a caramel-gingerbread hybrid.
- Lemon-Cardamom Buttercream: For a fresh twist, brighten with lemon zest and ground cardamom.
For visual interest, roll edges of the filled cookies in crushed piped sugar, chopped nuts, or mini chocolate chips.
If you enjoy seasonal peppermint-chocolate combos, try pairing gingerbread with chocolate-peppermint flavors — our Chocolate Peppermint Cookies explore that festive profile.
Variations and ingredient swaps
- Vegan: Use vegan butter, replace egg with 3 tbsp aquafaba, and use a vegan-friendly powdered sugar for the filling. Expect slightly different chew and color.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. Add an extra egg yolk for structure; chill thoroughly.
- Spiced-up: Add 1/2 tsp black pepper or 1/4 tsp cayenne for a warming kick.
- Molasses-light: Use a mix of half molasses, half maple syrup for a subtler background sweetness.
- Chocolate-ginger: Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to dough and up molasses slightly; pair with chocolate ganache.
For holiday twists, swap the buttercream to peppermint (for candy-cane-style treats) — see a similar peppermint cookie approach in our Candy Cane Cookies writeup for inspiration on balancing mint with sugar.
Storage, freezing, and reheating
Cookies hold up well if stored properly.
Short-term (room temp)
- Sandwich cookies: store in an airtight container in a single layer or separated with parchment to prevent sticking. Keep at room temperature up to 3 days.
- If filled with cream cheese filling, refrigerate and consume within 4 days.
Long-term (freezing)
- Freeze baked, unfilled cookies: cool completely, flash-freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months.
- Freeze filled sandwiches: assemble and freeze solid on a tray, then wrap individually in plastic and place in an airtight bag — thaw in fridge overnight before serving.
- Make-ahead dough: dough can be chilled up to 24 hours or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and proceed.
Reheating
- Warm a frozen sandwich lightly in a 250°F oven for 4–6 minutes to refresh; avoid microwave as filling may melt.
- Slightly stale cookies can be refreshed by warming on a sheet pan for 3–4 minutes at 300°F to restore chew.
Nutrition insights and mindful baking
A typical sandwich cookie is indulgent — moderate portions matter. To lighten:
- Reduce filling sugar by using a tangy cream cheese-based filling and fewer sweeteners.
- Use part-whole wheat flour substitution (up to 1/3) to increase fiber — may slightly change chew.
- Swap half the butter in filling for Greek yogurt (chill to stabilize) for fewer calories but note tang and texture shifts.
Spices like ginger and cinnamon have anti-inflammatory compounds (gingerol in ginger, cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon). Enjoying spice-forward desserts can be more satisfying, potentially reducing the tendency to overindulge.
If you track macros, the calorie estimate per sandwich cookie (given earlier) is ~230–280 kcal depending on filling; adjust portion size or share at gatherings to keep intake reasonable.
Troubleshooting common problems
- Cookies spread too much: dough too warm, butter too soft, or not chilled. Next time chill dough and cookie sheets.
- Tough cookies: overmixed or overbaked. Mix until combined and remove while centers are still soft.
- Filling too runny: add more powdered sugar or chill filling before piping; for cream cheese fillings, ensure cream cheese is fully drained and chilled.
- Cookies crack excessively when rolling: dough too cold or brittle; let it rest at room temp 10 minutes, use gentle rolling.
FAQs (schema-ready style)
Q: Can I make these cookies ahead for a party?
A: Yes. You can bake the cookies up to 3 days ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. For best flavor, fill the sandwiches the day of the party. If using cream cheese filling, assemble and refrigerate no more than 4 days.
Q: Can I skip chilling the dough?
A: Technically yes, but chilled dough bakes better — it spreads less and preserves a chewier center. If pressed, reduce oven temp 10–15°F and keep an eye on bake time.
Q: How do I prevent over-browning?
A: Bake on the middle rack and monitor closely. Use light-colored baking sheets and parchment. Remove when edges are just set and centers slightly soft.
Q: Can I freeze assembled cookies?
A: Yes — freeze on a tray until firm, then wrap tightly. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight to avoid condensation.
Q: What is the best molasses for flavor?
A: Unsulphured dark molasses gives the classic flavor and color. Blackstrap is very robust; use sparingly or blend with lighter molasses.
Q: How do I get a really soft, chewy center?
A: Use brown sugar, add an extra yolk, avoid overbaking, and don’t roll the dough thinner than 1/4 inch. Chilling helps too.
Serving suggestions and pairings
Chewy Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies pair beautifully with:
- Hot coffee, preferably spiced or with a touch of cream.
- Hot chocolate or a dark chocolate mocha for a decadent pair.
- For a lighter pairing, try a cup of spiced tea or our Sparkling Tea (for a festive contrast). These cookies also work well with milk or eggnog at holiday gatherings.
Final notes: scaling and gifting
This recipe scales well — double the batch and portion dough into logs to slice later. For gifting, assemble cookies and freeze, then thaw and box them fresh. Use parchment and decorative ties for presentation.
Conclusion
If you want a reliable, flavor-forward holiday favorite, these Chewy Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies check every box: spiced, soft, and sandwich-ready. For extra technique reference or inspiration, check out these tested guides on similar cookies: Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies: Soft, Chewy, & Perfectly Spiced and Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies – Fresh April Flours. Try the recipe, make one pro tip your go-to (chill the dough!), and share the results — these cookies travel well to parties and family gatherings.
If you liked this recipe, save it, pin it, or try a spiced variation next time. Happy baking from WeCookRecipe.
