Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are not really pie. They're made with two cakes sandwiched together to form kind-of a cookie. Weird, but whether you think of them as cakes, cookies or pies, they're a real treat.
cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 17 ½ oz all purpose flour (3 ½ cups, see note)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 oz unsalted butter (½ cup, room temperature)
- 16 oz light brown sugar (2 cups)
- 3 ½ oz vegetable oil (½ cup)
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 15 oz pumpkin puree (1 ¾ cups)
Cream Cheese Filling
- 12 oz granulated sugar (1 ½ cups)
- 2 ½ oz all purpose flour (½ cup)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 oz whole milk (1 ½ cups)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 8 oz unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
Instructions
Make the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Sift together 17 ½ oz all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. Set aside
- In a large mixing bowl, cream 4 oz unsalted butter with 16 oz light brown sugar until light and aerated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer running, slowly add 3 ½ oz vegetable oil½ teaspoon lemon extract. Scrape the bowl. Add 2 large eggs and mix to combine.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and 15 oz pumpkin puree, starting and ending with the flour. Scrape the bowl between additions of flour.
- For small whoopie pies, use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Use a larger scoop or ¼ cup measure to make large whoopie pies. Moisten your hand with water and tap the tops of the cookies to flatten slightly.
- Bake until the cookies spring back when pressed in the center and are lightly browned around the edges, 10-12 minutes for small cookies or 12-15 minutes for larger cookies.
- Cool completely before filling. At this point the cookies can be wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Make the cream cheese filling
- Combine 12 oz granulated sugar, 2 ½ oz all purpose flour and ¼ teaspoon salt in a saucepan, whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in 12 oz whole milk until smooth. Heat the mixture over medium low, whisking constantly, until it begins to boil.
- Continue to cook and stir for 2-3 minutes until it thickens to a pudding-like texture. Immediately remove from the heat. Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon lemon extract and cool to room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl, cream 8 oz unsalted butter until smooth. Scrape the bowl. With the mixer running, toss in 8 oz cream cheese and mix until smooth. Scrape down the bowl, switch to whisk and add the milk paste. Turn the speed to high and whip until light and fluffy.
- Flip half the cookies over. Pipe or spoon a generous dollop of filling on the flat side of the flipped cookies and sandwich with the remaining cookies.
- The cookies will keep for 3-4 days, refrigerated. Best eaten at room temperature.
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Notes
If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!