During the warmer months we often write about our near-maniacal gathering of local goods, which we (OK, mostly Michelle) make into jams, frozen meals and other lovely things. While candying, drying and vacuum-sealing stuff can be a pain, our stored goods come in handy when (like now) it’s cold, ugly and almost impossible to bring groceries up to our house.
Michelle’s work last summer with some locally-raised ginger meant we had both candied and stem ginger in syrup, along with some fresh rhizomes we had bought at the store before becoming icebound. These were what she needed to alter a recipe from Judy Rosenberg, a Boston-area baker whose cookbook Michelle bought—twice. (Ask Michelle about cookbook purges sometime.)
Along with a few oranges, oats and some other stuff we had on hand, she was able to bring a bright, sweet (and with chocolate drizzle, a little decadent and sticky) bit of summer to chilly Gourmandistan. Now what we need is for Mother Earth to take the hint.
ORANGE-FILLED TRIPLE GINGER OATMEAL SANDWICH COOKIES
(adapted from Judy Rosenberg’s The Rosie’s Bakery All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book)
Cookies:
- 1/3 c. grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 13 TB unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 c. light brown sugar
- 1/4 c. molasses
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1-1/2 c. dry oatmeal
- 2-1/2 TB candied ginger, finely chopped
- 2-1/2 TB stem ginger in syrup, finely chopped
Filling:
- 3 TB unsalted butter
- 3 TB light corn syrup
- 1-1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
- 2 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 TB fresh orange juice
Chocolate Drizzle:
- 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
- 1/2 TB solid vegetable shortening
Place the grated fresh ginger and about 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar in a food processor. Process for several seconds to break down the fibers in the ginger.
Sift flower, soda and dry spices into a small bowl.
Cream butter, brown sugar, remaining granulated sugar and the fresh ginger mixture together in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula.
Add molasses, then egg to the mixer. Beat until incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add flour mixture. Beat until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Add oats and candied and stem ginger. Beat until just incorporated.
Lay out a sheet of waxed paper, approximately 12″ long. Take about 1/3 of the cookie dough out of the bowl and shape it into a 1″ diameter log on top of the waxed paper. The dough is very sticky. Roll the log up in the paper, pulling tightly. Repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate dough logs overnight.
Preheat oven to 350° F, with rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unwrap a cookie dough log. Cut off pieces about 1/4″ thick. The sticky dough will flatten as you slice it. Form back into circles by placing each slice between your thumb and index finger and squeezing. Place on cookie sheet at least an inch apart.
Bake for about 8 minutes until flattened and golden brown. Let cool on cookie sheet for a minute or so before removing with a thin metal spatula to a cooling rack.
Continue baking remaining cookies.
Match up pairs of equal-sized cooled cookies.
Make filling: Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add corn syrup and orange zest. Then add confectioners’ sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon until fully mixed and warm. Add orange juice, stirring until fully incorporated. If too thin (should be the consistency of a pourable icing), add more confectioners’ sugar. Set aside to cool for about 5 minutes. (Note: The filling could have been a little more orangey. A drop of orange extract or oil would be a nice addition.)
Make sandwiches by using about 1 teaspoon of filling per cookie. You will likely run out of filling before all the cookies are used.
Make drizzle: Melt chocolate and shortening together in a small saucepan over low heat. Place in a plastic sandwich bag. Cut off a tiny bit of the corner of the bag. (Or use an icing bag with a small round tip.) Drizzle chocolate mixture over tops of cookies. Refrigerate or freeze until chocolate is set.
These cookies are very crunchy at first, but get softer as time goes by. They freeze well and are delicious right from the freezer.
Gourmandistan 
That’s a very sophisticated cookie – it almost has a look of florentine abut it 😉
A little sturdier, but they reminded me of florentines too!
These look simply wonderful. The creamy filling just speaks to me!
It spoke to me a little too much. 😉 Thank you!
Glorious. I love the use of multi-ginger. The heat and flavour must be wonderful.
Thanks, Conor! They remind me much of those Carr’s lemon creams.
No doubt a little tastier than Carr’s….
They look amazing! Wonderful combination of flavors :).
🙂
WOW! These look incredible and they really are made of earth’s treasures. I love that you preserve and candy and then find wonderful uses like this. I am definitely going to make these. So beautiful! I’d happily be the recipient of your cookbook purges 🙂
Thanks, Amanda! I had never seen locally grown ginger until last year and went sort of crazy with it (pickled, candied, sugared…). These were quite tasty cookies. My mother saved me from myself by emailing: “Would you please hide some of these away for me?”
It’s warm here … and I’d love these now! They look wonderful! Our ginger in the southern hemisphere is soon to be harvested; when it is I’m trying these. A wonderful post …
Thanks, Annabel! Last year was the first time I’d ever tried preserving ginger. Actually, it was the first time I’d ever seen it locally grown. I can’t wait to do it again.
Ooooh, these are some wonderful cookies. Crystallized ginger & oatmeal I can hardly, make that never, resist but I imagine filled with orange cream, they are dangerous. N xx
Dangerous indeed!
This is what I want for tea! Gorgeous, Michelle.
They remind me of those Carr’s lemon ginger cream cookies which are actually about the only store-bought cookies I like. The original recipe, which called for lemon filling and no chocolate, would be pretty close to those.
Triple ginger in the dough, double orange in the filling – if Mother Earth doesn´t get the hint now, there´s going to be a looong winter for you! Super delicious, Michelle!
Nothing exceeds like excess. 😉
Rookie question–is stem ginger in syrup something I could buy in a store? Or could it be left out? These look wonderful!
You can buy it in some groceries. I think it would be in the spice section, though possibly in the preserves section and occasionally in an Asian section. (Just be sure you’re not buying pickled ginger. Which is good, but obviously a different thing.) But, sure, you could leave it out. Just add more of the crystalized stuff. And maybe add some powdered.
These look so pretty! Love the drizzle of chocolate on top.
Thanks, Chaya! There are few things that a little drizzle of chocolate doesn’t help, right?
What a nice flavor for a cookie, definitely a good tea would be its best mate
Tea, coffee, milk… Thanks, Raymund!
These look beautiful! Such a unique cookie flavor. Love the orange+ginger combo. Pinning! 🙂
Thank you!
gorgeous, fun cookies – these look lovely 🙂
Thanks, Nick!
Reblogged this on susamaimily.
I love combining ginger and chocolate. Thanks for this recipe, it looks gorgeous!
You’re welcome!
Wow, those look incredible.
Thanks, Greg, they were good! There are a few in the freezer saved for my mom. It’s been very tempting…
I love ginger and oatmeal. This… I have to try! Is there a substitute for the vegetable shortening for the choc drizzle?
Thanks, Vasun! You could use vegetable oil, I think. Or leave it out entirely. I believe it just makes the chocolate a little more silky for things like dipping and drizzling.
Michelle, the pro canner and saver of all things local. You really are a rock star in the kitchen; Steve, you are a lucky man! These cookies look exquisite. Who will ever eat a Girl Scout’s samoa again after seeing these. You know how I feel about orange and ginger – like chocolate and cherries or steak and potatoes, one really can’t dispute the flavor duo, especially when chocolate creates a gorgeous menage a trois.
Aw, sweet girl! Mmm, Samoas are my favorite GS cookies. Now you’ve got me thinking…
Mine, too! 🙂
Goodness! Looks amazing!
Thanks so much! There are few out in the freezer (saved for my mom, at her request). And it’s very, very tempting!
looks delicious
I could die for those cookies! They looks delicious!