Mary’s Amazing Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease cookie sheets. In a large bowl beat butter and the 1 cup granulated sugar with a mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Add eggs; beat well. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.

Scoop the soft dough into twenty-four 1 3/4 inch balls. Roll balls in granulated or coarse sugar. Arrange balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are firm and starting to lightly brown. Cool on cookie sheets 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

For filling, in a medium bowl beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla with a mixer on medium until smooth. Spread filling on flat sides of half of the cookies. Press flat sides of remaining cookies against filling. Cover and chill assembled whoopee pies up to 24 hours.