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Spice, chew and creamy filling come together in gingerbread sandwich cookies that taste like a bakery treat without you needing to know any tricky techniques. A warmly spiced dough bakes into soft rounds that hold their shape, then you add a swirl of caramel-kissed buttercream and a ribbon of salted caramel. Each bite lands sweet, spiced and a little gooey. Whip up a batch of Disney sandwich cookies for gifts, parties or a cozy night in. They’re festive, easy to customize and fun to make.
Bake gingerbread sandwich cookies with soft spiced rounds, caramel buttercream and a drizzle of salted caramel. They’re cozy, giftable and boast a warm holiday flavor.
You may also enjoy apple cinnamon loaf, cute 3D gingerbread tree cookies or this show-stopping gingerbread trifle.
Why You’ll Love It
Impressive: These cookies are so good everyone will think you got them from a bakery! So don’t be surprised if they ask where you got them and then beg for the recipe.
Easy: There might be quite a few ingredients in these sandwich cookies but there isn’t anything difficult about making the recipe, even if you’re a relative newbie to the world of baking.
Festive: If you find yourself making the same treats every year, you might like to change things up a bit. Swap one of your other favorite festive cookies for a batch of these to surprise and thrill everyone!
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Butter: Adds richness and a balanced savory note that lifts the spices in the cookie dough, finishes the caramel glossy with a lightly salted snap and whips fluffy for a creamy, stable buttercream filling.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens and helps the cookie edges set with gentle chew. Also cooks into amber caramel for drizzling and for the buttercream.
Brown sugar: Brings moisture and a toffee note for softness.
Molasses: Deepens color and flavor with classic gingerbread character.
Vanilla extract: Rounds the spice with a soft, aromatic finish and adds a gentle bakery aroma to the buttercream filling.
Eggs: Bind the dough and keep the crumb tender.
All-purpose flour: Forms structure so the cookies bake sturdy for sandwiching.
Spices: Ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves warm the dough and make the kitchen smell amazing.
Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise and spread just enough.
Heavy whipping cream: Smooths the caramel into a pourable sauce.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the buttercream to piping consistency.
How to Make Disney Copycat Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make the cookie dough: Beat the butter with the white and brown sugar and then mix in the molasses and vanilla, and then the eggs, flour, spices, and baking soda until you have a well combined dough.
Shape and bake the cookies: Form dough balls with a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop (here) and arrange on a greased baking sheet, then flatten them a little and bake on a prepared baking sheet until done.
Make the salted caramel: Cook the sugar and water in a pan until the sugar melts and then keep cooking gently until the mixture is amber in color. Stir in the cream and butter and let it cool, then transfer into a Ziploc bag and snip off the corner.
Assemble the gingerbread cookies: Spread a layer of buttercream frosting on a cookie then pipe some salted caramel on top before pressing another cookie down on top to make the sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies, buttercream and salted caramel.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten free swap: Use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum and chill the dough briefly before baking.
Dairy free option: Use plant butter for dough and buttercream, and make coconut milk caramel.
Citrus twist: Add fine orange zest to the dough or the buttercream for a bright finish.
Extra spice: Boost ginger or add a pinch of nutmeg for deeper warmth.
Cream cheese filling: Swap buttercream for tangy cream cheese frosting and skip the caramel.
Serving Suggestions
With a drink: This karamell-küche gingerbread salted caramel buttercream cookie sandwich goes with any drink you want to have, perhaps something festive like raspberry linzer cookie shots or something fun like Grinch green hot chocolate or boozy whipped lemonade.
With other cookies: Team them with other cookies such as Grinch Crumbl sugar cookies, jam sandwich cookies or these church window cookies.
How to Store Chewy Ginger Sandwich Cookies
Store: These cookies will keep for a few days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Freeze: Freeze these if you like for up to 3 months. Use an airtight container.
Thaw: Thaw them overnight in the fridge and eat within a day or two for the best results.
Top Tips
Match sizes: Use the same scoop for every cookie so sandwiches stack neatly.
Chill briefly: A short chill firms the dough for cleaner edges and less spread.
Cool completely: Fill only once cookies are cool to keep buttercream stable.
Light hand with caramel: Drizzle sparingly so it doesn’t squeeze out when you bite.
Pipe for precision: A piping bag gives tidy edges and even layers.
Watch for doneness: Pull cookies out when edges set and centers look soft, for a tender bite.
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookie Recipe FAQs
The best way is to eat them as soon as possible! Another good tip is to put them in a container and add a slice of white sandwich bread on top of them. This will help keep the cookies soft as moisture from the bread goes into the cookies. Don’t store gingerbread sandwich cookies with crispy cookies or with any other cookies because the strong spice flavors will get into the others.
If you’re out of salted butter, simply use unsalted butter and add a pinch of salt to the cookie dough.
The gingerbread salted caramel buttercream cookie sandwich is found at Karamell-Küche in the Germany Pavilion at Disney’s Epcot.
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies Recipe
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Scoop 2-Tablespoon
- Saucepan Medium
- Pastry Bag or Ziploc Bags
Ingredients
For the Gingerbread Cookies
- 12 Ounces salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 1 Cup brown sugar
- ½ Cup molasses
- 1 ½ Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 4 ½ Cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ Tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ Teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 Teaspoon baking soda
For the Salted Caramel
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- ¼ Cup water, warm
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- ½ Cup heavy whipping cream
For the Buttercream
- 16 Ounces butter, at room temperature
- 4 Cups powdered sugar
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars together until fluffy.
- Add molasses and vanilla and beat again.
- Add eggs and mix until uniform.
- Add flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and baking soda. Beat until dough is formed.
- Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, form balls of dough and place them on a greased baking sheet.
- Using a greased bowl, flatten the balls of dough slightly.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool completely before assembling.
Make the Salted Caramel
- Put sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook slowly until sugar is melted.
- Stir often to avoid burning it.
- Allow to cook slowly until mixture turns an amber color. This could take up to 8 to 12 minutes.
- Add heavy whipping cream, stirring continuously.
- Add butter and stir until melted.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Caramel sauce will thicken as it cools. Once cooled. Transfer into a piping bag or small Ziploc baggies, cutting off a small corner.
Make the Buttercream
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating until completely mixed in.
- Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the salted caramel made above.
Assemble the Sandwich Cookies
- Spread a layer of buttercream on a cooled cookie.
- Pipe caramel over top from baggie.
- Finish sandwich with another gingerbread cookie.
- Continue for the remainder of your cookies.
Notes
Chill briefly: A short chill firms the dough for cleaner edges and less spread.
Cool completely: Fill only once cookies are cool to keep buttercream stable.
Light hand with caramel: Drizzle sparingly so it doesn’t squeeze out when you bite.
Pipe for precision: A piping bag gives tidy edges and even layers.
Watch for doneness: Pull cookies out when edges set and centers look soft, for a tender bite.
Nutrition
These soft gingerbread cookies are perfect for Christmas but too good to only have once a year! Closely based on one of the best loved Disney copycat recipes, these chewy ginger cookies are sure to be a big hit with everyone. If you’re making them for the holiday season, you may want to double up and make extra to give as gifts. Anyone who likes ginger is going to love these Disney gingerbread cookies.
Other Recipes to Try
- Chocolate Chip Buttercream Jam Sandwich Cookies are delicious too.
- These Sour Cream Cookies are unusual (and so good!)
- And Gingerbread Pizzelle will add some flair to your holiday menu.
- Make baking fun and simple with the Gingerbread Man Cookies!
- Or craft these delicious Chocolate Cherry Blossom Cookies.
- For a taste of nostalgia, whip up an Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake!
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
So easy to make and it tastes exceptionally good!
The flavor is so nostalgic. I’m not really into cookies but you’ve made me a convert.