Pumpkin whoopie pies

My manager at work, Niki, and I share a love of baking. She was the one that encouraged me to make the french macarons. She even let me borrow her macaron book and gave me a lot of pointers.

We were talking about fall baking one day, and she mentioned that she had a fantastic pumpkin whoopie pie recipe that I needed to try. I had bought a huge can of pumpkin and only used part of it for the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and I wanted to find another recipe to use up the remainder of the can. I finally asked Niki for the recipe and made it!

These whoopie pies remind me of a well-made carrot cake.  The cake-like cookie is fabulous with the pumpkin pie spices, and the cream cheese filling is a perfect complement. And now my kitchen smells like fall!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 1 stick melted, 1/2 stick softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon plus 2 pinches salt
• 1-2/3 cups flour
• 4 ounces cream cheese, chilled
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the baking powder, the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.

Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet. Bake until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 pinches salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Spread the flat side of 12 cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

Yield: Rachael Ray's website says it will make 6 filled whoopie pies; I was able to make 8

Source: Niki, who found it on Everyday with Rachael Ray

My manager at work, Niki, and I share a love of baking. She was the one that encouraged me to make the french macarons. She even let me borrow her macaron book and gave me a lot of pointers.

We were talking about fall baking one day, and she mentioned that she had a fantastic pumpkin whoopie pie recipe that I needed to try. I had bought a huge can of pumpkin and only used part of it for the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and I wanted to find another recipe to use up the remainder of the can. I finally asked Niki for the recipe and made it!

These whoopie pies remind me of a well-made carrot cake.  The cake-like cookie is fabulous with the pumpkin pie spices, and the cream cheese filling is a perfect complement. And now my kitchen smells like fall!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 1 stick melted, 1/2 stick softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon plus 2 pinches salt
• 1-2/3 cups flour
• 4 ounces cream cheese, chilled
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the baking powder, the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.

Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet. Bake until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 pinches salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Spread the flat side of 12 cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

Yield: Rachael Ray's website says it will make 6 filled whoopie pies; I was able to make 8

Source: Niki, who found it on Everyday with Rachael Ray