Lemon Meringue-filled Gingersnap Snowflake Cookies
Photo: Leigh Beisch; Styling: Dan Becker
Yields Makes 50 sandwich cookies
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.

Lemon Meringue-filled Gingersnap Snowflake Cookies

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