Soft Molasses Sandwich Cookies with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
Perfectly spiced soft molasses cookies sandwiched with a rich pumpkin cream cheese filling. This cookie will give you all the Fall vibes!
Everything Pumpkin Flavored
I confess; I’m in a full pumpkin dessert mode! The weather is slowly getting colder here in Maryland, which means I have every reason to justify my pumpkin obsession. Here are all the deets; Incredibly soft and chewy molasses cookies with cracked tops and all the warm spices combined with a creamy pumpkin spiced cream cheese filling. The recipe comes together in one hour and is ridiculously easy. If you are looking for a new Fall cookie, look no further!
Ingredients for soft molasses Sandwich Cookies
- Unsulphured Molasses: If you haven’t baked with molasses before, don’t be discouraged by their smell. Some people seem to find it disturbing, However, when baking, molasses release warm spices aromas and add so much richness in cookies. Molasses are the main reason these cookies are irresistibly chewy!
- Dark Brown Sugar: You can either use light brown or dark brown sugar. Brown sugar, is in fact a mixture of white sugar and molasses. The darker the sugar, the more molasses it contains which goes hand in hand with this recipe.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and ground ginger are required, in order to get the characteristic molasses cookie flavor. You can skip the rest of spices, although highly recommended.
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling: The pumpkin cream cheese filling is the perfect supporting character. It adds up to the flavor without being overwhelming.
What Molasses to use for Cookies?
Unsulphured light molasses are the way to go. They have the sweetest and lighter flavor, and they are made from sun-ripened cane which has grown for 12-15 months. Rich molasses will have a more intense bitterness but also a richer flavor. To me, light molasses offer a more balanced taste when baking without overpowering the rest of the ingredients. Moreover, molasses absorb moisture, meaning the cookies keep moist and chewy.
What do Molasses Cookies taste like?
Not to be confused with gingerbread or gingersnap cookies, molasses cookies are chewy, soft and not as strong flavored. They all use molasses and the basic dough ingredients such as flour, butter and a variety of warm spices. However, molasses cookies have distinct cracked tops and they are rolled in sugar before baking.
How to Make Soft Molasses Sandwich Cookies
Molasses Cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F(180C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl stir together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and salt. Set aside. Using a hand/stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter and dark brown sugar on medium/high speed until smooth for about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl when necessary. Add the unsulphured molasses and pure vanilla extract and mix until combined. Incorporate the egg (see photo 1).
[easy-image-collage id=3079]Add the dry ingredients mixture and mix until evenly incorporated (see photo 2). The dough should be sticky but manageable. Fill a small bowl with the granulated sugar. Roll the dough into balls (1-inch diameter) and then roll each ball into the bowl with granulated sugar coating all sides. If the dough is very sticky, pop in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Transfer cookie balls into prepared baking sheets leaving about 2 inches between each of them (see photo 3). The cookies will spread while baking. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cookie edges are set and the top of the cookies are cracked. Remove from oven and let them cool in the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack (see photo 4). Chill cookies completely before filling.
[easy-image-collage id=3084]Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
Using a hand/stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and unsalted butter on medium/high speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and pure vanilla extract and mix until incorporated, scraping down the bowl when necessary. Mix in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice until just combined (see photo 5).
Assemble Cookies
To assemble the molasses sandwich cookies, place a scoop of pumpkin cream cheese filling on the flat side of the cooled cookie. Top it with the flat side of the second cookie to make a sandwich. Serve chilled. Enjoy!
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions:
You can make the cookies ahead of time and store at room temperature sealed tightly. On the same day prepare the pumpkin cream cheese filling and assemble the cookies. Store any leftover cookies in the refrigerator covered airtightly. The molasses sandwich cookies will keep fresh for up to 2 days. You can keep them for longer but bear in mind that the cookies will start getting softer and soggier.
Can you freeze soft molasses sandwich cookies?
Yes. Soft molasses sandwich cookies will freeze well up to 3 months in an airtight container or a freezer safe plastic bag. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
This is the ultimate cozy-Fall cookie! Soft, chewy and beautifully spiced, it will definitely find a place in your heart. Give this recipe a try or save it for later. If you make the cookies, leave a comment below sharing your thoughts. It would mean the world. Happy baking!
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Soft Molasses Sandwich Cookies with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Molasses Cookies
- 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup Unsulphured Molasses
- 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 Egg room temperature
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 cup Granulated Sugar for rolling the cookies
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 oz Cream Cheese softened to room temperature
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 tsp tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree room temperature
- 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
Instructions
Molasses Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F(180C).
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl stir together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and salt. Set aside.2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour, 2 tsp Baking Soda, 1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1 tsp Ground Ginger, 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg, 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves, 1/2 tsp Salt
- Using a hand/stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter and dark brown sugar on medium/high speed until smooth for about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl when necessary.1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
- Add the unsulphured molasses and pure vanilla extract and mix until combined.1/2 cup Unsulphured Molasses, 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- Incorporate the egg.1 Egg
- Add the dry ingredients mixture and mix until evenly incorporated. The dough should be sticky but manageable.2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour, 2 tsp Baking Soda, 1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1 tsp Ground Ginger, 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg, 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves, 1/2 tsp Salt
- Fill a small bowl with the granulated sugar.1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
- Roll the dough into balls (1-inch diameter) and then roll each ball into the bowl with granulated sugar coating all sides. If the dough is very sticky, pop in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Transfer cookie balls into prepared baking sheets leaving about 2 inches between each of them. The cookies will spread while baking.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cookie edges are set and the top of the cookies are cracked.
- Remove from oven and let them cool in the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Chill cookies completely before filling.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Filling
- Using a hand/stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and unsalted butter on medium/high speed until smooth.4 oz Cream Cheese, 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- Add the powdered sugar and pure vanilla extract and mix until incorporated, scraping down the bowl when necessary.1 cup Powdered Sugar, 1/2 tsp tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- Mix in the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice until just combined.1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree, 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
Assemble Cookies
- To assemble the molasses sandwich cookies, place a scoop of pumpkin cream cheese filling on the flat side of the cooled cookie. Top it with the flat side of the second cookie to make a sandwich.
- Serve chilled. Enjoy!
Notes
- If the dough is quite sticky, pop in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. The dough will be easier to handle.
- Note that ovens bake differently, so yours may take a little less or a little more time to bake.
- Do not overbake the cookies as they will turn out hard. The tops will look unbaked but they will set as they are cooling down.
- Make Ahead & Storage Instructions: You can make the cookies ahead of time and store at room temperature sealed tightly. On the same day prepare the pumpkin cream cheese filling and assemble the cookies.
- Store any leftover cookies in the refrigerator covered airtightly. The cookies will keep fresh for up to 2 days. You can keep them for longer but bear in mind that the cookies will start getting softer and soggier.
- Soft molasses sandwich cookies will freeze well up to 3 months in an airtight container or a freezer safe plastic bag.
- Have any questions about the recipe or want to ask for substitutions? Please contact us.