A Taste of Fall

maybe it's the cooler weather that made it feel like fall and made me want to try these pumpkin sandwich cookies. again, i am fairly green at the whole baking thing. even more so with clean baking. i am impressed with my results though. every success i have makes me want to bake a little more. and, knowing it isn't horrible for me makes me even happier:)

i did some serious tweaks to this recipe which originally called for splenda (yuck), canola oil, and white flour. i replaced the fake sugar with agave and sucanat (i was afraid to use all agave for some reason), the canola oil with coconut oil (this was my first venture with the coconut oil) and the white flour with whole wheat pastry flour (not as grainy as whole wheat flour). i also substituted 1/2 the eggs with flaxseed. the icing will be a light brown color instead of white because of the agave and sucanat.

i made these cookies 2 different ways. either as a sandwich with 2 cookies and the filling in between or as one cookie topped with the filling as an icing. either way is good. these are also good cold from the fridge! oh - and yes, E liked these too. i'm bringing out his sweet tooth little by little.

Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies
1/2 c agave nectar
1 c sucanat
1/4 c coconut oil
1 egg
2 tbs ground flax + 6 tbs water, whisked together (replaces 2 eggs)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 c old fashioned oats
1 1/2 c finely grated carrots

Cream Cheese Filling
8 oz earth balance cream cheese or regular cream cheese (at room temp)
1/4 c agave nectar
1/4 c finely ground sucanat (pulse in food processor for 30 seconds)
2 tsp vanilla extract

preheat oven to 350
using an electric mixer, combine first 6 ingredients (agave through vanilla) and beat on medium speed until well mixed.
sift together flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients
mix in oats and carrots until just combined. chill dough in fridge for one hour or until firm.
scoop teaspoon size dough onto parchment lined baking sheets.
bake at 350 for 12-14 mins.
prepare frosting by beating all ingredients together on medium high speed until smooth.
once cookies are cool, spread cream cheese filling onto one cookie and sandwich with a second cookie and serve.

makes 48 cookies or 24 sandwiches
180 calories per sandwich
90 per cookie topped with icing