My all time favorite cookie

These are my favorite cookies to make, give away as gifts, and eat!  They are a bit like a ginger snap but the espresso adds a special kick and the brown sugar frosting is perfect.  One cookie with a cup of tea or coffee is a real treat.  I have some dough chilling in the fridge tonight and maybe after I bake and assemble them tomorrow, I'll add a picture or two, but for those of you who have been asking here's the recipe:

Espresso Brown Sugar Sandwich Cookies

2 ¼ cups all purpose flour

3 TBSP. instant espresso powder

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. cloves

¾ cup butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

¼ cup molasses

In a medium bowl, combine flour, espresso powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating on low speed until combined.  Beat in the egg and molasses until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer.  Stir in any remaining flour mixture.  Cover and chill dough for 2 hours or until easy to handle.

Shape dough into 1 ½ inch balls.  Roll ball in turbinado sugar (optional).  Place about 2 ½ inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Flatten balls slightly.  Bake in a 350 oven for 12 -15 minutes or til edges are set.  (My note:  I do them the shorter time because I like them chewy and soft, be sure not to overcook them!).  Transfer to wire rack and let cool.  Frost bottoms of half the cookies with a generous 1 tablespoon of brown sugar frosting.  Place remaining cookies atop the iced sides of cookies to create sandwich cookies

Brown Sugar Frosting

1 cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup butter

¼ cup half and half

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

In a heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and half and jalf.  Cook and stire over medium heat to a full boil;  boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth.  Let cool until of spreading consistency; which occasionally.  Use to frost cookies.

(I believe this recipe was from Real Simple magazine, but I don't know what issue - I cut the recipe out and slipped it into a plastic sleeve in my recipe notebook)