Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Posted by Erin Wilburn / 23 comments » / dessert, pumpkin, whoopie pies

The weekend is when I do my baking, and as this past weekend rolled around it was no different. I got the itch. The baking itch. I began to browse recipes when I came across this recipe on Martha Stewart’s website. I recognized it was from the cookbook Baked, which I previously checked out from the library a while back, drooled over, and then photocopied some of the recipes. This was one of the ones I photocopied! (Oh, wait, is that illegal?) After thinking more about this recipe, I was pretty sure one of the blogs I read had made them too. Sure enough, I found it on Peabody’s blog (just try going there and not drooling, I DARE YA!). I’m VERY glad I remembered Peabody’s because she adapted the frosting recipe, and then I adapted it a bit more.

Now, yall know I love pumpkin ANYTHING (including shampoo and handsoap!). And these whoopie pies rank right up there with the best of the pumpkin treats. As my first venture into whoopie pies I’m now hooked. I love these little handheld treats. They are like a cross between cupcakes and cookies. They are less crumbly than cupcakes, and totally handheld without wrappers. They have FROSTING sandwiched between! Mmm mmm… The pumpkin flavor isn’t overwhelming. The Boy isn’t a pumpkin fan, but managed to eat 4 the first day. His comment was that they tasted more like gingerbread. I brought them into both his work, and my work, and they were rather well received!

I decided to try to make these a *touch* healthier, and I subbed 1 cup of all purpose flour for white whole wheat flour. I honestly don’t think you could tell at all. In fact, I’d be curious to see how they taste if you up the ante even more. Also, Peabody adapted the original cream cheese frosting, into a maple cream cheese frosting. I recommend that option 1000%. The maple flavor cuts the sweetness of the frosting, and is the perfect accompaniment to the pumpkin. My adaption to that was to add freshly ground cinnamon. I tasted it before and after I added the cinnamon, and I definitely prefer it with! This frosting was truly amazing. I’d love to pair it with another cake flavor in the future!

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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

from Baked, as seen on Martha Stewart
Frosting slightly adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody, originally adapted from Baked

Ingredients:

WHOOPIE PIES:
3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup white whole wheat, and 2 cups all-purpose)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cloves
2 cups firmly packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups pumpkin puree, chilled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FROSTING:
3 cups powdered sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp freshly ground cinnamon

Directions:

WHOOPIE PIES:
Make the cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.

Using a small ice cream scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Transfer to oven and bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cookie comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on pan.

FROSTING:
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth with no visible lumps. Add the cream cheese an beat until combined.

Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add cinnamon. Be careful no to overbeat the filling, or it will lose structure.

To assemble:
Turn half the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe filling (about a TBSP) onto that half. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spread to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoppie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm before serving.