I’ve been a big fan of Mugulio syrup since I discovered it last year. It’s similar to maple syrup but comes from pine trees and has a lovely unexpected “what is this delicious thing that I’m eating” kick. I was looking for a way to incorporate it into a cookie for Christmas (it comes from Christmas trees after all) and came across Melissa Clark’s posting of reader recipes that included a spice cookie begging to be paired with some Mugulio. After a lot of testing and a few failed experiments I ended up turning the original recipe into a sandwich cookie, heavy on Mugulio and even heavier on the whiskey, which makes all baked goods taste better. I also turned the usual sandwich cookie inside out, choosing to frost the top of the cookies instead of the bottoms. This allows for a crispy outside and lets the cookies stack a little easier. The recipe calls for 2 sticks of butter total but I’ve divided that amount below based on the cookie and frosting proportions.
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We made a video with some closeups of the baking process which you can see here.
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Whiskey + Spice Sandwich Cookies
Adapted from a NYTimes Reader Recipe
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Makes about 2 dozen sandwiches
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Cookies
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
210 grams sugar (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
240 grams all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
10 grams baking soda (about 2 teaspoons)
5 grams ground cinnamon (about 1 teaspoon)
3 grams ground ginger (about 3/4 teaspoon)
3 grams ground cloves (about 3/4 teaspoon)
3 grams fine sea salt (about 1/2 teaspoon)
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Frosting
4 tablespoons butter
350 grams confectioners’ sugar (about 2 1/2 cups), more as needed
2 to 3 tablespoons Mugulio syrup
2 to 4 tablespoons Irish whiskey
1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk, more as needed
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Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners.
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Using an electric mixer, beat butter with the sugar and molasses until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat for another minute. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, spices and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.
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Shape dough into walnut-size balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until firm, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.
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To make the frosting, beat 4 tablespoons butter with confectioners’ sugar until smooth (go slowly so you don’t create a sugar storm). Beat in mugulio syrup and whiskey to taste. Adjust texture as needed by adding more confectioner’s sugar for a thicker texture or milk for a smoother texture. Be careful with the milk, a little goes a long way. The frosting should be smooth enough to spread but also stiff enough to keep the cookies from sliding apart. The frosting will solidify a bit after resting which will help hold the cookies together.
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Find two cookies that are similar in size and add a little frosting to the top of each one. Press cookies together to seal the deal. Taste to make sure they’re amazing and then frost the rest of those spicy cookies.
