Ginger Molasses Cream Pies aka Spiced Cream Pies

Ingredients:

• GINGER MOLASSES COOKIES:
• 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 TBLSP ground ginger
• 1 TBLSP ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks), softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup molasses
• CREAM FILLING:
• 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 TBLSP heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt as needed

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt, and set aside.

3. In stand mixer, on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs and mix until incorporated. Then add molasses and mix until well blended and the molasses is fully incorporated throughout the mixture. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture about one-third at a time until it is fully incorporated with the butter mixture.

4. Using a cookie scoop (I use a 2 TBLSP scoop), scoop out dough and place on prepared cookie sheets about 2" apart. You should get about 44 to 46 cookies (or 22-23 cream pies) out of one batch. This recipe can easily be cut in half.

5. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 9 minutes, then turn baking sheets and bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes. You should see just a little browning toward the bottom of the cookie and the top should have some cracking. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. I leave the cookies on the baking sheet to cool, but feel free to place cookies directly on the cooling rack after about 5 minutes to cool the remainder of the way.

6. While the cookies are cooling, make your cream filling. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat softened butter on high until smooth, about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and mix on low until incorporated, then increase speed to medium and beat for about 2 minutes. Add heavy cream and vanilla and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed to reduce a bit of the sweetness, and then beat to incorporate the salt.

7. Once your cookies are cooled, you are ready to assemble your "pies." To assemble, spread about 1.5 TBLSP of cream on the bottom of one cookie and cover with bottom of second cookie to create your "pies". Taste and enjoy!