Sweet Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cinnamon Maple Frosting
By: Leah Rodrigues
Published: October 29, 2011

If you have exhausted your cupcake tin and your loaf pan, these pumpkin whoopie pies with cinnamon maple frosting are the next best thing.  These whoopie pies have a fantastic flavor.  The pumpkin makes the cookie moist and it pairs perfectly with the sweet and spicy frosting.  You can make them on a regular cookie sheet or in one of those fancy whoopie pie pans.  This is a great sweet treat to give to the kids to take to school or to bring for your friends at work.  You gotta make them!
 
Ingredients:
 
3 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup white whole wheat, and 2
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
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon 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 not 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.

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 not 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.