Gingerbread Oreos

Gingerbread Oreos are delicious holiday cookies with sweet, crunchy wafers and a soft, creamy filling. The cookies are seasoned with molasses and spices for a festive and cozy aroma. Make these gingerbread sandwich cookies for your Christmas cookie platters this year!

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Homemade gingerbread Oreo cookies

Gingerbread Oreo cookies are a fun seasonal variety that is only available for a limited time each year. My easy recipe allows you to enjoy these tasty little sandwich cookies whenever the craving hits.

No crumb will be left when you serve these treats. Delicate gingerbread-flavored wafers hold a creamy vanilla filling that is garnished with crunchy red sugar crystals. The holiday cookie of your dreams!

Planning your holiday cookie plates? Be sure to also check out our Danish wedding cookies (aka snowball cookies), chocolate chip mint cookies, meringue kiss, and sugar cookies without brown sugar.

What are gingerbread Oreos?

Gingerbread Oreos are a type of sandwich cookie. They consist of gingerbread-flavored Oreos wafers stuffed with a cream filling and red sugar crystals.

When did gingerbread-flavored Oreos start?

Nabisco introduced gingerbread Oreo cookies for the first time in 2012. The original version featured standard Golden Oreos with a gingerbread-flavored frosting.

The latest iteration is made of gingerbread wafers filled with the classic cream filling and red sugar crystals. The cookies are decorated with five adorable holiday designs, showing a cute ginny man, an Oreo gingerbread house, and others.

When are gingerbread Oreos available?

Gingerbread Oreos are a seasonal, limited-edition product. They usually hit shelves in late September or early October and are available until December. Availability can vary from region.

Where to buy gingerbread Oreos?

You can order gingerbread Oreos online (e.g., Amazon) or buy them at your local supermarket (e.g., Walmart, Target, Walgreens).

The other place to get these tasty sandwich cookies is in your kitchen. Time to whip up a batch!

Ingredients & tools

It looks like ginger Oreos require a lot of materials, but you actually only need 7 ingredients + optionally red sugar crystals. The cookie dough and filling share the same ingredients, keeping your shopping list short. Here’s what you’ll need (see the recipe card for quantities):

Dough

• is the foundation of these gingerbread sandwich cookies. Be sure to spoon and level the flour for the best texture.
• is a warming blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove and creates a festive aroma. Use store-bought or make your own homemade gingerbread spice mix.
• Molasses enhances the aroma of the cookies and gives that typical gingerbread flavor. I recommend regular dark molasses (unsulfured) over blackstrap and light molasses.
• binds the ingredients together and adds a delicious buttery flavor. I used salted butter, but unsalted butter + 1/4 tsp salt will do as well.
• provides the perfect amount of sweetness and gives the cookies a soft crumb.

• Milk helps to hold the dough together. Any type of milk will work, full-fat, low fat, or a dairy-free milk alternative.
• Vanilla extract adds complexity and aroma to the cookies.

Filling

• Butter: Room-temperature butter is best to get a creamy texture. Again, use salted butter or unsalted with a dash of salt.
• Powdered sugar gives the cream filling sweetness and stability.
• Vanilla extract for a delicious, sweet aroma.
• Milk smooths out the filling and gives a creamy consistency.
• Red sugar crystals (optional) add crunchy texture and look oh-so festive.

Equipment

• Measuring cups and spoons or digital scale for measuring quantities.
• Large mixing bowls to prepare the dough and filling.
• Electric mixer to mix ingredients. Can be hand-held or a stand mixer.
• Aluminum cookie sheet to bake the cookies.
• Parchment paper (baking paper) to roll out the dough and protect the cookies from sticking.
• Rolling pin to roll out the dough.
• Offset spatula to lift and transfer the cookie rounds.
• Cookie stamp: I used a cookie stamp to imprint the cookies with decorative Christmas designs, just like the real gingerbread Oreo cookies. Of course, you can also use a simple round cookie cutter. I used the smaller red stamps.
• Disposable pastry bag (piping bag) and round piping tip (nozzle) to fill the cookies.

How to make Gingerbread Oreos

Baking fresh gingerbread sandwich cookies is quick and easy. It’s a fun baking project to do with kids, and your kitchen will smell amazing!

Step 1: Cream butter and sugar

• In a large mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until pale and fluffy for 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 2: Make cookie dough

• Add the molasses, milk, and vanilla extract until well incorporated for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in the flour and gingerbread spice until well combined throughout.

Step 3: Chill dough

• Using your hands, pat the cookie dough into a flat disk.
• Wrap the dough disk in plastic wrap (cling film) and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Step 4: Preheat oven

• Adjust a baking rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C / gas mark 4.
• Line a cookie sheet (tray) with parchment (baking) paper.

Step 5: Roll out cookie dough

• Place the chilled dough disk between 2 pieces of parchment (baking) paper and roll to 1/4 in / 6 mm thick.

Step 6: Cut out cookies

• Using a round cookie cutter, cut out cookies and imprint them with the cookie stamp.
• Remove the excess dough.
• Slide an offset spatula under the cookies and transfer them to the lined baking sheet (tray). Arrange the cookies 1 in / 2.5 cm apart.
• Repeat with the dough scraps.

Step 7: Bake cookies

• Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Allow cooling completely. The cookies will seem very soft and delicate at first but harden as they cool. Don’t touch them at this point.

Step 8: Mix filling

• Place the butter, powdered (confectioners’/icing) sugar, and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture comes together and forms clumps.
• Add the milk and mix until smooth.
• Optionally, stir in the red sugar crystals.

Step 9: Assemble gingerbread Oreos

• Transfer the filling into a pastry (piping) bag fitted with a round piping tip (nozzle).
• Pipe the filling on the bottom of half of the cookies.
• Top with the remaining cookies.

Tips for success

• Soften butter by letting it sit on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes before you start baking. You want the butter softened, not hard but also not super soft and mushy.
• Spoon and level the flour. If using measuring cups, spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Then run the back of a knife across the cup to level off the excess flour. If you were to scoop the flour directly from the bag, you would add too much flour and end up with dry, crumbly cookies.
• Spray your measuring spoon with cooking spray when measuring molasses. Molasses is tricky to measure because it’s super sticky. I recommend lightly spraying the inside of your measuring spoon with cooking spray so the molasses slides out easily.
• Use an aluminum cookie sheet for even heating. Black baking trays bake hotter and can burn the delicate gingerbread wafers.
• Don’t overbake. The cookies only need to bake for 10 to 12 minutes. They will seem delicate and underbaked when you take them out of the oven but will set as they cool. Don’t be tempted to leave them in the open any longer, or they will become hard.
• Cool completely. Allow time for the cookies to cool and set. The cookies need to be at room temperature before piping on the filling. Otherwise, the frosting might melt on warm wafers.

FAQ

Do gingerbread Oreos contain cocoa?

No, gingerbread Oreos aren’t made with cocoa. Instead, molasses and spices give the cookies a festive aroma.

What molasses is best for cookies?

Regular dark molasses creates a rich, robust flavor without being too overpowering. I prefer unsulfured molasses.

I don’t recommend blackstrap molasses for this recipe because the flavor is slightly bitter and too bold.

What is gingerbread spice?

Gingerbread spice is a mix of different spices that go into flavoring gingerbread. Ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg are combined to make this spice mix.

You can make your own gingerbread spice by mixing:

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Storage instructions

Store cookies in an airtight jar at room temperature. Place a piece of soft bread in the container next to cookies to keep them extra fresh. They will stay good for up to 1 week.

Can you freeze these gingerbread sandwich cookies?

Yes,gingerbread Oreos freeze beautifully.

• Freeze cookie dough: To freeze them before baking, shape the dough into a disk, wrap tightly, and place it in a plastic bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. When it’s time to bake, defrost the dough in the fridge and then bake as indicated in the recipe.
• Freeze baked cookies: Place the assembled cookies in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag and wrap tightly. Lay them flat in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to serve, defrost them at room temp.

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