Caramel Date Stuffed Pumpkin Cookies (vegan)

A couple months ago I saw the Dracula Ballet! I know what you're thinking its either "how can there be a ballet about Dracula?!" or "man that's so cool, I wish I could see the Dracula Ballet". 
It was an amazing show. The dancers were wonderful and the show was something I would have never expected to see in a ballet. There was suspense and horror, cute moments, and special effects. The dancers sometimes flew across the stage attached to wires from above and there was one part where Dracula slowly climbed to the ceiling only to hit a chandelier at the moment the chandelier sparked causing sighs of astonishment from the crowd. If you've never been to a ballet before, I highly recommend it. I think I'll go to the ballet more often in fact.

These are sooo good please just make them. A delicious soft pumpkin cookie surrounds a sweet natural caramel date filling. They are too delicious to pass down!

Caramel Date Stuffed Pumpkin Cookies
Makes about 20 depending on size

Ingredients

Cookies:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Date Filling:
(note this will probably create more filling than you will need. You can top baked cookies with additional filling as some will most likely spill out or use for something else. If you don't want any extra then halve the recipe)
10 pitted dates
3/4 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil,and vanilla in a bowl
3. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients except chocolate chips
4. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix just to combine
5. Add in chocolate chips
6. Let dough sit for 10-15 minutes in the fridge to allow the baking powder to rise and dough to be easier to handle. This will make the finished cookies smoother. While you wait make the date filling
7. For date filling: combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. You can place date filling in freezer for a few minutes so that it is easier to handle.
8. Roll dough into 2 inch balls. Flatten onto baking sheet and then place a spoon full of date mixture into the middle
9. Fold cookie dough around dough mixture. I liked to fold my flatten balls in half and then place it seam side down on the baking sheet. You could also pinch all sides of dough around the dates
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden brown

Have you ever been to the ballet?