Pumpkin Pie Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

  

Cookie Base and Topping

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix

1/4 cup cold butter

4 oz (half of 8-oz package) cold cream cheese

Pumpkin Filling

3 oz cream cheese, well-softened

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1/4  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Generously spray bottoms and sides of 24 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. Place cookie mix in large bowl. Cut in butter and 4 oz cream cheese, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly. (Do not overmix.) Reserve 1 cup cookie mixture for topping; set aside. Firmly press 2 tablespoons remaining cookie mixture evenly into bottom of each muffin cup.

2. In small bowl, add 3 oz cream cheese and stir until smooth. Add remaining pumpkin filling ingredients; mix well. Place 1 rounded teaspoon pumpkin filling in center of each cookie. Sprinkle each with 2 teaspoons reserved cookie topping.

3. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until edges of cookies are golden brown. Cool completely in pan, about 30 minutes. Run metal spatula around edge of cookies in muffin tin to loosen.