Gingerbread Orange Cookie Sandwiches
Chewy spiced cookies layered with a creamy orange buttercream equals a holiday dessert that will steal the show at your Christmas gathering! The flavor of these gingerbread orange sandwich cookies are a fun twist on the classic oatmeal cream pie that both kids and adults will enjoy!
Ingredients
Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups quick rolled oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
Orange Buttercream
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz full-fat block-style cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tbsp orange juice if needed for smoothing out frosting
Instructions
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, quick oats, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the molasses and egg and beat until well-mixed. To the butter/sugar mixture, add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until a soft, sticky dough forms. Allow the dough to chill in the fridge for about an hour.
- After the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350 °F and line two large baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. For each cookie, measure about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball. Place the balls 1 inch apart on the prepared pans and bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned. Transfer the cookies onto a wire rack to cool completely while you make the orange buttercream.
- For the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the salt, orange zest and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time, beating well after each addition. If the frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of orange juice.
- For each cookie sandwich, spread or pipe a scant tablespoon of frosting onto one cookie and then sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
*If you wish to make bigger cookie sandwiches, increase the amount of dough used for each cookie. You will also need to increase the baking time by a minute or two.
**If you have leftover frosting like I usually do, then you can store it in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.
***Leftover cookie sandwiches need to be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. They will keep fresh for about 3 days, although once they are put into the fridge, the cookies harden and they aren't quite as good as when first baked.