Pumpkin Whoopie Pies...

Doesn't this figure? Just as I was bellyaching that Fall had come no where near North Carolina yet, the weather has shifted, we've finally gotten a fair amount of rain after having none for several weeks and the temperatures are supposed to be below 80 degrees all week - woo! With that in mind, and seeing the farmers' markets and road-side stands flooded with several varieties of pumpkins, we thought it was time to finally give these Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling a try!

These hand-held pies are wickedly spicy, but not in the sense of hotness - in fact, you may even think twice about the amounts listed, but don't be swayed to reduce them. You want that aromatic and definitive punch from the cinnamon, ginger and allspice as they light up when paired with the generous amount of mashed pumpkin inside each soft, cake-like cookie. If they were served warm or hot, the spice may come across a little overwhelming, but since the cookie sandwiches are chilled, their essence is somewhat dulled, hence the bulky amount.

Whether you use homemade mashed pumpkin (drained to a thicker consistency similar to what you would find in a can) or reach for the more convenient can in the market (and yes, you can rejoice - the shortage from the last couple of years is over!), make sure it is thoroughly chilled before you add it into this recipe. Having this cold helps the dough stay a bit tight, allowing the cookies to set and puff, rather than spread and flatten in the hot oven.

Rich with dark brown sugar, once you scoop the batter onto the pans and slip them into the oven to bake, the cookies are ready to be pulled out when you can press on their tops and the indent springs back, or if you place a toothpick into the center, it should come back out mostly clean with a moist crumb or two attached. Instead of immediately transferring them to a wire rack, allow them to cool on the pans before moving them.

If you are a traditionalist when it comes to whoopie pies, then you know the filling I'm about to talk about is not very traditional. There would be shortening involved, and it could either be combined with a cooked flour concoction or marshmallow fluff, depending on where you pick up your pies in the country. Both versions work fine and shortening does have its use (especially in cookies and pie crust!), but I'm not a giant fan of its mouth-feel in frosting. For these, we stuck with the suggested filling of softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Be sure to beat the butter smooth before adding the cream cheese and sift the confectioners' sugar for an velvet-y smooth center.

The original recipe was listed to have a yield of twelve (which was either an error or they intended to make some mammoth whoopie pies!), but we went somewhat miniature in size and ended up with 28 cute three or four bite treats. Notably moist, soft and definitely pumpkin-y, we found there to be just enough of the decadent filling smashed in between the two cookies (though some may label them as small cakes) that you had plenty with each bite, plus a little extra that squishes out - just so you have an excuse to lick the extra filling off your fingers! I do think adding a little maple, preferably in the form of a robust grade B to get the most bang for your buck, to the creamy filling would be a nice touch and compliment the pumpkin shells.

Recipes
Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling