Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brown the butter until fragrant and toasted. Let solidify until it has the consistency of softened butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; set aside.

In  a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of browned butter, dark brown sugar and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonful’s; flatten slightly.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool cookies.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Combine the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter in a large mixing bowl using a paddle attachment or you can use a hand held mixer. You want to combine the two ingredients but not overmix. Add in the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice.

Slowly add in the powdered sugar on low speed. Once it starts to combine, increase the speed. Use your spatula to scrap down the sides in order to ensure that all of the ingredients are mixed well together.

Sandwich about 1 tablespoon of frosting between two cookies. Keep refrigerated.

Yields 18-20 whoopie pies