20(ish)--- Pumpkin Oatmeal Whoopie Pies with Chai Cream Cheese Filling

It's that time of year when I go to a coffee shop and have a serious debate, "Skinny decaf pumpkin spice latte or a chai tea?".  This cookie combo gives you the best of both worlds.  

These get the little "ish" disclaimer because I substituted out a little fat for some pumpkin and added some healthy walnuts, then reduced the sugar content.  Still a 20, but they could be worse.  Yes, I do make the rules around here. 

PS: I'm going to go ahead and give myself a little pat on the back for, at 38 weeks pregnant, making something that requires more than two steps and four ingredients.  And it was totally worth it.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Whoopie Pies with Chai Cream Cheese Filling
Makes 12 

COOKIES
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup pure pumpkin puree
2 eggs
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

FILLING
3 oz light cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp butter, softened
3 Tbsp milk
1 black tea bag
1 2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves

For COOKIES:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Use a mixer to whip together pumpkin, butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.  When combined add in maple syrup, vanilla, and eggs.  Mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine oats, baking soda, flour, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.  Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and mix well.  Fold in chopped walnuts.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Spoon 2 Tbsp batter into mounds on sheets, separating each by  ~1 1/2".  Bake one sheet at a time, on the lower rack, for ~10 minutes or until cookies are set and slightly brown around edges.  Remove from oven and allow to cool ~3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

For FILLING:

Heat milk in a mug in the microwave for ~30 seconds.  Add black tea bag and allow to seep for 5 minutes.  Remove bag (squeeze into milk to remove liquid) and add milk to a medium mixing bowl.  

Add cream cheese, softened butter, and spices to bowl.  Use a mixer to beat until smooth.  Add powdered sugar, 2/3 cup at a time, and continue to beat until consistency is smooth.

Place filling in a plastic bag and seal.  Cut off 1/2" wide corner of the bag (to form a piping bag).

For ASSEMBLY:

Make sure that cookies have cooled completely before filling.  Squeeze ~2 Tbsp filling onto the bottom side of a cookie, then sandwich another cookie onto filling.  Repeat until all cookies are used. 

Refrigerate cookies (covered) for at least 15 minutes prior to serving.  Store cookies in refrigerator.