Not Dead Yet! Ginger Snaps with Cream Cheese Icing

Dear dear world,
I write to convey my sincerest and warmest apologies. I know that the internet says that you shouldn't apologize for the neglect of one's blog. But I really really am so remorseful! However, here I am. I am alive. I still have mobile limbs. My kitchen did not blow up in a freak accident. I am not dead yet!
I merely went to school. 
I live in this really great building with 75 other women and NO LEGITIMATE KITCHEN. I mean, we have one. But there isn't a fridge to keep things like butter and eggs and whole cream. And no baking dishes or mixer. You can only bring so many things with you to a dorm room. 

(Yes. I live in a dorm. I'm almost 24 and too stinking poor to live in an apartment. It's a sad story.)  
But there is this really happy ending to the story. :)

Here we go.
Once upon a time there was an average girl who loved to bake (that's me!) She moved out and went to school so that she could be learn all sorts of fascinating things about how to be a great teacher. She got really excited about having her own classroom, creating bulletin boards, even lesson planning. She met all sorts of wonderful people and learned to love them. She stayed up late and laughed. She went to bed early and slept like a rock. Her life was suddenly filled with late night fast food, early mornings, long papers, and many social engagements. But it wasn't all beautiful and good. She didn't have a kitchen. :( She was in despair because of the lack of kitchen in her life. But then she went home on weekends, took over her mother's kitchen, and was happy once more. What's even better (and gives this story a wonderfully happy ending) is now she had an entire floor of college girls to share her baked goods with. One plate of cupcakes was gone in an hour! No more cajoling family members to "Just try one! It doesn't even need to be a frosted one..." just set down a collection of sugar and butter creations and BAM! Gone within a day. It was a lovely existence.

This past weekend's baking adventures? Homemade Gingersnaps with Cream Cheese Icing. And pumpkin muffins, too, but that's another blog post for another day. :)

 

You'll have to forgive the not-so-spectacular photos. I have no access to a proper camera currently and some of them are children of the instagram (blech). But the cookies were stellar. Everyone said they tasted like Christmas...and Christmas tastes like joy, spice, and comfort.

Gingersnaps with Cream Cheese Icing
Cookies:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Icing:
1/4 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
zest and juice of one orange

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In your mixer cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and mix thouroughly. Add molasses and mix until well combined. In a separate small bowl, mix dry ingredients with a fork and gradually mix into the butter and sugar mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary. Chill dough 15 minutes.

 

Scoop onto a cookie sheet in rounded Tablespoon balls. Press lightly with fingers or back of the spoon to flatten. Bake 9-11 minutes until cookies are golden brown. Cool on wire rack before frosting.
Icing:
Cream together butter, cream cheese, and orange zest and juice. Add sugar one cup at a time until smooth. Once cookies are cooled place a generous amount of icing in between cookies creating sandwiches. Store in the refrigerator for the best results. ;) That is, if you leftovers to store.