Ginger Orange Cookie Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

Makes 12 cookie sandwiches

• For cookies
• 1 stick butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup molasses 
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• For orange buttercream
• 1 stick butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Zest of 1 orange

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, molasses, and vanilla and blend. Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves and mix. 
• Scoop and roll into small balls (about a tablespoon in size). Place on baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. 
• Let cool. Move cookies to a wire rack after a few minutes to finish cooling.
• Make orange buttercream- Beat butter until smooth. Add sugar, juice, and zest then beat until smooth. 
• Transfer buttercream to piping bag and pipe onto the bottom of half of the cookies. Top each cookie with another cookie.