Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies with Date Caramel (Gluten-Free)
Crispy gluten-free gingersnaps sandwiched with a silky no-cook date caramel. The caramel takes 5 minutes and it’s mostly just dates.
These gingersnap sandwich cookies are a classic ginger cookie dressed up for the holidays. You get a thick layer of date caramel in the middle that tastes far more indulgent than it is.
The best part? The caramel needs no stove and no candy thermometer, and it skips the extra cup of sugar a regular caramel needs. You just blitz it in the food processor.
I’d never baked gingersnaps myself until I wanted that flavour again in a gluten free version I could eat. It took a few failed attempts. I ended up with a couple of boxes of wonky cookies (delicious, but not something you’d serve anyone or photograph). When I finally nailed the texture, they came out lighter in colour than classic dark gingersnaps. But they were crispy, gingery, and I loved them just the way they were.
Date caramel
The date caramel came from the same place. There’s already brown sugar in the cookies, and a regular caramel would add another full cup. Since I avoid excess sugar as well as gluten, I wanted a filling I’d feel good about sharing with my family and friends. Dates, almond butter, coconut milk and a pinch of salt did the trick.
Use peanut butter or any nut butters you have instead of almond butter. One caveat is that you have to keep this caramel in the refrigerator.
It’s the cookie season and you’ll love the Glazed Chocolate Peppermint Cookie with crushed candy canes.
Ingredients
For the gingersnaps
- Butter: softened, so it creams properly with the sugar.
- Dark brown sugar: adds a deep, caramel-like flavour.
- Egg: one large egg binds the dough.
- Maple syrup: stands in for molasses, which is part of why these bake up lighter than classic gingersnaps.
- Vanilla extract
- Gluten-free flour mix: any good all-purpose gluten-free blend works.
- Tapioca flour or starch: helps with crispness and holds the dough together.
- Ground almonds (almond meal): adds flavour and a tender bite.
- Ground ginger: the star. A full tablespoon gives a real ginger kick.
- Ground cinnamon
- Baking soda and salt
For the date caramel
- Pitted dates: a quick soften in the microwave makes them easy to blend.
- Almond butter: peanut butter or any other nut butter works too.
- Coconut milk: loosens the caramel into a spreadable consistency.
- A pinch of salt: balances the sweetness.
Not gluten-free? Swap the gluten-free flour, tapioca flour and almond meal for 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour.
How to Make Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies
Make the dough
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl: gluten-free flour, tapioca flour, almond meal, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and dark brown sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the maple syrup, egg and vanilla. Then, with the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and keep mixing until the dough starts to clump together.
Chill for an hour
The dough is sticky straight out of the bowl. Gather it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Don’t skip this. Chilled dough is much easier to shape.
Shape and bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Space them about 2 inches apart, then flatten each one to about 1/2 inch thick with the heel of your hand.
Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
How to make no-cook date caramel
Soften the pitted dates by microwaving them with half a cup of water for about 30 seconds, then drain. Blend the dates with almond butter, coconut milk and a pinch of salt in a food processor until thick, creamy and spreadable. If it’s too stiff, add a splash more coconut milk.
Sandwich them
Spread about 2 teaspoons of date caramel on the flat side of one cookie and press a second cookie on top.
Tips for Crisp, Even Gingersnaps
- Give them room to spread – These cookies spread in the oven, so leave plenty of space between them on the tray.
- Watch your oven – If your oven has been running for a while, drop the temperature by 20 to 30 degrees. I learned this the hard way after burning a lot of cookies.
- Wait for golden edges – Pulling them out too early gives you a cookie that crumbles and falls apart. Wait until the edges are golden brown.
- Fill them just before serving – Date caramel softens the cookies over time, so sandwich them on the day you’re serving to keep them crisp.
Make Ahead for Holiday Cookie Trays
These are great for planning ahead. Bake the plain cookies up to 5 days in advance and keep them in an airtight container. Make the date caramel and keep it in the fridge. Then sandwich everything together just before your guests arrive.
Why are my gingersnaps lighter than store-bought ones?
Classic gingersnaps get their dark colour from molasses. This recipe uses maple syrup and a gluten-free flour blend, so they bake up lighter but still have that crispy texture and warm ginger flavour.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Glazed Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (Gluten-Free)
- No-Bake Mandarin Lime Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust
- Yellow Cake Mix Cookies
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Yellow Cake Mix Cookie Bars with Chocolate Chips
DID YOU MAKE IT? Please leave a comment and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! Tag us on Instagram or Facebook.
Recipe
Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies with Date Caramel (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 150 grams softened butter 9 tbsp
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour mix
- ¼ cup tapioca flour or starch
- ¼ cup ground almonds/almond meal
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Date Caramel
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 4 tbsp almond butter
- 4 tbsp coconut milk
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Gingersnaps
- Whisk together the gluten free flour, tapioca flour, almond meal, salt, baking soda,ground ginger and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in the maple syrup, egg and vanilla.
- With the mixers on low speed, mix in the flour mixture until blended and the dough starts to clump together.
- Gather the dough into a ball, cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Pinch off clumps of dough and form into 1-inch balls and place them on the sheet around 2-inches apart. With the heels of your hand flatten the balls to around 1/2-inch thickness.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookie turn to golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Date Caramel
- Microwave the pitted dates with a half a cup of water for 30 seconds or until they are softened. Drain the water.
- Process softened dates, almond butter, coconut milk and salt in a food processor until creamy and thick but spreadable. Use more coconut milk if needed.
- Spread 2 tsp of caramel on to the bottom of a cookie and sandwich with the other cookie.
Notes
- Not gluten-free? Replace the gluten-free flour, tapioca flour and almond meal with 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour.
- Nut butter swap: Peanut butter or any nut butter works in place of almond butter.
- Oven tip: If your oven has been on for a while, reduce the temperature by 20 to 30 degrees to prevent burning.
- Fill before serving so the cookies stay crisp.
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Storage
- Unfilled cookies: airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Date caramel: refrigerate and use within 2 days.
- Filled sandwiches: refrigerate for up to 2 days.
These look absolutely delicious. I love the flavors. It’s perfect treat for Holidays. I must put that on my to make list. My kiddo will be delighted with these cookies.
I’m blown away by that date caramel filling! Omg these look so good and I love the healthy twist…I could eat them all! Definitely trying and pinning for later 🙂
These look so delish!! Loving the dates, almond butter and coconut milk! I’m still looking for cookies on this Christmas Christmas eve!!! And I’m loving that these are gluten free!