Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches

*A quick note before delving into the deliciousness today: if you, over the last few days, have had trouble getting on my site when using your iPhone and have been redirected to an app store, please, please accept my profuse apologies. After hours of research, I (with some help from smart people) realized it was one of the ads displaying on my site redirecting people to the game. It was not a virus or any type of malicious software! It was just really annoying. The ad has been removed and it should not be a problem anymore. In my world of blogging, ads are a necessary evil but I draw the line when they pop up, redirect or cause extreme annoyance and I try my best to fix those types of issues ASAP when I find out about them; so I’m sorry about this. Now, on to the food!*

Whoever discovered that pumpkin and cream cheese make one of the most stellar combinations on the face of the planet should be awarded some great medal or a lifetime of pumpkin cookies sandwiched with cream cheese filling at the very least. I love, love, love pumpkin and cream cheese together and these pudgy sweet sandwiches are probably my favorite pumpkin/cream cheese combo yet.

The cookies are lightly sweet and perfectly soft with fantastic pumpkin flavor. The filling? Oh, the filling. It’s like falling headfirst into luxurious clouds of sweetened whipped cream and cream cheese. Piled in between the spiced layers of pumpkin cookie and the whole thing is divine. Just divine.

I’m pretty sure pumpkin pie and pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pasta and pumpkin whatever can just take a hike because I’ve decided I’m just going to love on these pumpkin cream sandwiches and these pumpkin cream sandwiches alone for the rest of the fall/pumpkin season thankyouverymuch.

One Year Ago: Caramel Apple Cider Floats
Two Years Ago: Peanut Butter Texas Sheet Cake
Three Years Ago: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping

Yield: Makes 8-12 sandwich cookies

Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches

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Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Filling:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer) until the mixture is smooth. Add the pumpkin, vanilla and egg and mix until well combined.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and beat on low speed until combined.
4. Scoop out heaping tablespoons of the dough onto parchment or silpat-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart (I put about 6 per baking sheet). Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are puffed and baked through. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. For the cream filling, in a large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and heavy whipping cream for 1-2 minutes until well combined and starting to thicken. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and continue beating until the filling is thick and fluffy and smooth.
6. Match up the cookies according to similar size and shape. Spread half the cooled cookies with the cream mixture (load it on there!) and top with the remaining cookies.
7. Store in the refrigerator until serving.

Notes:

If you don’t want to measure out all those little spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice), sub all four with about 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I never have it on hand which is why I opt for the various spices).

All images and text ©Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Recipe Source: adapted from an old Real Simple magazine from 2007