Filled Jack O’lantern Cookies

FOR PUMPKIN FILLING
1 Stick butter
1/2 c Confectioners’ sugar
1/2 c Cooked or canned pumpkin;
-mashed
1/2 ts Cinnamon

FOR DECORATIVE ICING
1 1/3 c Confectioners’ sugar
1 lg Egg white*
1 dr Lemon juice or vinegar

For the dough:

Combine flour, spices, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl and stir well
to mix.

Beat butter and sugar by machine and beat in egg and continue beating until
the mixture is smooth. Beat in half the flour mixture, then stop and scrape
bowl and beater(s). Beat in molasses, scrape again and beat in remaining
flour mixture, just until combined.

Divide dough into several pieces and press each piece into a rectangle
about 1/4-inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Chill the dough at
least one hour or until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 3 or 4 cookie sheets with
parchment or foil. Roll dough, one piece at a time, on floured surface,
just to make flat and even, but not much thinner. Cut dough with floured
cutters and arrange on pans an inch or two apart, to make room for
expansion during baking. Repeat with remaining dough. Re-roll scraps
immediately, or press together, chill and re-roll later.

Bake cookies about 10 minutes, until firm. Cool on pans.

For the filling:

Beat butter until light, then beat in sugar. Continue beating until soft
and light. Beat in pumpkin and cinnamon and continue beating until smooth.

To fill cookies:

Line up half the cookies on a work surface and spread with filling. Top
with remaining cookies.

For the icing:

Combine sugar and egg white in mixing bowl and beat by machine until
combined. Add lemon juice and continue beating until fluffy. Keep plastic
wrap pressed against surface of icing to prevent a crust from forming. Use
a paper cone or the snipped end of a plastic bag to pipe icing on cookies,
outlining eyes, nose and mouth of jack o’lantern.

Yield: 2 dozen

* RAW EGG WARNING

The American Egg Board states: “There have been warnings against consuming
raw or lightly cooked eggs on the grounds that the egg may be contaminated
with Salmonella, a bacteria responsible for a type of food
poisoning….Healthy people need to remember that there is a very small
risk and treat eggs and other raw animal foods accordingly. Use only
properly refrigerated, clean, sound-shelled, fresh, grade AA or A eggs.
Avoid mixing yolks and whites with the shell.”