Pumpkin Molasses Sandwich Cookies
Soft and chewy Pumpkin Molasses Cookies sandwiched together with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting is like eating easy desserts at home with your loved ones. Messy? A little, but so worth a little cream cheese on your fingers. Thanksgiving has come and gone, so now it’s time to switch my baking gears from all things pumpkin to all things cookies which you can check out cooking videos, an example would be the video below on how to make this lovely easy dessert recipes. However, judging from the post title, I can’t quite give up my pumpkin obsession, so I figured I’d combine the best of both worlds with Pumpkin Molasses Sandwich Cookies. While on a recent trip, I was meandering through the aisles and came across Pumpkin Cheesecake Sandwich Cookies. Hello! Two of my most favorite things in the world combined into a holiday cookie? Sold. Sort of. Instead of chucking the preservative-filled box into my cart, I exercised what little restraint I have while in Target and decided to make them myself.
INGREDIENTS:
For the Cookies
2 1/3 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tablespoon homemade pumpkin pie spice
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup molasses
2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
For the Filling
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
For the Cookies
1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar, molasses, and pumpkin puree and beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and beat for 1 minute more.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until the flour and spices disappear. If flour remains in the bottom of the bowl, mix the last of the dry ingredients by hand to avoid over beating. You will have a very soft dough.
4. Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The dough is sticky, so the longer time it can chill the easier it is to work with.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Put the sugar in a small bowl. Working with one packet of dough at a time, divide it into 24 pieces (or use a small cookie scoop), and roll each piece into a ball. Roll the balls in the sugar, then place dough balls on prepared cookie sheets and use a the bottom of a glass to ever-so-gently press down on the cookies. Do not over crowd.
7. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 7-9 minutes, or until the top feels set to the touch. Remove baking sheets from the oven. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on the sheets before transferring them to a cooling rack.
8. Repeat with second batch of dough.
For the Filling
1. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, combine cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Mix on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and mix for about one minute. Add in vanilla and continue mixing on low speed until vanilla in fully incorporated.
2. To assemble the cookies, pipe or spread the filling on the bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie and press together gently to create a sandwich cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies.
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