Pumpkin Oatmeal Whoopie Pies with Chai Cream Cheese Filling

For the cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, 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. Set aside.

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

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

For the filling:

Heat milk in a mug in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Add the black tea bag and allow it to steep in the milk for 5 minutes. Remove bag (gently wring the bag into the milk to remove liquid) and add milk to a medium mixing bowl.

Add cream cheese, softened butter, and spices to the 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 a 1/2″ wide corner of the bag (to form a piping bag).

For assembly:

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

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