Perfect Fall Cookies

Well, things have been busy around here! Luckily they have been busy with lots of things I have to share with you! This past weekend has included a beer fest, a meal o' crock pots, and Canadian Thanksgiving. So there is much to come! First, however, I'm going to bring you an excellent fall cookie recipe.

Of course, I'm always wishing my sister was around to do the baking for me, but since that's not the case I had to step it up. I saw the recipe for this on Brown Eyed Baker and knew that I would love the pumpkin cookie and hubby would love the cream cheese icing. Anyone who knows him and me knows that we make an excellent couple because I eat the cake and he eats the icing we're always looking out for each other. Anyway, I saw these and wanted to make them for him. I saw the perfect opportunity when the pops and the bro-in-law came to visit this weekend.

This recipe is phenomenal. The cookies are soft and moist and the icing is delicious. My only comment is that the icing was just slightly grainy from the powdered sugar. It tasted great as is, and you couldn't tell when it was sandwiched in between two cookies (who do you think was eating the icing alone?) but I might cut down the sugar by 1/4 cup next time.

I halved this recipe, but sort of regret it and wish I had made the whole thing. This is the original recipe.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
not really adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

for the whoopie pies:
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 c. sugar
1 c. dark or light brown sugar
1 c. canola or vegetable oil
3 c. canned pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

for the filling:
3 c. powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 c. butter (room temperature)
3 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, or just use non-stick. Whisk the sugar and brown sugar and the oil together. Add the canned pumpkin and whisk together. Lastly, add the vanilla and eggs together and continue to whisk until well-combined.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the flour is combined. Use a large spoon to drop rounded spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are just beginning to crack. Let the cookies cool completely.

To make the filling beat the butter on medium with an electric mixer until it is smooth. Add in the cream cheese and continue to beat until smooth once more. Add the powdered sugar, about 1/3 - 1/2 cup at a time and beat until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract and maple syrup and beat until combined.

Assemble the cookies by spreading (or piping) the filling onto half the cookies. Top them with the other half. If you're my husband, spread some more icing on top of the sandwich. Otherwise enjoy as is!