Soft Ginger Cookies with Lemon Cream Filling
This ginger lemon sandwich cookie recipe is easy to follow and yields irresistibly soft ginger cookies with a zesty lemon filling. Rolling the cookies in sugar before baking creates a beautiful crackly top, while the centers remain tender and perfect for sandwiching.
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What I love about this recipe
The smell of baking ginger cookies always evokes holiday memories for me, but the lemon filling for these cookies is light on the palate making this a perfect treat year-round. These cookies freeze well so whip up a double batch and freeze. You'll always have some on hand when the mood hits you or unexpected guests drop in.
Ingredient tips
- Bring the butter and eggs to room temperature before starting on the dough. This is important as the ingredients will blend better and create a softer texture and more prominent cookie rise.
- Use sulfured molasses as it is the sweetest type of molasses and will work best for these cookies.
- The star of these cookies is the ground ginger. Purchase a highly respected brand to ensure your cookies turn out perfect.
Scoop and roll cookies
- Using a cookie scoop will help create consistently sized cookies. Since you are making sandwich cookies, you want both the top and bottom to match up.
- Rolling these cookies in granulated sugar prior to baking will create a crunchy, crackled top but the inside will still remain soft.
Sandwich cookie assembly
- Arrange the cookies in pairs by matching up similar sized cookies.
- Pipe or spoon approximately 1 tablespoon lemon filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies.
- Sandwich with the remaining cookies and gently press until the filling reaches the edges.
Storage
The cookie filling contains butter so it is perishable. Place the finished cookies in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours prior to serving and allow to come to room temperature. Alternatively, wrap the cookies well and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
📋 Recipe
Ginger Lemon Sandwich Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- 2 Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Cookies
- ¾ Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- ¼ Cup Molasses
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon Ground Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ Cup Granulated sugar for coating cookie dough
Lemon Buttercream Filling
- 2 Cups Powdered sugar
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350℉ / 177℃
- Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, begin creaming the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2 - 4 minutes on medium speed). Scrape the bowl as needed. (note: a hand mixer may also be used)
- Add the egg and molasses to the bowl and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Scrape the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
- Wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Take 1 ½ tablespoon of the dough, roll into a ball and roll in the coating sugar.
- Place onto parchment-lined baking sheets leaving approximately 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Using your palm or the bottom of a round drinking glass, flatten the cookie slightly.
- Bake cookies for 8 - 10 minutes.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Buttercream Filling
- Mix the butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment for approximately 3 minutes. (note: a hand mixer may also be used)
- Add the lemon juice and mix for another minute.
Assembling Cookies
- Arrange the cookies in pairs by matching up similar sized cookies.
- Pipe or spoon approximately 1 tablespoon lemon filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies.
- Sandwich with the remaining cookies and gently press until the filling reaches the edges.
Paula says
These lemon ginger cookies were absolutely incredible! Two of my favorite dessert flavors in one!
Beth says
The ginger and lemon are so good together, and I love the texture of the cookies with the cream filling. These are SO GOOD!
Jess says
The ginger and lemon go together perfectly!
Jeff Zeanah says
You had me at lemon cream -- but ginger and molasses also? Fantastic.
Shelby says
That lemon cream filling is so fresh! I love how uplifting it is!
C says
So soft and delicious- recipe home run! Love this site
Debbie says
Yum! I love ginger cookies and making them into a lemon buttercream sandwich cookie is delicious!
abzstylz says
So moist and delicious! One of my favorite recipes 🙂
Stephanie says
Ok, the ginger snap part of these cookies are good, but that lemon filling is amazing! It's a perfect combination for spring-tasting cookies.
dessertswithstephanie says
Thank you for your feedback on the ginger cookies!
Ivana says
Great recipe, molasses and cinnamon work together so well!
junebug says
These are FANTASTIC! I love that the cookies are soft, unlike a lot of ginger cookie recipes. The cookies are nicely durable (as long as you wait for them to cool) without being hard at all, and so yummy. The ginger-lemon flavor mixture is top notch.
The one thing I'd change is that I would use less frosting. It's very sweet, and I couldn't tolerate as much frosting as is shown in the pictures. But it's easy enough to use less of it, or when I overdid it, just squeeze the cookies together and wipe off the excess.