Gingerbread Cookie Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1.5 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1.5 cups confectioners' sugar 
• 1 cup brown sugar dark packed (firmly )
• 1 large eggs 
• 3.5 cups flour all-purpose
• 0.5 cup granulated sugar 
• 0.3 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 0.3 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1.5 teaspoons ground ginger 
• 0.1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 tablespoon milk as needed plus more
• 0.3 cup blackstrap molasses 
• 0.3 cup butter unsalted at room temperature
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract pure

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• baking paper
• oven
• plastic wrap
• cookie cutter
• stand mixer

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, bakingsoda, salt, and spices; set aside. In the bowlof a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugarstogether until they appear light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg and mix to combine.
3. Add themolasses and mix to combine, scraping downthe sides of the bowl once if needed.
4. Working in three batches, add the dry ingredients,mixing between each addition untiljust incorporated.
5. Remove the dough andturn it out onto a sheet of plastic wrap; forminto a disk, wrap tightly and refrigerate untilfirm, at least 2 hours. (Dough can be made upto 1 day ahead.)
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Remove the doughand cut it in half. Re-wrap one half and placeback in the fridge; let the other sit at roomtemperature a few minutes to soften slightly.Lightly flour a work surface and your rollingpin, and roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick.
8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Using cookie cutters, cut out the gingerbreadmen, and transfer to the prepared sheets.(If the dough feels very soft, refrigerate thegingerbread men on the baking sheet for15 minutes before placing in the oven tobake.)
9. Bake until cookies appear firm and likethey're just starting to crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.
10. Remove and let cool on the sheet 5 minutes,then transfer to racks to cool completely.
11. Meanwhile, make the sandwich filling. Beattogether the butter, vanilla, and salt untilfluffy.
12. Add the confectioners' sugar in 2batches and beat on low speed until incorporated.
13. Add the milk and beat until the mixtureis thick but spreadable, adding more milk in1 teaspoon increments as needed.
14. Spreadsome of the icing onto half of the cooledgingerbread men; sandwich each with anothercookie.
15. Reprinted with permission from Family Celebrations with the Cake Boss by Buddy Valastro, © 2013 Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.