pumpkin love ~ pumpkin whoopie pies

I was delighted to be invited, by Carmen of Baking is My Zen, to participate in a Pumpkin Love Blogfest. We chose favorite pumpkin recipes and are sharing them with each other and our readers.

For my Pumpkin Love post, I couldn't resist making BAKED's Pumpkin Whoopie Pie. Not quite a cookie, not a quite a cake, they are moist, flavorful, spicy, soft and unbelievably delicious.  The cream cheese filling adds a lovely tangy counterpoint.  To add a little texture, I topped it with some smashed almond brittle.


Below are the treats which the Pumpkin Lovin' Gals made.

"After making a fat-free dinner for dessert one Thanksgiving, everyone in my

family missed the Pumpkin Gooey Cake.  It is now a must that I bake this!"

Carmen of Baking is My Zen~ Pumpkin Gooey Cake

"Pumpkin rocks!  Need I say more?"

Gloria of The Ginger Snap Girl ~ Pumpkin Pots de Creme

"I was sold at the description of the dessert- the texture is somewhere

between a crème brulée and a light airy cheesecake."

Jen of NJ Epicurean~ Creamy Pumpkin Custard with Rum Raisin Compote

"Why should tamales be limited to dinner? Why not dessert?"

Bonnie of Sweet Life~ Pumpkin Pie Tamales

"I got this recipe from Taste of Home and added some extra spices to it. 

Haven't heard a bad thing about it! Actually, gave it to a friend as a birthday present. 

Everyone who tried the cake wrote a note about how much they liked it."

Hannah of Adventures in Domestic Cooking~ Pumpkin Spice Cake 

The inspiration for my recipe choice was from a recent weekend I spent in New York's Finger Lakes Region.  I dedicate this post to these wonderful college friends. We had a blast laughing, eating, talking and drinking. The area is not only home to over 100 wineries, but also a large Mennonite population, who are known for their whoopie pies and other baked goods.  We visited The Windmill Farm and Craft Market, where we found and devoured the pies sold there. Whoopee!

This post is linked up with Cookin' Cowgirl.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling
adapted from Baked by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito


Yield: 12 Whoopie Pies


Printable Recipe


Pumpkin Whoopie Cookies


3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon ginger
2 teaspoons cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
3 cups chilled pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Cream Cheese Filling


3 cups confectioners' sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Topping


almond brittle


Make the Pumpkin Whoopie Cookies


Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.


In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg together and set aside.


In a separate bowl, whisk the brown sugar and butter together until combined.  Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly.  Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.


Sprinkle the flour mixture over the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.


Use a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism to drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1-inch apart.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the pan while you make the filling.


Make the Cream Cheese Filling


Sift the confectioners' sugar into a medium bowl and set aside.


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is completely smooth, with now visible lumps.  Add the cream cheese and beat until combined.


Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Be careful not to overbeat the filling, or it will lose structure.  (The filling can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover the bowl tightly and put it in the refrigerator.  Let the filling soften at room temperature before using.)


Assemble the Whoopie Pies


Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down (flat side facing facing up.)


Use an ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to drop a large dollop of filling onto the flat side of the cookie.  Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling.  Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie.  Repeat until all the cookies are used.  Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up before serving.  Add topping just before serving.


The whoopie pies will keep for up to 3 days, on a parchment-lined baking sheet covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator.

A few notes-
~I adapted the recipe by dialing back the cloves (it called for a tablespoon) and adding some nutmeg.
~I also switched out the oil in favor of butter.  Oil works, but butter is better!
~For a dinner with multiple desserts, I like making these in miniature form, about 1½ inches in diameter. ~For the topping, I just happened to have the almond brittle on hand. Toasted, chopped pecans would work nicely too. Just be sure to put the topping on just prior to serving.  The pie moisture can decrunchifies the topping.

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