- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
- 3 tablespoons strong brewed coffee at room temperature
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh gingerroot
- 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
- 4 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Zest of one orange
Instructions:
- To prepare cookies, sift together flour, pepper, ground ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- In a small bowl stir together molasses and coffee. In a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed beat together butter and brown sugar until light and creamy.
- With mixer at low speed beat in gingerroot. Beat in flour mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
- Divide dough into thirds. Form each third into a ball and flatten to form disks. Chill disks, wrapped separately in plastic wrap, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Break off egg-size pieces from 1 disk (keep remaining 2 disks chilled) and with heel of hand smear each piece once in a forward motion. Gather pieces together and give dough a few smears to bring together. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 disks.
- On a lightly floured work surface roll out one third of dough into a 22- by 8-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick), making sure dough is not sticking to surface (use a pastry scraper to lift dough; sprinkle surface with additional flour if sticking). With a 2-inch gingerbread man cutter or 3 1/2-inch candy cane cutter cut out shapes, transferring with a spatula to baking sheets and arranging about 1/2 inch apart.
- Bake cookies in batches in lower third of oven 6 to 8 minutes, or until crisp. Transfer cookies to racks to cool.
- To prepare filling, combine the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and orange zest and mix at low speed until combined.
- Assemble multi-layered sandwiches by alternating cookies and filling as desired.
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