Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Cookie Carnival: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Whoopie Pies is just so much fun to say. Almost as much fun to say as it is to eat. Yum! These lovely little pillows of chocolate cookies are, to say the least, tasty.

I'm not a fan of pumpkin. At all. But the pumpkin flavor was so mild, I didn't mind it. Having said that, I would absolutely make these again with a different, stronger flavored filling. Peanut butter, strawberry, and mint come to mind.

The cookies were easy to put together. I don't even think I used a mixer. My husband's office got this batch. We didn't quite need them at home.



Another close up of dessert goodness.



Thanks Kate and the Cookie Carnival gang for such a nice choice. I'm looking forward to November!

If you are interested in making these, here's the recipe!

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Makes about 20.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE COOKIES

* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
* 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 cup whole milk
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE FILLING

* 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
* Pinch of cinnamon
* Pinch of nutmeg


DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
3. Drop about 2 teaspoons dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
4. Prepare filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
5. Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

it's cool that you made these even though you aren't a fan of pumpkin. whoopie pies is totally so much fun to say. :)

Unknown said...

WOW.. These look SO scrumptious. Nice job! I hope you had fun in the Bahamas!

Megan said...

Yes, I agree that the pumpkin flavor was very faint - but I could see pb, strawberry, mocha, and many others in it's place.

Ok - the Bahamas? Send me your babysitter so I can go!

Flourchild said...

Great looking cookies. I make a homemade oreo cookie that is similar but has a white cream cheese filling.

Cristine said...

Oooh... peanut butter would be delicious!

Jin Hooi said...

wow.. ur cookies look great !! Mine turned out to be a kitchen disaster .. D'oh!! hhehe.. peanut butter filling.. yum!!!

Anonymous said...

I agree that the filling was mild, but I like pumpkin so I wanted it more pumpkin-y flavored. Other fillings do sound better though. I would vote for mint! :)

Anonymous said...

these would be great with peanut butter! i like your thinking :)

Anonymous said...

I don't mind pumpkin flavor but I too found the pumpkin-flavor of the filling to be too weak. I think a nice creamy peanut butter filling would be scrumptious!

Stacey said...

Peanut Butter filling would be divine!

Pamela said...

I also thought of the cookies as little pillows of chocolaty goodness! I shared with the library and other friends. I didn't want them hanging around. Your filling ideas sound great.

Jacque said...

Oooh, yes, peanut butter! Great idea.

They look scrumptious :)