Lemon Meringue-filled Gingersnap Snowflake Cookies
Photo: Leigh Beisch; Styling: Dan Becker
Time: 1 hour. With a simple cookie cutter, you can create glamour from dough.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Make dough: Beat butter and brown sugar together in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed. Mix in molasses, then egg, until blended, scraping bowl as needed.
Step 2
2
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices; add to butter mixture on low speed, mixing until combined.
Step 3
3
Divide dough in half, shape each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 3 hours.
Step 4
4
Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap dough. On a generously floured surface, roll out each disk until 1/8 in. thick. Using snowflake cutters to cut out dough in various sizes, some with the centers cut out using a smaller size cutter to make a window, and arrange snowflakes about 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets (use a small spatula to transfer). Reroll scraps as needed.
Step 5
5
Bake cookies until dry-looking and just starting to brown on edges, about 8 minutes. Set pans on racks and let cookies cool on pans.
Step 6
6
Make meringue: Put sugar, lemon juice, and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set bowl over a pan filled with just enough simmering water so that bowl isn't touching water. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until egg whites are warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved, about 4 minutes. Put bowl of warm whites on mixer and whisk on medium speed until cool and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Stir in zest.
Step 7
7
Fit a gallon-size resealable plastic bag with a star tip, snipping hole in corner of bag for tip to fit snugly (or use a pastry bag). Half-fill bag with meringue. Gather bag at top and gently pipe about 2 tbsp. meringue onto flat side of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Dust cookies on both sides with powdered sugar.
Step 8
8
Make ahead: Chill dough (step 3) up to 1 week. Store baked cookies airtight up to 3 days.
Step 9
9
Note: Nutritional analysis is per cookie.
Ingredients
GINGERSNAP DOUGH
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
1 large egg
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each ground cloves, nutmeg, and freshly ground black pepper
LEMON MERINGUE
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 large egg whites
Zest of 1 lemon
Powdered sugar for dusting
Directions
Step 1
1
Make dough: Beat butter and brown sugar together in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed. Mix in molasses, then egg, until blended, scraping bowl as needed.
Step 2
2
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices; add to butter mixture on low speed, mixing until combined.
Step 3
3
Divide dough in half, shape each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 3 hours.
Step 4
4
Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap dough. On a generously floured surface, roll out each disk until 1/8 in. thick. Using snowflake cutters to cut out dough in various sizes, some with the centers cut out using a smaller size cutter to make a window, and arrange snowflakes about 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets (use a small spatula to transfer). Reroll scraps as needed.
Step 5
5
Bake cookies until dry-looking and just starting to brown on edges, about 8 minutes. Set pans on racks and let cookies cool on pans.
Step 6
6
Make meringue: Put sugar, lemon juice, and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set bowl over a pan filled with just enough simmering water so that bowl isn't touching water. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until egg whites are warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved, about 4 minutes. Put bowl of warm whites on mixer and whisk on medium speed until cool and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Stir in zest.
Step 7
7
Fit a gallon-size resealable plastic bag with a star tip, snipping hole in corner of bag for tip to fit snugly (or use a pastry bag). Half-fill bag with meringue. Gather bag at top and gently pipe about 2 tbsp. meringue onto flat side of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Dust cookies on both sides with powdered sugar.
Step 8
8
Make ahead: Chill dough (step 3) up to 1 week. Store baked cookies airtight up to 3 days.
Step 9
9
Note: Nutritional analysis is per cookie.
