Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Cookies

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup shortening
• 2-3 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Blend in pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into the wet and mix thoroughly. On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop rounded spoonfuls of cookie batter and bake at 350 degrees F for 7-10 minutes, depending on size. Remove baked cookies to wire rack to cool.

Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer. Add 2 to 3 cups of powdered sugar and blend. More powdered sugar creates a firmer filling. Add vanilla and whip on high speed until desired consistency is achieved. Please note your kitchen's temperature note below.

Cookies should be at room temperature before filling. Frost the flat underside of one pumpkin cookie and top with another right side up to form a filled pumpkin cookie. These are nice to bake for Thanksgiving when guests desire a little sweet treat but are too full for pie. :))) Some bakers lightly roll the sides of cream filled cookies in finely chopped nuts and serve along with plain whoopie pies for a pretty mixed cookie platter. If your kitchen is very warm from baking, delay the filling process or the cookie filling will ooze out the side.

By Kathy from Western PA