Gingerbread Mint Snow Globe Cookies

Level: Intermediate
Yield: About 12 cookies

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving

Serving Size: 1 of 12 servings

Calories: 491
Total Fat: 17 g
Saturated Fat: 10 g
Carbohydrates: 84 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 58 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 42 mg
Sodium: 180 mg

Time Required

Total: 5 hr
Active: 2 hr

For the Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon gingerbread spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup molasses
12 clear mint hard candies

For the Icing and Filling

1 1-pound box confectioners' sugar (about 3 3/4 cups)
2 tablespoons meringue powder
5 to 6 tablespoons water
Assorted white sprinkles (or other holiday sprinkles), for filling

Instructions

Prepare the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, gingerbread spice, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and molasses with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing until just combined. Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Chill and cut: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Use a 3 1/2-inch cookie cutter to cut out rounds. Place them about 1 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Cut a smaller round out of the center of each using a 1 3/4-inch cookie cutter. Refrigerate the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes. Gather the scraps and cut-out centers, chill, then reroll to make more cookies.

Bake with candy: Bake the cookies, switching the pans halfway through, until just set, about 10 to 12 minutes. While the cookies bake, crush the candies in small batches inside a resealable plastic bag. Remove the cookies from the oven and fill the centers of about two-thirds of them (about 12) with some crushed candy. Return all cookies to the oven and bake until the edges are lightly browned and the candies bubble, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool on the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough and candies. You should end up with about 24 candy-filled cookies and 12 empty cookies; each snow globe will need 2 candy-filled cookies and 1 empty cookie.

Make the icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder. Beat in the water with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft, glossy peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes. The icing should be thick enough to pipe but not runny. Cover the surface with plastic wrap until ready to use.

Assemble the snow globes: Transfer the icing to a resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner. Place 12 candy-filled cookies upside down. Pipe icing around the edges, being careful not to get too close to the candy. Top each with an empty cookie. Fill the cavities about halfway with sprinkles. Pipe icing around the edge of the empty cookies and place the remaining candy-filled cookies on top to create 12 snow globes. Let set for 10 to 15 minutes. Pipe the remaining icing on the top of each cookie.

Photograph by Ryan Dausch