Gingerbread Linzer Cookies with Fresh Ginger Cream
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A Note from Feedfeed
These adorable Gingerbread Linzer Cookies made with toasted pecans are the nutty holiday cookie you never knew you needed. This luscious cream cheese filling gets its irresistible flavor from fresh ginger, making these eye-catching confections the ultimate sweet treat for your holiday guests. Recipe and photo by @thesweetandsimplekitchen.
- Recipe Card
Recipe Card
For the Gingerbread Cookies:
ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup pecans, toasted
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar, for dusting
For the ginger cream filling:
ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Cookies:
Method
Step 1
Place the toasted pecans in a food processor with ¼ cup of the dark brown sugar. Pulse into a fine crumb and set aside.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, toasted pecan crumb mixture, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt together until combined; Set aside.
Step 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and remaining dark brown sugar together on high speed until pale and fluffy- about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed until combined.
Step 4
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low just until the dough comes together.
Step 5
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions and gently flatten into discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill the discs in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (or overnight). If chilling overnight, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
Step 6
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 7
Working with one disc from the refrigerator at a time, generously flour a work surface, as well as your hands and a rolling pin.
Step 8
Roll out the disc until 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2 inch round or fluted cookie cutter, cut the rolled out dough into circles. Reroll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with the second disc of dough. You should end up with about 60 circles.
Step 9
Using a 1 inch round, fluted or shape of your choice cookie cutter, cut a hole into the center of half of your circles.
Step 10
You will want to separate and bake the full circle cookies and the cookies with cut outs in the middle onto their own baking sheets as the cookies with the holes in the middle will take less time to bake than the full circles.
Step 11
Arrange your cookies about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets.
Step 12
Bake the whole circles for about 11 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges, and bake the cookies with holes in the middle for about 10 minutes.
Step 13
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer all of the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling.
For the Fresh Ginger Cream Filling:
Step 1
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth and there are no lumps. Beat in ginger and vanilla until combined.
Step 2
Add the confectioners sugar in 1 cup at a time, beating on low until combined. Increase speed to high and beat until pale and fluffy peaks start to form - about 2-3 minutes.
To assemble:
Step 1
Spread 1⁄2 teaspoon of prepared ginger cream on each whole cookie. Carefully top each with the confectioner sugar dusted cut out cookies and press down gently to create a cookie sandwich.
Step 2
Dust the tops of each cookie sandwich with confectioners’ sugar (if desired) enjoy!