Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Cream Cheese Filling - cooking recipe

Ingredients

For the filling
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Cookies
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons dark molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree (canned)
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preparation

For the Filling: Beat Cream Cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth.
For the Cookies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Whisk first 8 ingredients in medium bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, molasses and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
Beat in pumpkin.
Beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk in 2 additions, beating until just combined.
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
Bake cookies 1 sheet at a time until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 13 minutes.
Cool cookies on sheet.
Repeat with remaining dough. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.).
To Assemble: Spread 2 tablespoons filing on flat side of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, forming sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.