Copycat Carr’s Ginger Lemon Cremes
Is there anything more gratifying than nailing a flawless replica of a beloved recipe? We firmly believe that the answer is no. In our culinary endeavors, we have successfully mastered renowned cookie recipes, ranging from the iconic Levain Bakery cookies to Pepperidge Farm's famous Milanos and even Panera's timeless chocolate chip cookie. It was only a matter of time before we ventured into recreating what might be the most delightful tea cookie ever—the Carr's ginger lemon cremes. These delightful treats consist of snappy ginger spice cookies that embrace a tangy lemon creme filling, making them the perfect accompaniment for a dunk in a steaming cup of milky Earl Grey tea.To ensure the ideal texture and flavor, it's recommended to refrigerate these snappy ginger cookies for a brief period. This way, they retain their crispness while becoming slightly softer, allowing the filling to remain intact with each bite.
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tbsp. unsulphured molasses
- 2 tsp. water
- 1 1/2 c. (180 g.) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 c. (160 g.) packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- Pinch of grated fresh nutmeg
- 1/2 c. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
FILLING & ASSEMBLY
- 1 2/3 c. (190 g.) powdered sugar
- 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
COOKIES
- In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk, molasses and water. In a food processor, pulse flour, brown sugar, lemon zest, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg to combine. Add butter and process until mixture is crumbly and resembles dry sand. Drizzle in molasses mixture and process until a cohesive dough forms.
- Divide dough in half. Roll each half between 2 pieces of parchment until 1/4" thick. Refrigerate until very firm, at least 1 hour or up to 12.
- Preheat oven to 350° and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Using a 2" round cookie cutter, cut out rounds, rerolling scraps to get 36 total. Arrange 2" apart on prepared sheets.
- Bake until just browned around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
FILLING & ASSEMBLY
- In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat powdered sugar, butter, lemon zest and juice, and salt until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Transfer filling to a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/2" hole in one corner. Pipe about 1½ teaspoons filling onto flat sides of half of cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies and gently press to flatten.
- Refrigerate until cookies soften slightly, at least 30 minutes.
- Make Ahead: Cookies can be made 1 week ahead. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!