Petite Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream-Cheese Filling

29 September 2010

Petite Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream-Cheese Filling from TeenieCakes.com

I’ve been hearing so much about whoopie pies…and it’s taken me way too long to find out for myself what these confectioneries are all about.

These little treats are especially befitting for our new change of season, which is Fall. This recipe is adapted from Matt Lewis’ cookbook; Baked: New Frontiers in Baking. I halved the recipe to make smaller whoopies, but still whipped up the same amount of cream-cheese filling as if it were the full recipe. You won’t regret making extra. The filling is lusciously creamy and you’re not going to want to skimp when you’re piping them through your pastry bag onto the sides of the cookie. These whoopies have a fantastic pumpkin flavor, without being overbearing and the cream cheese filling is the crème de la crème.

Interesting that they are referred to as “pies” instead of cookies. Why weren’t they called “Whoopie Cookies?” Irregardless, they’re good and are what memories are made of. I especially enjoy creating them in mini or petite sizes so they are portioned controlled and delightful little treats to serve at gatherings. Also, they would be fun and memorable projects to do with the kiddies, by letting them assist in scooping them onto the pan, flattening them and adding the layer of the creamy complimentary filling.

Teenie Notes

Because these are much smaller sized whoopie pies than from the original recipe, I’ve adjusted the baking temperature, time to bake and amount of batter needed for each cookie side.
I’ve tried making the whoopie pies with and without a whoopie pan. Honestly, a special pan is not needed. Whether you use a special pan or not, remember to flatten out the batter into a disk shape (like a hockey puck), to avoid creating a high-dome shaped cookie.
Note that the cream cheese filling can be made in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature (for easier handling) before using to pipe onto cookies.
Note: In my original writing/post of this recipe with my modifications, I wrote I used a 2-tablespoon scoop for the cookie dough. In fact, I believe it was a 1-tablespoon scoop.

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Petite Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream-Cheese Filling

source adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Makes 26 petite, sandwiched cookies

Ingredients for Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon ground cloves

1 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree, chilled
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Filling
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Make the Cookies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets with either nonstick baking mats or cut-to-size parchment paper.

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 the pumpkin puree and whisk until well incorporated and then add egg and vanilla. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture in batches and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Using a cookie scoop with a 1-tablespoon capacity, drop scoops of dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1-inch apart (or fill the wells of a mini-whoopie pie pan). Flatten out dough by lightly dipping your fingers into water and creating a disc shape. Bake until cookies are just starting to crack on top -OR- a toothpick inserted into center of cookie comes out clean, about 9-10 minutes.

Make the Cream Cheese Filling

Sift confectioner’s sugar into a medium bowl. In a bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter. Add cream cheese and beat until combined. Add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla, scrapping sides with a rubber spatula, until smooth.

Assemble
Prepare a pastry bag with 3/4-full of the cream cheese filling. On completely cooled cookies, generously pipe the underside/flat-side of the cookie with filling. Sandwich with another cookie, flat-side-to-flat-side with filling in-between, pressing into each other slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of cookie.

Refrigerate cookies at least 30-minutes to 1-hour before serving. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days (if they last that long!).

TeenieCakes.com

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Comments :)

{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }

Lynn November 7, 2012 at 8:31 am

I also saw this recipe by Matt Lewis on Martha Stewart’s website, which instructs you to use a small ice cream scoop and drop by heaping tablespoons (1/2 oz.) to make 12 whooping pies from a full batch of dough. Your recipe is actually half the batch and says to use a 2-tablespoon scoop (1 oz.) for 26 petite pies. Before I get baking I’d like to know for certain what size scoop to use. Thank you.

Petite Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream-Cheese Filling

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