Gingerbread Florentines
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Florentine cookies are thin, crisp, naturally gluten free, and have a sweet and slightly caramelized flavor. They are even more delicious when you fill them with buttercream, which is what I'm doing with this recipe for Gingerbread Florentines. Trust me, this is a cookie that you need to include in your holiday cookie boxes!
If you love organic gingerbread as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorite recipes like my Frosted Gingerbread Cookies, Frosted Gingerbread Banana Bread, or my Gingerbread Biscotti.
Florentines are something I created and served at my bakery for years. And now that I've sold it, they are still making these organic cookies! The Florentines I make are naturally gluten free cookies, and they are so amazingly delicious that you literally don't even miss the wheat. And as someone who is in no way gluten free, trust me when I say that.
I have pioneered the Florentine sandwich cookie. Most people make Florentines and serve them plain, half dipped in chocolate, or with chocolate drizzled on top. But when we created our version of these organic cookies, I knew we had to sandwich them. And these Florentines are like a sandwich cookie on crack!
I have a whole chapter dedicated to Florentines in my book, Cookies for Everyone (along with tips and tricks and a step by step guide with photos on how to make the perfect Florentines!). But, with Christmas coming up, I wanted to share my Gingerbread Florentines here so you guys can experience the magic of these Christmas cookies for the holidays.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Christmas Cookies: I love this organic gingerbread recipe because it is festive and seasonal without the need for decorating!
Naturally Gluten Free: My Florentines are naturally gluten free, making them perfect organic cookies to bake so everyone can indulge.
Impressive: These Christmas cookies are seriously impressive with their thin, crispy, and caramel flavor! Filled with organic gingerbread filling, they are sure to be a hit this holiday season.
Organic Cookies: These organic gingerbread cookies are a million times better than anything store bought. Skip the boxed gingerbread and make this organic gingerbread recipe instead!
Ingredients
- Almonds: You'll need organic blanched slivered almonds. This is super important because the almonds need to be be blanched and have no skins. They also need to be slivered as the food processor time is dependent on the size of the almonds to get the right consistency.
- Salt: Use fine sea salt.
- Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar as it's less processed than granulated white sugar.
- Butter: My favorite is Organic Valley, you can use your favorite.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: I use organic heavy whipping cream.
- Corn Syrup: I use organic light corn syrup.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a high quality vanilla extract, not imitation.
- Powdered Sugar: Make sure to sift organic powdered sugar, this ensures your frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Molasses: You'll need organic blackstrap molasses for the gingerbread flavor.
- Spices: I use organic ginger, cloves, and Korintje cinnamon (which is my favorite variety!). This is the holy trio for gingerbread, in my opinion. You can also use my Homemade Gingerbread Spice Mix in place of all three spices if you have that in your pantry.
- Milk: Use whole milk for the best flavor.
Tools Needed
- Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results, especially in a cookie like this.
- Food Processor: You'll need a food processor to process the almonds.
- Small Pot: You'll need a small pot to heat the sugars, butter, and cream.
- Heatproof Mixing Bowl: Make sure to use a heatproof mixing bowl as the almond mixture will get hot.
- Baking Sheets: You'll need four half sheet pans to bake these florentines.
- Parchment Paper: This is essential for florentines as these organic cookies are so thin and crispy, you definitely want to use nontoxic parchment paper to ensure they can easily be removed from the cookie sheets.
- Mixer: You'll need a stand mixer or hand mixer to make the organic gingerbread filling, either works, though I prefer a stand mixer.
- Piping Bag: You'll need a large piping bag for the filling.
- Decorating Tip: I use Ateco tip #864 to pipe the filling into these organic cookies. This is optional, but it makes them so pretty!
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
To make the dough: Process the almonds in a food processor for exactly 30 seconds. Transfer the ground almonds to a plastic mixing bowl (or heatproof bowl), add the sea salt, and whisk together to combine.
Step 2
In a medium pot over medium heat, mix together the cane sugar, butter, cream, and corn syrup with a high heat spatula, and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 197°F to 200°F on a digital thermometer. Immediately remove from the heat. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the almonds, and stir several times. Add the vanilla extract, and stir to combine completely.
Step 3
Let the mixture rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until it has cooled enough to touch. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 4 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Step 4
Using your hands, form the dough into 44 balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheets (11 should fit on each cookie sheet): line up 3 balls of dough along each long side of the cookie sheet, then zigzag 5 additional balls of dough down the middle (if you have my book, Cookies for Everyone, see “Shaping,” page 167).
Step 5
Bake for 11 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely on the cookie sheets. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
Step 6
To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the powdered sugar, butter, molasses, milk, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Mix on low until combined, increase the speed to high, and mix for 1 minute more, or until light and fluffy. Transfer the filling to a piping bag fit ted with Ateco tip #864.
Step 7
Pair the cookies together by size, and turn over every other one. Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each turned over cookie, starting around the outer edge and spiraling into the middle. Care fully sandwich the pairs.
Baker's Tips
- Please use a scale for this recipe! These can be temperamental cookies and while I do provide cups measurements, the recipe card does not allow exact measurements (for example plus 2 tablespoons, so I have to result to heaping or scant measurements).
- Make sure to use almonds and grind them, almond flour will not work.
- I use a plastic bowl for these, because it won't burn your hands as this gets really hot. A heatproof bowl like glass or metal is also fine, just be careful when touching it.
- The dough should be room temperature when balling, if they are too hot just give them some more time.
- If you don't have a piping bag or tip, just frost the cookies with a butter knife or dollop a drop of frosting with a spoon. They'll just look more rustic!
- Make sure to store in a cool, dry place.
FAQ's
No, this will not work, I've tested before.
No, you do not! The cookies will look more rustic, but you can frost them just by adding a dollop of frosting on with a spoon or butter knife.
These need to be stored in a cool, dry place. It's best to just leave them out on the counter for a few days while you eat them. Avoid putting under a cake dome or in an airtight container as they will become soggy.
Craving More?
Gingerbread Florentines
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (or hand mixer)
Ingredients
Dough
- 170 grams blanched slivered almonds
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 142 grams cane sugar
- 57 grams salted butter (chilled)
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 28 grams light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 340 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 170 grams salted butter (softened)
- 21 grams blackstrap molasses
- 1 to 2 teaspoons milk
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- To make the dough: Process the almonds in a food processor for exactly 30 seconds. Transfer the ground almonds to a plastic mixing bowl, add the sea salt, and whisk together to combine.
- In a medium pot over medium heat, mix together the cane sugar, butter, cream, and corn syrup with a highheat spatula, and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 197°F to 200°F on a digital thermometer. Immediately remove from the heat. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the almonds, and stir several times. Add the vanilla extract, and stir to combine completely.
- Let the mixture rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until it has cooled enough to touch.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 4 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using your hands, form the dough into 44 balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheets (11 should fit on each cookie sheet): line up 3 balls of dough along each long side of the cookie sheet, then zigzag 5 additional balls of dough down the middle.
- Bake for 11 minutes, or until goldenbrown. Let cool com pletely on the cookie sheets.
- To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the powdered sugar, butter, molasses, milk, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Mix on low until combined, increase the speed to high, and mix for 1 minute more, or until light and fluffy. Transfer the filling to a piping bag fit ted with Ateco tip #864.
- Pair the cookies together by size, and turn over every other one. Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each turned over cookie, starting around the outer edge and spiraling into the middle. Care fully sandwich the pairs.
- Store in a cool dry place for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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These cookies are insanely good!