Fall is here (according to me) and that can only mean one thing – pumpkin recipes! 😀

I love anything pumpkin and I while I love making my favorites from years past, I also enjoy discovering new ways to add pumpkin to my recipe repertoire. I was working at the library when I stumbled upon a new book all about making whoopie pies. While I wasn’t a big fan of the chocolate, white-cream filled ones of my youth, the pictures gracing the cover looked so appealing I just had to check it out.

The book was dedicated to whoopie pies of all kinds including a tasty looking pumpkin cream cheese filled whoopie. Yay!!! My girlfriend and I were invited to a friend’s house for Sunday football and I decided to make the pumpkin whoopies then take them over for some taste testing. They were a huge success! I’ve been asked for a repeat soon as well as orders for several other flavors after posting my success story on facebook. 🙂

Here’s the recipe, but I recommend getting the book too as it is chock-filled with other tasty whoopie treats. Enjoy! 🙂

Pumpkin Whoopies

  (My notations in italics)

1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened

1 c light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 extra large egg

2 1/3 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground allspice or nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

pinch of salt

1 c canned or fresh pumpkin puree

2 tbsp buttermilk (I used regular)

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or spray with cooking spray like olive oil – worked great and didn’t change the taste).

2. Put the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in an electric mixer bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg.

3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and salt into the bowl and stir together. Add the pumpkin and milk and stir until combined.

4. Drop by the heaping tablespoon 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. (These should be about the same size so you can match equal halves together later and look like the back of a turtle shell – smooth and round.)

5. Bake for about 10-12 minutes (make sure to check because less is more). Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

6. When the whoopies are cold, match equal whoopie halves and spread cream cheese filling in between (I used a palette knife like you would ice a cake with and it was very easy). Press together and enjoy!

Cream Cheese Filling

1/2 c regular cream cheese

5 tbsp butter, softened

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4 1/2 c confectioner’s sugar (I just added this until it was the taste/consistency I liked – not nearly the amount called for…)

1. Put the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and beat together with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.

2. Sift in the confectioner’s sugar and beat together until well combined. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Whoopies! by Susanna Tee