Ingredients
Units
For the cookies:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose or cake flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch of nutmeg and cloves
- OR use 1 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix instead of the spices above
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons (30g) butter, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (60g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Turn the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
For the cookies:
- In a bowl, mix the oil with the sugar.
- Add the pumpkin puree and mix.
- Add egg, vanilla, and spices and incorporate very well.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda) in 2 parts and mix without beating. You will have a soft mixture. Sift the flour mixture before or have it measured and sift it directly over the pumpkin batter, as I do.
- Spoon tablespoons onto the prepared sheets, leaving an inch or two between them.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until dry and puffed.
- Let cool on a metal rack.
- Fill half the rounds with 2 teaspoons per cookie and cover with a plain round, making a sandwich. They are squishy.
- Leftovers can be left covered at room temperature or refrigerated (my choice).
For the filling:
- Mix butter and cheese until creamy and smooth.
- Add powdered sugar little by little until it is very thick. Add more sugar if you want a thicker mixture.
Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Pumpkin: fresh or canned puree, both work. And you can use butternut squash puree. Here's the perfect homemade recipe for pumpkin puree.
- Spices: use a homemade pumpkin spice mix or store-bought. It's your palate, so adjust to what you like. Also, just ground cinnamon and ginger work if that's all you have.
- Oil: I use a neutral oil, like sunflower, but this recipe works with coconut oil, canola, or even a mild olive oil.
- Sugar: the flavor of white and brown sugars together is unbeatable, IMO, but use only one if that's all you have.
- Preparing the pan: I find that parchment paper works very well. Another option is a buttered and floured cookie sheet.
- Cooling down: these are sticky and similar to soft cookies, so let them cool a bit before trying to remove them from the pan. Cool them completely on a wire rack before filling.
- Refrigerated dough: I have baked this immediately after mixing the batter and refrigerating it for 12 hours. I had pretty much the same result.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American