Name: Gingerbread Sandwich Trees
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter, softened; 1 cup packed brown sugar; 1 large egg; 3/4 cup molasses; 4 cups all-purpose flour; 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice; 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger; 1/4 teaspoon salt; M&M's minis; 3/4 cup vanilla or chocolate frosting; Green food coloring, optional

Gingerbread Sandwich Trees

Today starts Christmas Cookies Week and I'm really excited to be bringing you three new to the blog recipes! It's a bit of a challenge to get into the spirit when it's 70 degrees and sunny in New England but some festive music and some gingerbread flavored coffee and I was ready to go!

We can't get enough gingerbread cookies around here. I try at least one new one a season and this year it's Steve F's Gingerbread Sandwich Trees from Taste of Home. I made absolutely no changes to the base cookie recipe and I used my homemade pumpkin pie spice mixture.

After the dough chilled I broke out my pastry mat. It makes rolling things out so much easier and contains the mess a whole lot better.

I used a cookie cutter that was approximately 3 1/4" by 3 3/4" and I got 48 cookies. The recipe states to put M&Ms on only half the cookies but I put them on all of them.

I still struggle with baking and my convection oven. The first tray of cookies I pulled out the M&Ms had all cracked. I lowered the temperature from 325 degrees to 300 degree and the next sheet was much better.

I did not tint the icing green, I left it white. You could also use the chocolate covered sunflower seeds in place of the M&Ms. They're great sandwiched with the frosting but they're yummy on their own too.

Thank you so much to Ellen from Family Around the Table for hosting #ChristmasCookies Week! Be sure to go and check out what the other bloggers are sharing by using the links down below!

Gingerbread Sandwich Trees

Author: Jolene's Recipe Journal

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup molasses
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
M&M's minis
3/4 cup vanilla or chocolate frosting
Green food coloring, optional

Instructions

Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. In another bowl, whisk flour, pie spice, baking soda, ginger and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, until easy to handle, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 325°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. tree-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Gently press M&M's into half of the cookies. Bake until edges are firm, 8-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
If using vanilla frosting, tint with green food coloring if desired. Spread frosting over bottoms of plain cookies; covered with decorated cookies. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/gingerbread-sandwich-trees/

Other recipes you may enjoy:

Spiced Holiday Cutouts

Mocha Filled Thumbprint Cookies

gingerbread, cut out, sandwich cookies

Cookies, Christmas, Dessert

American

Welcome to #ChristmasCookies Week! That time of year when we soften the butter, fire up the oven, and make cookie trays for family, friends, and neighbors. This year more than 20 top-notch bloggers are sharing their very favorite creations for all to make and enjoy. Join us for a week’s worth of Christmas cookie deliciousness.