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These Ginger Molasses Cookie Sandwiches combine a classic gingerbread’s warm and spicy flavors with a luscious cream cheese filling. These soft cookies are the ultimate holiday indulgence made with spices, molasses, and a tangy, creamy center.
These cookies were great! We actually chose to not make them into a cookie-witch but left them as a glazed cookie as they are pretty rich. Definitely going to add them to our Christmas cookie rotation!
Why You’ll Love These Ginger Molasses Cookie Sandwiches
- Perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday dessert tables, or gifting
- Soft, chewy texture with that classic spiced gingerbread flavor
- Easy recipe with simple pantry ingredients
- Bakery-style cream cheese filling that balances the warm spices
- Make-ahead friendly (they taste even better the next day!)
Since you are here and love delicious recipes, check out this Classic No Bake Cookies Recipe, this Crumbl Soft Gingerbread Cookies Copycat Recipe, and these Chewy Ginger Cookies.
Let’s Chit Chat!
Okay, you guys… these Ginger Molasses Cookie Sandwiches are truly one of my favorite holiday bakes ever. They’re soft, chewy, perfectly spiced, and the cream cheese filling? Unreal. This is one of those cookies that tastes like holiday magic and somehow gets even better the next day ( I said it! Both flavor and texture are insane after they sit overnight in the fridge). I always make a double batch because the first one disappears before I even get to pack cookie boxes. You’ve been warned!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love These Ginger Molasses Cookie Sandwiches
- Ingredients You’ll Need for these ginger molasses cookie sandwiches
- How to Make Ginger Molasses Cookie Sandwiches
- Tips & Tricks for Perfect Cookie Sandwiches
- Quick Troubleshooting Tips
- How should I store them?
- Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
- Ginger Molasses Cookie Sandwiches Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need for these ginger molasses cookie sandwiches
For the Cookies
- All-purpose flour: provides structure
- Baking soda: helps them rise slightly and stay soft
- Ground cinnamon + ginger: the key warm gingerbread flavors
- Ground cloves + nutmeg: deepen the spice
- Salt: balances everything
- Unsalted butter: adds moisture and tenderness
- Granulated sugar: sweetness + light crisp edges
- Dark brown sugar: adds chewiness and caramel notes
- Unsulfured molasses: signature flavor and color
- Egg: binds the dough
- Vanilla extract: rounds out the spices
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream cheese: tangy base
- Unsalted butter: gives it smoothness
- Powdered sugar: sweetness + fluffy texture
- Vanilla (or vanilla bean paste): warm flavor + little specks
How to Make Ginger Molasses Cookie Sandwiches
Full step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card.
- Prep – Preheat the oven and line your baking sheets.
- Mix the dry ingredients – Whisk flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.
- Cream the butter + sugars – Beat until light and fluffy, then mix in molasses, egg, and vanilla.
- Combine – Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until a dough forms.
- Scoop + bake – Use about 1½ Tbsp of dough per cookie. Bake until set and slightly crackled.
- Cool completely – This prevents the filling from melting.
- Make the filling – Beat cream cheese + butter, add powdered sugar, mix in vanilla.
- Assemble – Pipe or spread frosting onto the bottom of one cookie and top with another.
- Chill – Refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours or overnight for the best texture.
Important Tip – These cookies truly get better the next day. The moisture from the filling softens the cookies, the spices develop more flavor, and the filling firms up so you get a clean bite. If you’re making these for an event, prep them the night before.
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Cookie Sandwiches
- Chill the dough if needed: If it feels sticky or soft, refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to help them bake evenly.
- Grease your molasses cup: Lightly coat your measuring cup to help the molasses slide right out.
- Fully cool before filling: Warm cookies will result in a melted filling, slipping, sliding, and total sadness. Cool them down!!
- Pipe for clean edges: A piping bag (or zip-top bag with the corner snipped) gives that perfect bakery-style swirl.
Quick Troubleshooting Tips
- Cookies too firm: Let sit 10 minutes at room temp and store airtight
- Cookies spreading: Chill dough 20–30 minutes, cream butter less, or double-check oven temperature
- Cookies too puffy: Slightly reduce the flour next time (1–2 tbsp)
- Filling too runny: Use colder cream cheese or add more powdered sugar
How should I store them?
- Overnight: Place on a tray, cover, and refrigerate.
- Up to 5 days: Airtight container in the fridge.
- Freeze (1–2 months): Freeze in layers with parchment between them.
I personally love them straight from the fridge!
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
Use a piping bag or zip-top bag for the cleanest look. If spreading, an offset spatula works best.
Yes! Try a powdered sugar dusting, white-chocolate drizzle, or roll the edges in sprinkles or sanding sugar.
Yes, use a 1:1 gluten-free blend with xanthan gum.
The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to serving these cookie sandwiches. They pair beautifully with cozy drinks like hot cocoa, eggnog, or a warm gingerbread latte, and are just as delicious alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can even add them to a festive holiday charcuterie-style dessert board to really impress your guests.
Ginger Molasses Cookie Sandwiches
Ingredients
For the Gingerbread Cookies:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark bown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sanding sugar
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
Prepare the Gingerbread Cookie Dough:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 & 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.½ cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup dark bown sugar, 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
- Scoop using a small cookie scooper ( about 1 & 1/2 tablespoon worth of dough), roll in the sanding sugar, and place on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 8 minutes.1/2 cup sanding sugar
Make the Cream Cheese Filling:
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth.8 oz cream cheese, ¼ cup unsalted butter
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag (no tip need), you can also use a ziplock with the tip cut off.1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Assemble the Sandwich Cookies:
- Pipe some cream cheese filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies.
- Top those cookies with another cookie, flat side down, to create a sandwiches.
- Place the cookies in an airtight container or in a flat baking sheet and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for 1-2 days to allow those flavors to meld together. This will also keep your cookie sandwiches from having the filling ooze out when you take a bite. So be patient and let them rest in the fridge for at least 24 hours!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks for the recipe! I think you meant to write the flavors “meld together,” not melt together.
Thanks for the heads up!!
Can you freeze these with the frosting in the middle?
You sure can! Just thaw them in the fridge overnight before serving!
I made these for an event and everyone loved them! I used about about a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop for these but I found that the cookies came out rather larger and I only got about 10. I cut them in half to serve. What size scoop do you use? Hoping to make them smaller next time (maybe just one tablespoon)? Do you think that would work fine?
Can you freeze this dough?
Absolutely! To do so, scoop and shape them into balls, place them on a baking sheet, and put it in the freezer for a few hours or overnight. Put plastic wrap under the balls on the baking sheet and over them for easier removal and to prevent freezer burn. Once they’re frozen solid and won’t stick to each other, you can transfer them into a ziplock bag, place back in the freezer, and keep frozen for up to 3 months before baking.
These cookies were great! We actually chose to not make them into a cookie-witch but left them as a glazed cookie as they are pretty rich. Definitely going to add them to our Christmas cookie rotation!
These were my family’s favorite this past year! So glad you enjoyed them as well 🙂