Apple Cider Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg is a mixing bowl. Set aside.
3. Add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth and combined. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat again until well combined. Add the applesauce and apple cider and beat until combined.
4. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
5. Use a 1 – 1 ½ Tbsp cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the baking sheets. You should be able to fit 3 rows of 4 for a total of 24 cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets half way through cooking.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
7. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a separate small bowl. Brush the melted butter over the cookies then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top of each cookie.
8. Let the cookies cool completely.
9. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing. Add the cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth and combined.
10. Add the brown sugar and vanilla and beat until combined.
11. Add the powdered sugar and beat until well combined.
12. Transfer the icing to a piping bag and snip off the tip. Turn over HALF of the cookies and pipe the icing on to these cookies. Top with the other HALF of the cookies.
13. Serve immediately and enjoy! Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.