Fall: Pumpkin Maple Leaf Sandwich Cookies...a cookie in a cookie

It is officially fall in D.C. the temperature has dropped, the leaves are starting to fall and canned pumpkin is finally on the shelves.  Fall, when you can finally run outside and breath...you hear the crunch of leaves below your feet...and there are those nights where a jacket is the perfect accessory. 

This weekend, although cold and rainy, was a blast.  There was craft fair...yay Craft Bastards!  Just picture a craft fair that is the best of Etsy...aka amazing.  Then there was a delicious pasta dinner and a movie with a great friend.  Thank you again for the tasty dinner Stephanie!  Then there was my second triathlon relay of the season.  Well Stephanie and Clare, the cold and the rain didn't stop us, we kicked some butt and got first place in the female relay.  Then to finish off the weekend I thought it was time to bring out the pumpkin and make some cookies to send to Meghan in Birmingham.  

So, what cookies with pumpkin you may ask.  Take one half of a Trader Joe's Maple Leaf Cookie, wrap it in pumpkin cookie dough and bake.  The result a cookie in a cookie.  These cookies are delicious.  The pumpkin cookie portion is a light and fluffy and the maple leaf cookie softens just a bit inside.  If I could bottle the smell that is a result of baking these I would.  Think pumpkin, maple, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.  These are the kind of cookies that make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.  Yum!  Make these, they will not disappoint. 

Officially pumpkin time!  P.S. these maple leaf cookies are amazing.  Whats makes them better?...

...wrapping them in pumpkin cookie dough. 

anddd these are my tiny hands, please ignore how crazy small they are and pay attention to the cookies.  Place one scoop of dough in floured hand and press sandwich cookie half on top of dough.  Cover with another scoop of dough and form around cookie.

Pumpkin Maple Leaf Sandwich Cookies:

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg or 1/4 cup egg beaters

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars.

2.  Whisk in vanilla and eggs until well combined.  Whisk in pumpkin.

3.  In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.

4.  Whisk dry ingredients in to wet ingredients in two batches.  Place cookie dough in refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour.

5.  Take one box maple sandwich cookies, preferably Trader Joe's Maple Leaf Sandwich cookies.  Cut approximately 11-12 cookies in half diagonally (see picture above).

6.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

7.  Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop one tablepoon of cookie dough in to floured hand.  Place one half of a sandwich cookie in hand.  Place another scoop of cookie dough on top of sandwich cookie and form around sandwich cookie.

8.  Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake for 12-13 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for one minute, then move to cooling rack to finish cooling.  Serve and enjoy!