Description
These Gingerbread Yule Log Cookies are festive and fun treats featuring a spiced gingerbread dough rolled with a zesty lime-infused Nutella filling. Perfect for holiday celebrations, they combine the warm flavors of cinnamon and ginger with a creamy, chocolate-hazelnut twist, baked into charming log-shaped cookies.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ cups flour
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cups light corn syrup
- ⅔ cups packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup margarine
- ½ cup cream cheese
Filling
- 1 lime
- ½ cup Nutella (hazelnut and chocolate spread)
- ¾ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and baking powder until well combined.
- Melt Wet Ingredients: In a large saucepan over low heat, combine the light corn syrup, light brown sugar, and margarine. Stir constantly until the margarine has fully melted to create a smooth mixture.
- Form Dough: Pour the warm liquid mixture into the dry ingredients, then add the cream cheese. Mix well with a spoon, and as the dough stiffens, use your hands to knead it until fully combined.
- Chill Dough: Refrigerate the dough for about 15 minutes, or until it is firm enough to handle but not too cold to crack excessively.
- Roll Out Dough: On a sheet of parchment paper, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Trim it into a neat rectangle roughly 10 inches by 5 or 6 inches. You should be able to make three of these rectangles.
- Prepare Filling: Squeeze the juice from the lime and grate the zest finely. Mix the lime zest into the Nutella spread to add a fresh citrus flavor.
- Spread Filling: Spread the lime zest and Nutella mixture evenly but thinly onto each dough rectangle, thinning it out near the edges to prevent overflow when rolling.
- Roll Logs: Starting from the long edge, carefully roll each rectangle into a log shape, seam side down. Expect some cracking which enhances the log-like appearance.
- Shape and Cut: Cut each large log into about four smaller logs for bite-sized cookies. Use the front and back of a butter knife to etch bark-like lines onto the logs to mimic a wood texture.
- Bake: Place cookies on the lined baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden brown, ensuring the gingerbread remains soft.
- Cool Cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving or decorating.
Notes
- Chill the dough just long enough (10-15 minutes) to avoid excessive cracking or stickiness.
- Always roll dough on parchment paper; wax paper can melt and stick.
- Trim rectangles neatly to make clean, even logs that roll without gaps.
- Spread the Nutella thinner near the edges to prevent filling from oozing out during rolling.
- Roll slowly and evenly from the long side to minimize cracking and maintain tight spirals.
- Keep the seam side of the log down when rolling and cutting to prevent unrolling.
- Use a sharp non-serrated knife to cut logs for clean slices that hold their shape.
- Etch bark lines before baking to help maintain the wood-like texture.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be lightly golden on the bottom for softness.
- Add holly sprinkles or decorations after glazing sets to avoid sliding or color bleeding.
- Freeze undecorated cookies for best freshness; decorate after thawing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
