Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

Submitted by Busters friend

"Ah, pumpkin! Little sandwich cookies full of delicious, healthy spicy pumpkin & smooth & creamy cream cheese filling. Wonderful with a mug of hot cider (or even Recipe#235381 if you are staying home by the fire). Found in The Washington Post who adapted it from a Land O' Lakes recipe (mmmm butter). The cookie sandwiches be made assembled, covered and refrigerated for 3 days. Unfilled cookies can be cooled completely, individually wrapped with plastic wrap and frozen for a month. Defrost, still wrapped, for 30 minutes at room temperature before filling. The filling can be assembled and refrigerated up to to 4 days in advance. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. Makes 2 1/2 dozen bite-size sandwich cookies or about sixteen 2-inch sandwich cookies."

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Yields: 16-30 sandwich cookies

ingredients

• For the cookies

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (may substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
• 1⁄2 cup canned pumpkin (100-percent pure)
• 1⁄4 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• For the filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 -4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted plus more for optional dusting

directions

1. For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have ready 2 ungreased baking sheets.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice blend, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Combine the brown sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer; beat at medium speed for 3 minutes, until creamy. Stop to add the pumpkin puree, milk, egg and vanilla extract; beat on medium-low spead for 2 minutes, until all ingredients are incorporated. Reduce the speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined.
4. Drop level tablespoonfuls of dough onto each baking sheet, spaced about 1 inch apart (the cookies do not spread much). Bake one sheet at a time, for 9 to 12 minutes or until set; they should spring back when lightly pressed. Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet; then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat to use all the dough, making a total of 60 cookies.
5. To make 2-inch cookies, drop 2-tablespoon amounts of dough on the sheets. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until set and springy to the touch. Cool as directed above; repeat to use all the dough, making a total of 32 cookies.
6. For the filling: Combine the cream cheese, butter, cinnamon and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat at medium speed 3 minutes until smooth, stopping often to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar, or up to 4 cups as needed, beating well after each addition until the mixture is creamy. (More sugar means a stiffer filling.).
7. Turn half the cookies flat-sides up. Spread each one with 2 teaspoons of the filling, then top with the remaining cookies. If desired, dust the tops of the cookies with confectioners' sugar just before serving.