I promise I’ll take a break from the pumpkin recipes soon, but I’m on a roll so just stick with me for a couple more. Today we’re making spiced pumpkin cookie sandwiches with a rich chocolate filling.
I wasn’t even sure what to classify these as. Somewhere between a muffin and a cookie, these have a more cakey and dense texture. The recipe is an adaptation of a cookie recipe from my Grandma Linda’s cookbook (as always). They’re only slightly sweet, so if that’s not your thing then just add a little more sugar to this recipe. The flavor mostly comes from the pumpkin and spices.
When making the cookies, you’re going to want to take out any excess liquid from your pumpkin puree. To do this, I just line a colander with paper towels and spoon about a cup into it. Then I used more paper towels to blot it and squeeze any extra liquid. You’ll want to measure out your 3/4 cup after doing this.
I chose to make the cookies not very sweet because I knew I wanted to add a rich chocolate filling, which definitely makes up for the lack of sugar content. The chocolate filling is reminiscent of a chocolate ganache and can be either piped on or spread with a knife. This filling recipe is great because it keeps well and doesn’t melt too easily, which is especially helpful when dealing with a heavier cookie.
Now onto my favorite part: shaping the cookies. If you’ve seen an earlier post of mine (for Mungbean Mooncakes), you know that I am in possession of a couple of mooncake molds. I didn’t know what else I would even use them for, but I always thought that they’d make very pretty cookies. And I was right! I loved the way these looked, even after they expanded in the oven and lost some of the details.
I ended up making my cookies a little too thick, but I think rolling them out a little thinner (probably a little less than 1/4-inch) would help make these slightly less cakey and they may hold their shape a little better. It’ll also help to maintain a good balance with the chocolate, and prevent the sandwiches from being too cookie-heavy (since these are already a little dense). Don’t worry, they’ll puff up while baking in the oven.
These would make the perfect holiday gift, since they’re super pretty and have all the necessary fall flavors. Enjoy these cookies with a cup of milk or a mug of hot chocolate!
Pumpkin and Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches
Ingredients
For the cookie:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the chocolate filling:
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Prep your pumpkin puree:
- Squeeze out as much moisture as you can from your pumpkin puree. Line a colander with paper towels and place approximately 1 cup of pumpkin puree inside.
- Using as many paper towels as you need, squeeze and blot the pumpkin puree. You can also let it sit in the colander for a little while to drain.
Make the cookies:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream butter and sugars.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and blotted pumpkin puree. Mix until well combined.
- In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Cover your dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350° F. On a well-floured surface, turn out your cookie dough. Roll out to a 1/4-inch thickness. As it warms up, the dough will become much softer and stickier, so make sure to keep it well floured.
- Using a cookie cutter or mold of your choice, cut out your cookies and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once you've cut out all that you can, gather the excess dough and roll it out again. Continue the process until you've used all the dough. If you don't want to use a cookie-cutter, you can skip rolling out your dough and just roll and flatten a tablespoon of dough into small discs.
- Place your tray of cookies in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until very firm.
- Bake your cookies for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and set all the way through.
- Once cookies are done baking, let them sit on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the chocolate filling:
- Once your cookies are fully cooled, start on your chocolate filling. In a small bowl, mix your powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter and corn syrup with a mixer or by hand. Add the vanilla and mix until well combined.
- Add half of your cocoa mixture to your butter mixture. Beat until combined. Add the rest and beat until well blended, making sure to incorporate all ingredients.
- Scoop your chocolate filling into a ziplock bag or pastry bag. Cut the corner to create s 1/4 to 1/2-inch opening.
- Once cookies are completely cooled, pipe the chocolate filling onto the bottom of one. If you don't want to pipe the filling, you can also spread it with a knife. Take a second cookie and press into the filling to adhere the two cookies.
- Continue with the rest of the cookies and filling. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week (keep in the fridge to prolong shelf life). Enjoy!
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