Gingerbread linzer cookies with white chocolate have two layers of soft and buttery gingerbread shortbread held together with a layer of white chocolate ganache, and lightly dusted with confectioners' sugar on top. They are warmly spiced with ginger and cinnamon and have a rich dose of molasses to keep them soft and chewy for days. This gingerbread twist on regular shortbread linzer cookies makes them the perfect holiday cookie.
Gingerbread linzer cookies with white chocolate ganache would be perfect in a holiday cookie box for family and friends, along with some of my other favourite Christmas cookies like jam-filled thumbprint cookies, Christmas sugar cookies, soft and chewy ginger cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies and cranberry pistachio biscotti.
Ingredients
- butter
- brown sugar
- pure vanilla extract
- molasses
- all-purpose flour
- ground ginger
- ground cinnamon
- salt
- confectioners' sugar - for dusting on top.
- white chocolate ganache - made with white chocolate and heavy cream.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons (or use a kitchen scale like I do for the most accurate measurements), mixing bowl, hand mixer (or stand mixer), rolling pin, linzer cookie cutters, half sheet baking pan, silicone baking mat, and wire cooling rack.
How to Make the Best Gingerbread Linzer Cookies with White Chocolate Ganache
- Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add vanilla and molasses and continue to beat until fully incorporated. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon and salt, then gradually add it to the wet ingredients, and mix until your mixture forms flour, and mix until your mixture forms into a dough mass.
- Shape the dough and chill: Use your hands to form the dough into a ball (the dough will be slightly sticky). Place into the centre of a large piece of plastic cling wrap. Use your hands to flatten it into a disc and wrap it up tightly in the cling wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to overnight.
- Cut out the cookies: Once the dough is chilled, lightly dust a clean surface with flour, and place the dough on top. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it is ¼-inch thick. Use 2-inch linzer cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. On half of the cookies, use a smaller cookie cutter to cut shapes in the center of the cookie. Remove the smaller cookie shapes and roll them together with the scraps to cut out more cookies.
- Second chill: Place the cookies an inch apart on half sheet baking pan lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, and chill in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes, while the oven is preheating to 350 F.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until edges just start to brown. The cookies will be slightly soft when touched. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- Make white chocolate ganache: In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer (do not let it boil). Remove from heat and pour over a bowl of chocolate chips. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, stir slowly until combined and chocolate has melted. Refrigerate for 10-15 minute until cooled and thickened.
How to Assemble Linzer Cookies
- Dust confectioners' sugar on the cookies that have the center cut out.
- Place 1 teaspoon full of chocolate ganache on the bottom halves of each cookie (the cookies that do not have the center cut out).
- Carefully place the tops of the cookies on the chocolatey bottoms. Be careful not to smudge the sugar on top. You can fill the open centers with more ganache using a piping bag with a fine round tip.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
- How to store: Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- How to freeze: To freeze unassembled gingerbread linzer cookies, arrange them in a single layer in an airtight container. Then add a layer of parchment paper and place another layer of cookies on top. You can also freeze assembled cookies, but note that the confectioners' sugar will melt when the cookie thaws, so it might not be as pretty. I would recommend freezing the cookies unassembled, and then adding confectioners' sugar and ganache later once thawed.
More Cookie Recipes
- Linzer Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Jam-filled Thumbprint Cookies with Almond Glaze
- Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
- Soft and Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
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Recipe
Gingerbread Linzer Cookies with White Chocolate
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 24 (2-inch) sandwich cookies
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Soft and warmly spiced gingerbread linzer cookies with white chocolate ganache and dusted with confectioners' sugar is a delicious Christmas holiday cookie.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For assembling:
- 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Add vanilla and molasses and continue to beat until fully incorporated.
- In a small bowl, whisk to combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Then, gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and mix until your mixture forms into a dough mass.
- Place a large piece of plastic cling wrap on the counter. Form the dough into a ball (the dough will be slightly sticky) and place in the centre of the cling wrap. Use your hands to flatten it into a disc and wrap it up tightly in the cling wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 F, and line two half sheet baking pans with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Once the dough is chilled, lightly dust a clean surface with flour, and place the dough on top. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it is ¼-inch thick. Use 2-inch linzer cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. On half of the cookies, use a smaller cookie cutter to cut shapes in the center of the cookie. Remove the smaller cookie shapes and roll them together with the scraps to cut out more cookies.
- Place the cookies an inch apart on the lined baking sheet, and chill in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes, while the oven is preheating.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until edges just start to brown. The cookies will be slightly soft when touched. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- Make white chocolate ganache: In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer (do not let it boil). Remove from heat and pour over a bowl of chocolate chips. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, stir slowly until combined and chocolate has melted. Refrigerate for 10-15 minute until cooled and thickened.
- Dust confectioners' sugar on the cookies that have the center cut out. Then, place 1 teaspoon full of chocolate ganache on the bottom halves of each cookie (the cookies that do not have the center cut out).
- Carefully place the tops of the cookies on the chocolatey bottoms. Be careful not to smudge the sugar on top. You can fill the open centers with more ganache using a piping bag, if desired.
Notes
How to store: Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
How to freeze: To freeze unassembled gingerbread linzer cookies, arrange them in a single layer in an airtight container. Then add a layer of parchment paper and place another layer of cookies on top. You can also freeze assembled cookies, but note that the confectioners' sugar will melt when the cookie thaws, so it might not be as pretty. I would recommend freezing the cookies unassembled, and then adding confectioners' sugar and ganache later once thawed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (+30 minutes chill time)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Katie says
This looks delicious! Does it not require any eggs? Thanks!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Nope, no eggs required.