Pumpkin Spice Sandwich Cookies

Now that October and chillier temps are here, pumpkins are everywhere from the Farmers Markets to the supermarkets and I feel the overwhelming desire to bake all things pumpkin!!
I found this recipe in my search for a "pumpkiny" sandwich kind of cookie with lots of spices. I already made the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies and they are great but I wanted something more cookie like.
This recipe is from the Land O Lakes site. I made them exactly as the recipe instructs but if I make them again, which I'm sure I will, I'll add a pinch of either black or white pepper for a little more "kick". The flavor was wonderful, I could really taste the pumpkin and spices and the filling...oh my gosh...delish!!

Combine the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, whisk and set aside.

Combine brown sugar and butter in mixing bowl and beat on medium speed til creamy.

Add pumpkin puree, milk, egg and vanilla and beat til well mixed. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. Beat til well blended.

Scoop out and drop dough, tablespoon size, onto ungreased sheet spacing about 2" apart.

Recipe says to bake 9 - 10 minutes but I baked them a minute or two longer ( probably because I made mine a bit larger that the tablespoon size called for in the recipe.)

After about one minute, I like to scrape the cookies loose with a spatula just in case they might stick to the sheet. Then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

Make the filling by beating, with a hand held mixer, all the ingredients except the powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time.

Spread filling onto a cookie and top with another cookie to make a sandwich.

Pumpkin Spice Sandwich Cookies

2 cups AP flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice(I made my own: 1/2 tsp. cinnamon,1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/8 tsp cloves, pinch of black or white pepper).

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter-softened

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Filling

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese-softened

2 tbsp. unsalted butter-softened

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350.

1. Combine 1st. 5 ingredients. Set aside.

2. Combine sugar and butter in mixing bowl and beat on med. speed til creamy.

3. Add pumpkin, milk, egg, vanilla and beat til well mixed.

4. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. Beat til well blended.

5. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

6. Bake 9-10 minutes(or a minute or 2 longer if making larger cookies.).

7. Cool on sheet pan a minute or 2 and transfer to wire to cool completely.

Filling:

1. Combine all ingred. in med. bowl except powdered sugar and beat well.

2. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat smooth.

3. Spread some filling onto a cookie and top with other cookie to make a sandwich. Enjoy!!