12
Dec

Gingersnap Raspberry Sandwich Cookies

Ginger and raspberry- I can’t imagine a better combination. If you like sweet, and you like spicy, then this is the cookie for you. I have been making these Martha inspired cookies for quite a few years and they are always met with glowing reviews and requests for more. That’s why when I signed up for the Great Blogger Cookie Swap hosted by Lindsey of Love & Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen I knew these were the cookies to make. The way the swap works is pretty simple. I was matched up with three food bloggers and sent them a dozen cookies each. In return, I received a dozen cookies from three different food bloggers. This is the second year of the swap and it appears that is was quite a success. Over 700 food bloggers signed up to participate and they estimated that around 22,000 cookies were sent out to bloggers around the world!

Here are my cookies all packaged up and ready to send. I think I enjoyed making the boxes as much as did making the cookies. I made handcrafted labels on fun paper for the outside of the box and a printed recipe card for the inside of the box.At first I wasn’t sure what we would do with the 3 dozen cookies that were coming in the mail. Would we share them with friends, give them to family members, put some away in the freezer for a later date? Ha ha! That last one’s pretty funny- I mean really, who saves cookies for later!? Turns out I didn’t need to worry. We received our first batch of cookies from April at Such a Delight and managed to devour them in under 24 hours. The second batch from Ashley and Josh of Josh & Ashley’s World, and the final batch from Latisha at Spiced with Love were treated with similar enthusiasm and before I could even think about sharing these with friends not a cookie was left. I shouldn’t have been surprised though because sweet treats have a way of disappearing around here. Have I mentioned that Mr.Thinly Sliced Cucumber has quite the sweet tooth? Good thing cookie swaps only happen once a year!

Print Recipe

Gingersnap Raspberry Sandwiches
Adapted from Martha Stewart Holiday Cookies 2001
Makes: 2 dozen sandwiches

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup molasses
1 large egg
1 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
1 cup raspberry jam

1. Preheat oven to 375º. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.

3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Beat in the maple syrup. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Reduce the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, beating well between each addition.

4. Place the granulated sugar in shallow bowl. Measure out 1 tablespoon of dough and form into a ball. Roll the dough in the sugar and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Space each ball about 3-inches apart. Repeat until both sheets are full.

5. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown, rotating the sheets once in the middle of the baking time (the sheet on the bottom switches places with the sheet on the top).

6. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool. Repeat the process with the remaining dough.

7. When the cookies are cool, spread half with roughly 2 teaspoons of jam. Place a second cookie on the top and press lightly.