Add the room temperature vegan butter, ½ cup white sugar, and brown sugar to a mixing bowl. With a stand mixer, hand blender or whisk, cream together until fluffy (aprox 2 minutes)

Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix together for about 30 seconds.

Add in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and mix until a thick cookie dough forms and holds together.

Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours).

While the cookie dough chills make the pumpkin pie filling. Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, soy milk, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice to a bowl and whisk together until smooth.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Roll dough into 10 evenly sized balls.

Then, roll each ball in a bowl with the 3 Tbsp of sugar to coat.

Place the cookie dough balls onto the baking sheet. Press each dough ball down with your palm. Use your thumb to make an indent in the center of each cookie. (Optional: using the rim of a small glass, press a round circle into each cookie).

Spoon about 1.5 Tablespoons of your pumpkin pie filling into the center well of each cookie.

Place cookies into oven for 14-16 minutes until the edges are crisp and the pumpkin pie filling starts to set slightly.

Once cooled, add a small dollop of vegan whipped cream to the center of each cookie. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice & serve!