What is your idea of the ultimate Christmas cookie? For most people the answer is—-Gingerbread Men (or Women). I’ll never forget the first time my then-toddler daughter bit into an intricately decorated Gingerbread Man cookie. The sweet treat was spectacularly detailed with gumdrops, icing, mini-chocolate chips and licorice. It looked too good to eat. But that didn’t stop my daughter, who prior to that moment had very limited exposure to cookies besides her favorite chocolate chip and the occasional sugar cookie. She sunk her teeth into the Gingerbread Man’s leg and the look on her face was priceless. Her eyes squinted, her mouth twisted and the Gingerbread Man’s leg came out faster than it went in.
Needless to say, my now 3-year-old daughter steered far away from the following cookie at the holiday party/cookie exchange we attended Saturday night. Don’t get me wrong; she grabbed for the Gingerbread Whoopie Pies, but once I told her it was made with some of the same ingredients as the Gingerbread Man she had last Christmas she dropped it as though it had been lit on fire. (The Gingerbread Man incident was a scarring experience, can you tell?)
My daughter passed on the pies, but I had one and must say it was quite delicious. But, I guess for some, gingerbread is an acquired taste. If you like it then you will definitely enjoy the recipe below. It is modeled after the New England favorite, the chocolate whoopie pie–a sandwich with cream filling–-but the recipe is adapted to incorporate gingerbread for the holidays.
GINGERBREAD WHOOPIE PIES
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons powdered ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon clove
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup molasses
Filling:
1 pound powdered sugar
1/4 pound butter, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
Mix eggs and sugar together well. Add butter and molasses; mix again. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix well. Chill 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Drop chilled dough by spoonfuls about the size of small ping-pong balls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake 11 to 14 minutes. Cool.
To make filling: Cream butter and add sugar very slowly. Mix in vanilla. Add enough milk to make it creamy.
To make sandwiches: Use 2 cookies and spread the filling in between.
Makes 14 to 16 cookies.
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