Step 1: Prep Your Pumpkin (Don’t Skip This!) Spread your pumpkin on paper towels and press out the water for about 10 minutes. I know it seems stupid but this one step makes the difference between amazing cookies and disappointment. You want about ¾ cup when you’re done.

Step 2: Mix Your Dry Stuff Whisk the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl. Nothing fancy here.

Step 3: Cream the Butter Beat butter and both sugars until fluffy – about 4 minutes. Your arm will hurt if you’re doing this by hand, so use a mixer.

Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla, and your blotted pumpkin. Don’t add the pumpkin until it’s properly blotted or you’ll mess up the whole batch.

Step 5: Combine Everything Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Mix just until combined – don’t go crazy here or you’ll get tough cookies.

Step 6: Shape and Bake Heat oven to 350°F. Scoop the dough (I use a 1½ tablespoon scoop) and flatten each one slightly with your fingers. This helps them bake evenly instead of staying thick in the middle.

Bake 14-15 minutes until the edges look set. They’ll look underdone but keep cooking on the hot pan.

Step 7: Cool Completely Wait for them to cool completely before adding filling. I know it’s torture but warm cookies plus cream cheese equals a mess.

Step 8: Make the Filling Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, pumpkin spice, and salt. Beat until fluffy – about 4 minutes.

Step 9: Put Them Together Spread filling on half the cookies, top with the other half. Press gently so the filling spreads to the edges.