Vegan Cream-Filled Ginger Molasses Cookies

It’s DECEMBER!!! Bring on the Holidays! And the cookies. Piles and piles of cookies. At least that’s what happens in my house during the holidays.

I become a baking fiend, and ultimately, providing a constant source of tummy ache for Alex. So this year I promised that I’d share my baking heroics with co-workers and friends so that we weren’t solely burdened with eating every last one of them — oh, the chore! 

When it comes to baked goods, nothing says the holidays to me like ginger molasses cookies — that spicy aroma filling your house as they bake and then that rich molasses flavor bursting in your mouth with every bite.

These tasty cookies are an annual tradition for me, however, this year I decided to kick them up a notch by adding a buttercream filling and making them sandwich cookies. Don’t get me wrong. They’re perfectly good in their own right so if you want to skip the creamy filling feel free to stop short of that step and eat them straight-up. You’ll enjoy them just as much.

As I mentioned above, to save me and Alex from a perma-tummyache, I will be spreading the cookie love among co-workers and friends this month. To that, I thought it would be interesting to get anonymous feedback about each cookie rating them on a scale from 1-5 (5 being the best) via a survey. And for the Cream-Filled Ginger Molasses cookies, the survey says:

A solid 5 

There was only one vote less than 5 (which was a 4) so it’s safe to declare these a winning cookie — a go-to cookie for all types of people (the young, the middle-aged, the old, etc.) with varying palettes. A solid choice for a potluck or any kind of event with lots of people.

You first want to cream your Earth Balance and granulated sugar in a large bowl.

Add your egg replacer egg…

And molasses and stir to combine.

Add the sifted flour, baking soda, and spices and then stir them all together until well-combined.

With a cookie scoop measure the dough into evenly sized balls and roll them between your hands. Place them on a cookie sheet and press each ball until nearly flat.

Bake them in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes being careful not to over-bake them so that they maintain a soft, chewy texture. Let them cool on a wire rack completely before adding the filling.

For the cream filling, place the shortening and Earth Balance in the bowl of your stand mixer and cream for several minutes until smooth.

Slowly add the powdered sugar, non-dairy milk, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for several more minutes until light and fluffy.

Turn half of the cookies upside down and place large dollops of cream filling evenly on top of each cookie.

Place another cookie on top of each and gently press down.

Vegan Cream-Filled Ginger Molasses Cookies

Cookies

• 3/4 cup Earth Balance, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 egg replacer egg
• 1/4 cup black strap molasses
• 2 1/4 cups white baking flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Cream Filling

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance (or other non-dairy, non-hydrogenated margarine)
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the Earth Balance and granulated sugar until well-combined. Add the egg replacer egg and molasses and stir to combine.

Dry Ingredients: Over the same mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves into the wet ingredients. Stir to combine.

Form Cookies: With a cookie scoop (or spoon) portion out the dough and roll each cookie in your hands so they’re a nice even ball. Place them on a parchment-paper-lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart and flatten significantly.

Bake: Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not over-bake otherwise the cookies could become hard.

Cream Filling

Combine: With a stand mixer on medium speed cream the Earth Balance and shortening until well-combined. Turn the mixer down to low speed and gradually add in the powdered sugar and continue beating for several minutes. Add the vanilla and non-dairy milk and beat until fluffy—about another 2 minutes.

Assemble: Distribute a large dollop of cream on the bottoms of half of the cookies. Place the remaining cookies on top and gently press down.