gingerbread sugar plum kisses
When I think of Christmas I think of sugar plums and sugar and berries and SPICE!! This cookie is a brainstorm of my youngest daughter's (my baby and true "mini-me") creation. What better way to celebrate the holidays other than sugar plums and spice dancing on your taste buds!!! You have the gingerbread, the "blueberries" aka *sugar plums*, and the nuts (always for Christmas). Then top with the most amazing lemon cream cheese frosting!!! Man oh man, TRUE HOLIDAY TASTE!!!! Enjoy!!
Blue Ribbon Recipe
We agree with Didi... these cookies really taste like sugar plums and spices dancing on your taste buds. The gingerbread cookie is soft with the perfect amount of ginger flavor. The layer of blueberries, cinnamon, and nuts add a bit of sweet and spice flavor with a hint of nuttiness. We loved the lemon cream cheese frosting on top. We never had a cookie quite like these and fell in love. A wonderful addition to a Christmas cookie tray.
Ingredients
- GINGERBREAD COOKIES
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted softened butter (1 stick)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup molasses
- FILLING
- 1/2 cup blueberry preserves
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (larger pieces broken)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 c)
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-3 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest (or zest of 1 small lemon)
How To Make gingerbread sugar plum kisses
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Step 1In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Sift or mix till well incorporated. Set aside. -
Step 2In your stand-up mixer or bowl with a hand mixer, cream sugar and butter till light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time till well incorporated. Then add your molasses, and beat well.
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Step 3Add your dry ingredients slowly till nice dough forms. Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hr.
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Step 4As the dough is chilling, make your filling. In a small bowl, add your blueberry preserves, cinnamon, and finely chopped walnuts; set aside.
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Step 5Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out uniform size balls of dough. Place on cookie sheet. When all cookie balls have been placed, go back and make cookies into nice balls.
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Step 6Using your thumb, indent a thumbprint onto the middle of the cookie. If dough cracks, just work it over and smooth it.
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Step 7Add your sugar plum filling (aka, your blueberry, walnut, cinnamon). Bake for 10-12 minutes.
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Step 8Remove from oven, and let sit on cookie sheet for about 1 minute to ensure easier handling. Place cookies on a cooling rack to cool.
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Step 9As cookies are cooling, make your lemon cream cheese filling. In your mixer bowl, add your butter, and cream cheese. Beat till light and fluffy. Add your sugar, and vanilla; beat till thoroughly incorporated. Finally, add your grated lemon zest.
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Step 10Spoon frosting into a pastry bag using a star tip, or a Ziploc bag if needed. Pipe frosting over cookies right onto the cooling rack. Let sit overnight to ensure the frosting has hardened. Enjoy!!
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
