Description
Delightfully spiced pumpkin sandwich cookies filled with creamy, colorful cream cheese frosting. Perfect for fall gatherings and Halloween treats, these cookies combine soft pumpkin flavors with a sweet and smooth frosting, enhanced by festive orange and black colors.
Ingredients
Scale
Pumpkin Cookies
- 2⅓ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2.5-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon milk
- Orange food color
- Black food color
Instructions
- Prepare dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.
- Cream butter and sugar: Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer, beat the unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and continue to cream together until light and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to form a sticky dough.
- Chill dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm it up, making it easier to handle due to its stickiness.
- Shape cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop about 1/8 cup (approximately 2 tablespoons) of dough per cookie. Optionally, press each cookie dough ball gently with the back of a measuring cup to flatten for a thinner cookie.
- Bake cookies: Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes until set. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Make frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat together softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and milk until frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Color frosting: Divide frosting into three portions. Leave one portion plain, color one with orange food coloring and another with black food coloring, mixing well to achieve vibrant colors.
- Assemble sandwiches: Transfer frosting to a piping bag or use a spoon. Place one cookie on a flat surface, pipe or spoon frosting onto it, and top with another cookie to form a sandwich. Repeat until all cookies are assembled.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to make it easier to handle and helps cookies maintain shape during baking.
- Pressing the cookies to flatten before baking is optional depending on desired thickness.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth mixing and better texture.
- You can adjust food coloring amounts to achieve your preferred shade for festive decorating.
- Store sandwich cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter and cream cheese with vegan alternatives.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
