Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies with Fluffy Rum Filling

This month, the What’s Baking group decided to pick gingerbread as our theme. I was thrilled since there are so many ways that you can make gingerbread. I made some other ginger things this month but I knew I wanted to make these for the official post. I actually came across a lot of variations for a gingerbread sandwich cookie, and I ended up piecing together my own variation. I had planned to decorate these cookies a lot more, but time got away from me!

The cookie recipe I used is from King Arthur Flour, who I always can count on for a great recipe. The method for making these cookies is a little different: melt several things in the saucepan, cool the mixture down, and then add the egg and flour. Make sure the mixture is cool before adding the egg or you will have scrambled eggs. The dough is so soft, but it does work out after the dough is chilled.

I rolled my cookies out about 1/8”, maybe just a touch thicker than that, because I didn’t want the sandwich cookies to be too thick to eat. The recipe here makes way more filling than is needed. I could have been more generous with my filling, too. I love the ginger paired with the rum filling. I do wish I would have had more time to decorate, but they are very nice just as they are.

Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies with Fluffy Rum Filling

¾ cup butter

¾ cup packed brown sugar

¾ cup molasses

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking powder

3-1/2 cups flour

¾ cup butter, room temperature

1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

6 ounces marshmallow fluff

1 tablespoon rum

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar, molasses, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to a separate bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Once cool, beat in the egg. Add the baking powder and flour and stir until combined. The mixture will be very soft and look glossy. Divide the dough in two halves; wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

Wrap the dough and place on a floured surface. Roll the dough out to between 1/8” and ¼”, depending on how thick you’d like your cookies. Cut into desired shapes. I used a house-shaped cookie cutter. Place on the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 minutes, until the cookies are set and will be lightly browned around the edges. Cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the filling: in a large mixer bowl beat the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, marshmallow fluff and the rum and stir on medium-low until smooth. Sandwich the cookies together with the rum filling.

Cookie recipe from King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion. Filling recipe from Annie’s Eats