Snack: Winter-Spice Sandwich Cookies with Orange Cream

Warming winter spices like ginger and cinnamon are complemented by a light, fluffy citrus cream in these easy-to-enjoy sandwich cookies.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Winter-Spice Sandwich Cookies with Orange Cream

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 c. light-brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. cream cheese
Zest of 2 oranges
2 c. confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together 1 stick butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
Reduce mixer speed to low; add a third of flour mixture and 1/4 cup water, and mix for 30 seconds. Repeat. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. (Some dry ingredients will not be fully mixed into dough.)
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until flour has been incorporated and dough comes together, about 30 seconds. Divide in half; wrap one half with plastic wrap and set aside.
Transfer unwrapped dough to a parchment-lined work surface. Flatten dough slightly with your hand, and then top with a second sheet of parchment. (Dust dough with flour if sticky.) Using a rolling pin, roll out dough between sheets of parchment to about 1/8-inch thickness; set aside. Remove plastic wrap from other dough half and repeat rolling process. Transfer dough, still sandwiched between parchment, to baking sheets and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove both dough halves from refrigerator and peel off all parchment. Using a 2-inch square cookie cutter, cut cookies out of dough, rerolling scraps twice. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
Bake cookies until dark golden around edges, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Cool on baking sheets, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together cream cheese and remaining butter on medium speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add orange zest and 1 cup confectioners' sugar, and mix for 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce mixer speed to low; add remaining confectioners' sugar and mix for 2 minutes. (If filling is too stiff, lighten with a few drops of orange juice.)
To fill sandwiches: Turn half the cookies over so they're bottom-side up. Using a pastry bag or butter knife, add a dollop (about 1 1/2 teaspoons) of orange cream filling onto each cookie bottom. Top with remaining cookies. Allow cookies to rest for a few minutes for cream to set.

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