Step 1: Preheat the Oven

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar

• In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. This step is crucial for achieving the perfect texture in the cookies!

Step 4: Add Wet Ingredients

• Add the egg, canned pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on medium speed until combined. The batter may look slightly curdled at this point, but that’s okay—once you add the dry ingredients, it will come together beautifully.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to ensure the cookies stay soft and tender.

Step 6: Drop the Dough onto Baking Sheets

• Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. The cookies will spread slightly as they bake, so be sure to leave enough room.

Step 7: Bake the Cookies

• Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and lightly golden around the edges. The tops should spring back when lightly touched. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 8: Make the Cream Cheese Filling

• While the cookies are cooling, prepare the filling. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and beat until light and fluffy. If you like, you can add a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin spice to the filling for an extra boost of fall flavor.

Step 9: Assemble the Whoopie Pies

• Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread or pipe the cream cheese filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies to create sandwiches.