In a small bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornmeal, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment, combine 1 cup unsalted butter and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar and mix on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and and 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest and mix until combined. Lower the mixer to its lowest speed and add the dry ingredients (from the first step); mix until well combined, about 3 minutes.
When all the ingredients are well combined, shape into a small mound (I formed mine into a 6-inch square block), wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
When the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Unwrap the dough and place it between two pieces of wax paper. Use a rolling pin to flatten out the dough into a 1/4-inch thick sheet. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut rounds from the dough and space them 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cornmeal across all the cookies, until evenly distributed.
Bake until pale golden, about 12 - 15 minutes. They will seem underbaked, but the cookies should still be soft when you pull them out in the oven — this is the ideal texture for an ice cream sandwich cookies!
Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Once the cookies have cooled completely, transfer to a tupperware and allow to chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight. When the cookies have chilled, make the ice cream sandwiches.