Since I was baking gingerbread girls for camp I decided to make an extra batch of cookie dough so I could make gingersnap ice cream sandwiches. These are great cookies by themselves but with ice cream they are incredibly good - and they're a nice change from the usual ice cream sandwich. I add nutmeg to the cookies, instead of cloves, which gives them a "softer" taste...and these cookies don't get hard, even when frozen. 
The key to making these cookies is to let the dough sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour - or else it's just too sticky to work with and you'll end up adding more and more flour - and then, despite what I said above, the cookies will become hard....so let the dough chill and then you can skip the extra flour. (I made some of these last week too and I was in a hurry - didn't let the dough chill enough so I had to add extra flour - the cookies were good but they were crispy.)
Doesn't that look great?!? I roll the sandwiches in fine sugar before serving (or wrapping in plastic wrap to freezer for later.) It just makes them extra sweet...not that they need it!
Gingersnap Ice Cream Sandwiches - Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons gound ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup sugar crystals, optional
1/3 cup finely granulated sugar, optional
Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg into a bowl. Beat together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and molasses until well blended. Add flour mixture all at once and mix on low speed until just combined.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to handle, about 1 hour. Put racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough flat, about 1/4 inch thick, and using a round cutter (about 2-inches in diameter), cut out circles, carefully transferring to prepared baking sheets and placing about 1 1/2-inches apart. Sprinkle cookies with sugar crystals. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are browned and tops are cracked, about 13 to 15 minutes. Let cookies stand on sheet for 1 minute, then transfer with a metal spatual to a rack to cool completely.
To assemble the sandwich: Place 1/3 cup ice cream on back side of cookie, top with a second cookie, back side down, and gently press to spread filling to edges. Roll edge of sandwich in finely granulated sugar. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in freezer unless eating immediately.
Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 1 week. Sandwiches can be frozen for up to 1 week. Makes 18 sandwiches or 36 cookies. 
"In spite of the cost of living, it's still popular." Kathleen Norris
