Gingerbread Cookie Sandwiches With Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Food

GINGERBREAD COOKIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves.
• In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, stevia, molasses, applesauce, ginger, and egg. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until combined. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Use a tablespoon to scoop out dough. Roll dough into balls. Place on the baking sheet 1 inch apart. Very slightly flatten cookies with your palm.
• Bake until puffy and set, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• For frosting, in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed until very smooth. With mixer running, add butter a little at a time, beating constantly. Add powdered sugar, stevia, and vanilla and beat just until smooth.
• Use a small offset spatula to spread frosting on top of cookies.

BROWNED BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, over medium heat, cook 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) until browned and nutty fragranced. Watch carefully, stir occasionally and do not let burn. This should take about 15-20 minutes.
• Cube the other 1/4 cup of butter (1/2 stick) and place in a mixing bowl with softened cream cheese. Pour browned butter over top and allow to sit for about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract or vanilla bean seeds. With an electric mixer, beat until the butter and cream cheese are smooth. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar until the proper consistency is reached. (To avoid lumps, shake/sift sugar through a sieve.) Add 1-3 tablespoon heavy cream, if needed, to thin to a spreading consistency.
• If the frosting is too soft for decorating, refrigerate for about half an hour before using.

GINGER CREME SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. In another bowl, whisk flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., Preheat oven to 375°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a fork, forming a crisscross pattern. Bake until set (do not overbake), 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool., Meanwhile, combine filling ingredients until smooth. Spread over bottoms of half of the cookies; cover with remaining cookies. Refrigerate.