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These gingersnap sandwich cookies are filled with almond butter and maple cream! With their small serving size, they’re a deliciously healthy dessert.
When I started reading food blogs (circa 2008), I had no idea there were real people behind them. The idea that everyday people made recipes, took magazine-like photographs of the food and posted these photos online on a regular basis was too much for my brain to handle. Who were these people, and how did they have so much time on their hands? Did they have real jobs? Were they actually robots who were trying to sell you something or steal your soul?
Quite a bit has changed since the early days of food blogs and I think the idea that real people write food blogs is accepted. In truth, there are so many blogs out there that recipes and food images are a dime a dozen. These images have become so commonplace that I think we lose a bit of the story behind each one. Keep reading for the story behind these gingersnap sandwich cookies!
The story behind this sandwich cookies recipe
Because food shots don’t just happen out of nowhere. The story of these gingersnap sandwich cookies goes like this: a family business who makes maple syrup in the Catskills in New York came to Alex and me to create a recipe using their maple cream. Maple cream is maple syrup heated and stirred to produce a pure maple spread. The cream has an intensely concentrated maple flavor, and the jar quickly became a prized possession in our refrigerator.
How do we create recipes here at A Couple Cooks? A little bit of trial and error. Alex and I each brainstormed recipes: Alex said gingersnap sandwich cookie, I said gingerbread pancakes. So we decided to try them both! Alex’s cookies were good, but the amount of maple cream required for a true sandwich was an instant sugar overload. I countered with gingerbread pancakes, slathered in maple cream. Alex felt they were too sugary for breakfast (and I agreed), so we went back to the sandwich cookies idea. This time we paired almond butter with the maple cream for a substantial, salty + sweet bite of natural, nutty goodness. And what followed was magic.
How to make sandwich cookies
These gingersnap sandwich cookies have a wholesome filling of almond butter and pure maple cream. It’s a bite of heaven and the small serving size makes it a relatively healthy dessert. They’re perfect for fall and winter, even as a Christmas cookie! The cookie dough is a standard dough with flour and sugar, made even more gingery with freshly grated ginger. The dough chills for 3 hours, so make sure to factor that into your timing! After chilling, you’ll roll out the dough and need cookie cutters like these, or any small object to cut a 1 1/2″ inch diameter circle. You could also make larger cookies with larger cutters, but keep in mind you may need to increase the baking time a few minutes since the cookies are larger.
For the filling of these sandwich cookies: almond butter and maple cream! For the almond butter, we used our homemade almond butter recipe, which we made without the spices and maple syrup. You can also use purchased almond butter. For the maple cream, the easiest way is to buy some maple cream, or you can make your own.
Looking for Christmas cookie recipes?
Aside from these sandwich cookies, here are a few of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes:
- Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- Peppermint Meringues
- Chai Spiced Snowball Cookies
- Ginger Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- The Best Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle
- Cherry Quinoa Chocolate Bark
- Narwhal Gingerbread Cutout Cookies
- Healthy Peanut Butter Buckeye Balls
- Cranberry Pistachio Chocolate Clusters
- Easy Peppermint Bark
This recipe is…
This sandwich cookies recipe is vegetarian.
Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies
- Prep Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 48 sandwiches (96 cookies) 1x
Description
These gingersnap sandwich cookies are filled with almond butter and maple cream! With their small serving size, they’re a deliciously healthy dessert.
Ingredients
For the mini gingersnap cookies
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
For the sandwich cookies
- ¼ cup maple cream (we used purchased; you also can make it at home)
- ½ cup almond butter, homemade almond butter (without spices and syrup) or purchased
- Special equipment: cookie cutters like these, or any small object to cut a 1 1/2″ inch diameter circle
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cups flour, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, and ½ teaspoon baking powder.
- Peel and grate 1 teaspoon fresh ginger.
- With a mixer, beat ½ cup unsalted butter and ½ cup brown sugar until smooth. Add ¼ cup molasses, 1 large egg, and fresh grated ginger and beat until combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixture, beating until fully mixed.
- Remove the dough and shape into a large ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 3 hours.
- When the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. On a floured surface, roll out the dough ⅛” thick. (Flip the dough a few times to keep from sticking.) Cut out 96 1 ½” diameter circles.
- Place the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets (divide between several sheets). Bake each batch for about 8-10 minutes until slightly crisp. Cool on a wire rack.
- When ready to eat, sandwich ½ teaspoon almond butter and ¼ tablespoon maple cream between two cookies. Repeat for 48 sandwiches. Cookies taste best fresh, so if making in advance, bake cookies first then assemble directly prior to serving. If desired, sandwiches keep for a few days in a sealed container.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
These look delicious!
I’m from England though and I always have the same two issues trying to bake American recipes: does ‘all-purpose’ mean self-raising or plain flour? I’ve googled it but every website says something different…
And number two, how on earth do you go about measuring butter in cups?
Thanks :)
I’d never heard of maple cream before, but it sounds wonderful! The picture of it makes the texture look so smooth and appealing.
These cookies look heavenly! I love the combination of maple syrup and almond butter sandwiched between the crispy gingersnap cookies!
Sounds so good!! would love to try that maple cream…yummm
Had a little laugh when I read the part about you letting your food get cold so you could get a photo. I used to think shooting dinner two minutes before we were about to eat would be a enough and now I’ve learned that it takes so much more time to achieve a good shot. Cookie photos are beautiful! On another note, I saw that you were at Sara and Hugh’s workshop recently… I went to the first one and learned so much!
So beautiful and inventive! I am obsessed with the idea of maple cream, but I have never actually gotten any…I have a feeling that will change soon! ;)
Almond Butter. Gingersnap. Cream. Maple. Cookies. You have just put all my favourite words in just 1 sentence – thank you!!!!!!
I really enjoy the thoughtful, honest nature of your writing. I would like to be a good photographer someday, and while I think I’m starting from a good place (in that I have an idea of what I want to see) I know there’s a long road ahead. Thank you for your honesty! (And also the chance to win delicious maple syrup products :) )
I can’t imagine working with my SO the way you two do. Amazing, and props to you both. Ps yum yay maple everything.
Your beautiful words made me wish that my love and I worked together on a blog..then, just as quickly, NOPE! While I adore him, and he adores me, the only thing we are suited to work together on is our home and family…and occasionally a quick cleaning up around the house. One of us wouldn’t survive if we tried to do what the two of you do so beautifully…and I’ll fully admit that the problem child in the situation wouldn’t be him…it would be me. I’m just too big of a bossy, picky, perfectionist, and my sweet, loving other half would run from the kitchen in horror.
Moving on to better things! These cookies are to. die. for! I’d love to have two (or three, four, fi….) You two are complete geniuses! Thank you for sharing your lives (and so many AMAZING recipes) with us. ♡
Following as instagram.com/sandyhills25
Sounds so delicious. I would love to have, reminds of the time as a kid making similar looking cookies for sure
So delicious!
Those cookies look amazing. Actually, ginger/maple/fall anything is amazing :) So please sign me up for that giveaway! I consistently love seeing what you guys create more and more each time I log into instagram or check out your site. Thanks for being such an inspiration towards a healthy and manageable lifestyle, it’s a huge motivator to me to see what you can do with fresh, local ingredients. Definitely hope to try these sometime for a good cheat!
Communication is key in a marriage for sure! I don’t think I could ever work with my husband, though ;) Thanks for sharing your perspective on the “behind the scenes”, especially since you all make it look so easy! PS Brilliant idea adding the almond butter in to cut back on sweetness (and bonus protein to boot!).
First of all. LOVE your blog♡ love that you’re local (love INDY) & would love to see more posts about local stuff. Second real maple syrup is just amazing. Also pricey. So hope I win!!
My husband loves maple syrup and maple flavor of any kind! I can’t wait to make these cookies.
I would eat these! I shouldn’t but I would. If somebody made me which I wish they would!
We go camping at North/South Lake State park all the time and will have to check these guys out next time we’re up that way from PA! Just checked out their website and they carry maple cotton candy??!!!
Great find guys!
These cookies look amazing. I love maple flavored anything. I also love reading food blogs and making the recipes. I’ve thought about doing my own before but am completely clueless when it comes to photography. I think I’ll stick to drooling over your photos.
Ginger is becoming one of my favorite flavors! A gingersnap with maple and almond butter sounds AMAZING!
Amazing blog! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
These cookies look a m a z i n g!!!! I love maple everything around this time of year. Your blog is lovely:)
LOVE the honesty about how food blogs are by real people. I’m also in love with maple syrup & especially with maple syrup made by small producers.
i am obsessed with maple syrup!! i wish it weren’t so expensive. i have never tried maple cream, but i can only imagine how good it tastes!!
I have always loved ginger snaps! I think it all started with my grandma’s ginger molasses cookies, yum!
I’m not a big ginger snap fan, but these sound amazing! You can’t go wrong with maple.
Those cookies look so good! I love any type of ginger flavoured cookie and the addition of maple would make it taste amazing!
I love maple syrup, but just realized reading this how infrequently I cook/ bake with it. Will definitely be trying out these cookies if I win :)
I can only imagine how it’d be to work with my hubby….I bet our communication skills would get a workout! haha
Such a creative recipe! Would love to try all these !
Your stories of your beginnings always make me smile! And as usual, gives me great encouragement to improve my photography skills. I love these cookies, they look too good to be true! Especially that dual color effect of the filling, oh my. I’ll take like 30 please.
These look so yummy! Thanks for the behind-the-scenes look. It’s so fun to hear the story behind the food and gorgeous photos!
I love gingersnaps! I would love to make this recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Craving pancakes now!
wow does this recipe pack a wallop! It has all my favorites – maple, almond butter and molasses!! I love making cookies with these spices at this time of year and I’m excited to try this!
Gingersnaps are definitely one of my favorite cookies ever!! These cookies look fantastic.
Looks so pretty and who doesn’t love maple? Thank you for give away and congrats on five years!
The cookies look delicious, but I think that they take second fiddle to the post itself. It is always so easy to forget or not even think about what it takes to make the final product that we readers see on food blogs every day! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences.
I love reading the story of working together to find a balance together in life and work. Thank your for sharing and for the inspiration! What an amazing giveaway too!
These look incredible! I have never heard of maple cream until this post. Sounds delicious :)
These cookies look divine, and nothing is better to bake with in the fall than maple syrup. Thanks for doing a giveaway!
I love gingerbread so much, these are a perfect fall cookie. Can’t wait to make them.
Oh my goodness! These cookies look amazing & perfect for Fall.
Ha ha ha! I so get that working together thing. My husband crafts building block tables so we’ve been working together. It’s a different experience! He’s used to being used as a model on Little Indiana, but this is a different kind of teamwork.
I love the flavor of maple in baking. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in your giveaway.
Ginger snaps are my favorite cookie. Sandwich cookies are so fun and I think the maple filling sounds delicious. The maple cream absolutely sounds like something I need to get!
Wow, love these cookies
Maple syrup has become a regular cane sugar substitute for me in many recipes – I just love it! And it’s sooo tasty in my morning coffee! I’ve never heard of maple cream and I’ve never had maple sugar…would love to try both!
I love this post and all that you shared about your process. I laughed and nodded knowingly as I read. Discovering that food blogs have actual people behind them was a revelation for me too. I have really enjoyed making connections with other food bloggers. I can’t imagine doing a photo shoot with another person who also had their own vision. I admire you both for making that work. I am sure it has been quite a challenge at times, but twice as good when it all works out. There is a great African Proverb, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” It sounds like the two of have gone far and created a beautiful partnership <3
Can’t wait to make these!!
These look incredible. They seem like the perfect treat to make for some of my friends. I have one in particular that would be all over this. I doubt I can find maple cream where I live though. Maple syrup isn’t even a reality down here. :/ thankful for the internet! I also love the story about yours and Alex’s creative differences and the balance you’ve found. It so reminds me of my boyfriend and me. While we aren’t artists like you guys, there have been many hurt feelings and differences in opinion about the usefulness of calculus. But in the end the constructive criticism makes us both better at what we do! And your pictures are beautiful, so what you guys are doing is working!
These cookies loak delicious! I will definitely be making these! I also love that you try to use ingredients that are local and from small businesses
I follow on instagram @alronharper
These cookies look amazing! I am a sucker for anything with maple in it!
Food blogging is something I’m pretty new at, and so I love to hear the “behind the scenes”- the brainstorming and thinking and practicing and trying that goes into making one post. It makes my process seem a little less crazy and a little more like how things work. I love that you combined gingersnaps with almond butter and maple cream- so many good things in one cookie, and balanced so that it’s not a total sugar rush. These look like they’d be perfect with a mug of strong black tea around four o’clock on a dreary day.
Food serves as a platform for great conversation, thanks for sharing a bit with us!
I would LOVE to try this maple cream! I’ve never had it, but I do remember eating maple candies from a farm in Vermont when I was younger, I would imagine it tastes similar!
I’m a photographer but haven’t really invested in a good lighting setup, being both drawn to natural light and also cheap. This means not getting great shots of any food made when it’s dark out. Luckily I’m not making my living with food photography, but is annoying when I make something awesome looking for dinner. These cookies look super yummy.
These look amazing! I love the openness about the recipe trial and errors- sounds like our kitchen!
Mmm….I have never tried maple cream. It sounds delicious!
The almond butter maple cream combo sounds like the perfect compromise. Cannot wait to try out this recipe!
There is something so magical about family recipes! For instance I made my husbands great grandmothers caramel corn for Halloween and it’s like she was smiling down on us as we had a great time with family. I’ve never had maple cream so would love to win in order to try this gorgeous cookie recipe ?
Growing up in Northern Michigan, I know what maple is all about. We live for smell and taste of fresh maple. When I moved away, and into the city, I found myself using fake candles to try to recreate the feeling of being at home. I think these cookies would pair really well with creamy earl grey tea.
These cookies look delicious, love the sweet and salty. And I totally know what you mean about doing that dance with your partner, in life in general. We don’t work on the blog together but I can see how it would add an extra challenge but also reward!
These will be perect for my Thanksgiving Dinner. Something sweet, wholeome, and not too filling!
Maple cream will be hard to come by, here in the South. Would love to win a jar.
If we’re leaving behind pumpkin, then I’m glad it’s getting replaced with maple! These look amazing!
My dad gives us maple syrup in our stocking every year and it’s my favorite gift.
I’m excited to try these. I’m a sucker for anything ginger snap relate do, especially this time of year.
following on instagram as asoutherngrace!
maple cream sounds like something i’d slather on everything and anything and also wouldn’t mind eating with a spoon!
I enjoyed reading this post so much, and the hard work that you both have put into such a beautiful blog. And the growth you’ve had, not only here, but as a couple. This -> So what might look like a simple image of a cookie stack is really so much more. Years of artistic frustration, honing a creative partnership inside of a marriage, hurt feelings over gingerbread pancakes, and that perfect moment when the cookies turned out and the light was just right and it.worked. — so wonderfully said.
And now for cookies that need to make it on my holiday platter :) Yes to maple!! xo
I completely relate to what you said about the over abundance in amazing food blogs and how easy it is to lose touch with the human touch and special moments behind each recipe and photo. Thank you for opening up to let us peak into the life behind your gorgeous work. You two seem like such genuine and caring people! These cookies look incredible. I was so sad this weekend I don’t have any maple syrup in the house because I saw so many tasty maple and pumpkin fall recipes around the blog community!
These cookies look so delicious. I love all things maple and would love a chance to win the ingredients to whip these up! :)
I would love these! All the items just scream Fall!
These look fabulous. I would love to win so I can bake up some of my own!
These cookies are so stunning! I want to make them asap!
Such a fun idea and delicious-looking combination. Perfect for the colder weather!
I so admire how you two work together in the kitchen and elsewhere to make this wonderful blog! Maybe these cookies will get my husband and me together in the kitchen ;-)
These cookies look fantastic! I love the idea of sandwiching them up with a maple and almond butter cream! Simply delish!
These cookies look beyond incredible! I think maple is one of my absolute favorite flavors of autumn and these remind me of a cookie my mom and I used to share together. I love them!
First off, I’m a true sucker for any family recipes – and living in Quebec, I naturally love maple cream. So winning a jar would be fantastic! However, I really wanted to comment on the five years it’s taken you to hone this creative dance. One of the first things I heard said about clowns is that their true skill is making intentioned mistakes look effortless… And that’s the quality I find in your work. As a fellow photographer and food blogger, I know how long it takes to get comfortable with your own hands and lens and props, let alone another person – so I can only applaud you for your incredible, effortless coordination. Great work making intentionality seem natural!