Gingersnap and Whiskey Caramel Cookie Sandwiches

By Carolanne

Whiskey caramel holds together spicy ginger cookies in this boozy, warming treat.

Ingredients

• For the cookies:
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
• For the caramel:
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons whiskey

Details

Adapted from jsonline.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add egg and beat 1 more minute. Add molasses and beat until combined.

Add dry ingredients in two additions, scraping bowl and mixing until just combined. Chill dough at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop chilled dough into 1-tablespoon-size balls. Roll in sugar and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are set and center begins to crack. Let cool on pan 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.


Make caramel: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar and water over high heat. Whisk until sugar is moistened and then cook, without stirring, 8 to 10 minutes. The sugar will turn a dark amber color and should register between 320 and 350 degrees on a candy thermometer.

While sugar cooks, heat cream in microwave until it is warm to the touch.

Once sugar is cooked, remove from heat and whisk in the cream. Add it slowly; mixture will bubble vigorously. Add butter, whiskey and salt and whisk until butter is melted. Return pan to stove over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring often, 10 minutes. The longer you cook the caramel, the thicker it will be when it cools. Remove caramel from pan and let cool to room temperature.

Spread cooled caramel on half the cookies and sandwich together with the remaining cookies. If caramel becomes too hard to spread, warm it slightly in the microwave until it is a spreadable consistency.

Note: The whiskey caramel in these cookie sandwiches can easily be turned into an addictive caramel sauce that you can pour over ice cream or package up as gifts. When you return the pan to the heat after adding the cream and butter, simmer it 2 to 3 minutes for a thinner consistency.