Ginger & Salted Butter Sandwich Cookies
Photo by Madison Trapkin
- Serves
- 12 sandwich cookies
- Prep Time
- 2 Hours 25 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 Minutes
Inspired by one of the best exports Vermont has on offer—after the finest of cultured butter, cheese, ice cream, and of course, Calvin Coolidge—these maple-sweetened cookies are an ode to the state’s chilly winter days. Vermont Creamery Sea Salt Cultured Butter adds its high butterfat content to create a shortbread-like texture in the dough that stays crunchy even after being filled and sandwiched. Plus, the butter’s sea salt and slight tang from the culturing help stave away the cloying sweetness that can sometimes accompany sandwich cookies. An abundance of warming ginger (both ground and crystallized) rounds out this little bit salty, little bit sweet, treat.
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 cup (8 ounces) Vermont Creamery Sea Salt Cultured Butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (72 grams) maple sugar
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 cup (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup (70 grams) crystalized ginger, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon (12 grams) fresh ginger, peeled and grated
For the filling:
- 6 tablespoon (3 ounces) Vermont Creamery Sea Salt Cultured Butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (130 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup (85 grams) maple sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoon whole milk, as needed
Featured Video
This recipe is shared in partnership with Vermont Creamery.
Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Make the cookie dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and maple sugar on medium-high until whipped and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing in between additions to let each yolk fully incorporate.
- Step 2
In a separate bowl, sift the flour and spices. Add the dry to the wet ingredients and mix briefly on low speed just to incorporate. Add the crystalized ginger and fresh ginger, then continue to mix until a soft dough forms with no streaks of flour remaining. Scrape the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press into a flat disc. Transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Step 3
Once the dough is sufficiently chilled, prepare two sheet pans by lining them with parchment. Lightly flour your work surface, then use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a ¼-inch thickness. Using a lightly floured 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out circles and place about 1 to 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined sheet pans. Re-roll scraps and cut out more rounds till you reach at least 24 cookies.
- Step 4
Transfer sheet pans to the fridge and chill for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Step 5
Heat oven to 350°F.
- Step 6
Make the filling: While the cookies chill, beat the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high until smooth. Add both sugars and mix for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. Add the vanilla, beat to combine for about 30 seconds. If your filling is too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time until the filling has a smooth and spreadable consistency to your liking.
- Step 7
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating half way. Remove baked cookies from the oven (they should be light golden brown) and allow to cool fully, at least 1 hour.
- Step 8
Take 12 of the cooled cookies and spread 2 teaspoons of filling on each, then top with the remaining 12 and enjoy. These cookies will keep 1 to 3 days stored in an air-tight container on the counter or several more days in the fridge.