1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
1 1/2 t. ground ginger
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger*
Apple Buttercream frosting
Slivered crystallized ginger for garnish
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients, except flour and crystallized ginger, until blended (mixture will look curdled).
2. With mixer on low speed, add flour and beat just until blended; stir in crystallized ginger.
3. Drop by level tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes until tops look dry. Cool on baking sheet 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
4. Spread a rounded teaspoon buttercream frosting on each cooled cookie. Sprinkle with slivered crystallized ginger. Refrigerate in an airtight container with wax paper between layers.
Apple Buttercream Frosting
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 T. butter, softened
2 C. powdered sugar
1 T. apple juice
1/2 t. vanilla
Beat ingredients in medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Then beat on high speed 1 minute until fluffy.
*I bought the crystallized ginger. I chopped it up as finely as I could. And then, as I was about to stir it in to the cookie dough, I chickened out and decided not to add it. They have a soft, subtle ginger taste without it and I didn't want to ruin it! But now I want to try another batch with the crystallized ginger and taste these babies in full strength!
