Have you been “Booed?”  It’s a cute neighborhood tradition where a treat is left on your doorstep by a “phantom ghost.”  You have two days to go out and “Boo” two more neighbors.  We got “Booed” the other night, by a not so phantom ghost.  Unfortunately, my husband caught the ghost.  We probably would have figured it out anyway, given the beautiful and creative handiwork of the person who put the package together.

My daughter and husband just returned from delivering our packages.  Inside, Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies.  I got this recipe from a Land O’Lakes ad in a magazine.  They are pretty delicious.  I made them a couple of years ago and gave some to a friend who thought they tasted just like Starbucks Pumpkin Bread.

The one problem with these cookies is that they have NEVER turn out like the photo with the recipe.  I have tried dropping them with a spoon, and the recommended use of a piping bag.  Be warned – they bake exactly as they lay when you pop them in the oven.  Hence the reason they’ve never looked like the photo.

I will also say, I halved the filling recipe and still had leftover.  Regardless of what they look like, they are still yummy and delicious!

The reality is even if your recipe doesn’t turn out like the picture {your cookies look more like whoopie pies as opposed to macaroons} as long as it tastes good, no one cares.

Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

Cookie

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup milk

1 Land O Lakes® All-Natural Egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons Land O Lakes®® Butter, softened

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Decoration

Powdered sugar

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.  Set aside.

Combine brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter in large bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add pumpkin, milk, egg and vanilla; beat until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture. Beat until well mixed.

Drop batter by level measuring tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until set and lightly browned around edges. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Combine all filling ingredients except powdered sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, beating well after each addition until creamy.

Spread 2 teaspoons filling onto bottom-side of 1 cookie. Top with another cookie, bottom-side down. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Sprinkle filled cookies with powdered sugar.

*Substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.