Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling

These Pumpkin Whoopie Pies filled with Maple Cream Cheese filling are a creative twist to your classic pumpkin pie dessert for your Thanksgiving dinner.  This recipe is super simple and fun to assemble, so grab your family and friends and chat over a whoopie pie sandwich making session.  Recipe courtesy of the wonderful Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients

For the Whoopie Pies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
3 cups chilled pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Maple-Cream Cheese Filling:
3 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, the dark brown sugar, and the oil together. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.
5. Use a small cookie scoop or a large spoon to drop a rounded, heaping tablespoon of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, making sure that the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. The cookies should be firm when touched. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.
7. To make the filling: Beat the butter on medium speed until smooth with no visible lumps, about 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then add the maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth.
8. To assemble the whoopie pies: Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe or spoon the filling (about a tablespoon) 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 whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm before serving.

Measure flour.

Add cinnamon.

Add baking powder and baking soda.

Add salt.

Add ginger.

Add nutmeg.

Mix.

In a clean bowl, add granulated sugar.

Add packed brown sugar.  Opposed to granulated sugar, you always want to make sure your brown sugar is packed to the point where it holds its shape when measured out into the bowl.

Measure oil.

Mix well.

I used Libby's Pumpkin puree.

Add pumpkin puree.

Add eggs.

Gradually add flour.

Mix until just combined.

Line baking sheet with either silicone baking mats or parchment paper.  I LOVE these silicone baking mats!  Definitely invest in one!

Use a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to measure out the batter.

Place rounded spoonfuls one inch apart.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

Voila!

Move to a wire rack to cool.

In a clean bowl, cream butter.

Add cream cheese.

Whip.

Add powdered sugar.

Mix.

Add vanilla.

I used Stonewall Kitchen's Maple Syrup.

Add maple syrup.

Mix.

 I used a mini muffin pan to hold my whoopie pie cakes steady.

Mix and match cakes to create a sandwich.

Add a dollop of filling to the flat side of the cookie.

Add another cookie on top, flat-side down.

Place on a cookie sheet.

Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Serve.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Happy baking. 

xoxo

Grace