Pumpkin Pies with Cream-Cheese

INGREDIENTS  

• 3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 t. salt 
• 1 t. baking powder 
• 1 t. baking soda 
• 2 T. ground cinnamon 
• 1 T. ground ginger 
• 1 T. ground cloves 
• 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 
• 1 cup vegetable oil 
• 3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 t. pure vanilla extract 

CREAM-CHEESE FILLING   

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar 
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 
• 1 t. pure vanilla extract 

DIRECTIONS  

1. Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350°. Spray pan lightly.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk.
3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan. 
4. Make the filling: Sift confectioner' sugar into a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. (Filling can be made up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate; let stand at room temperature to soften before using.) 
5. Assemble the pies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Transfer filling to a disposable pastry bag and snip the end. When cookies have cooled completely, pipe a large dollop of filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, pressing down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edge of the cookies. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate cookies at least 30 minutes before serving and up to 3 days. 

Recipe Author: Martha Stewart