Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, beat the butter and the sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the molasses and mix until incorporated.

Add the egg and mix until incorporated.

With the mixer on low, stir in the dry ingredients.

Using a 1 ounce cookie scoop, make 1-ounce cookie dough balls. Once you scoop them, also use your hands to round them into a ball.

Place the cookie dough balls on the parchment lined baking sheet. Using another piece of small parchment paper and a cup with a flat bottom, place the parchment on a cookie dough ball and use the bottom of the cup to flatten the dough to about 1/4-inch thick.

Once you’ve flattened the dough, place each cookie into the sanding sugar. The dough will not be sticky so you may have to help press the sanding sugar on the cookie. I even add sanding sugar on top of the cookie once I’ve placed it back on the cookie sheet.

Place the cookies about 2 inches apart from each other (I fit 8 cookies on one baking sheet).

Bake the cookies for about 7 to 8 minutes. Don’t overtake. As they cool, they will set, but we want to make sure these cookies are soft and chewy on the inside.

Once the cookies are cooled completely, fill with lemon buttercream.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Slowly add the powdered sugar, followed by the lemon extract, heavy whipping cream and salt.

Continue to beat on medium-high speed until the buttercream is nearly white in color.

Use a piping bag to pipe buttercream on half of the cookies. Press the other cookies on top, gently pressing down to spread the buttercream to the edge of the cookies.