let’s make whoopie!

I know what you’re thinking, people. Get your minds out of the gutter. This isn’t THAT kind of blog, you know.

No, no… in fact, it’s all quite innocent. It’s Cookie Carnival time! Thanks to an increasingly hectic schedule, I missed out on the fun last month. But, when I saw this month’s recipe… I knew I absolutely had to find the time!

Kate picked a wonderful recipe from Martha Stewart… Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. I’ve always wondered about the chocolate/pumpkin combination, but – until these cookies came along – I hadn’t yet mustered the courage to give it a try. The verdict? I can’t believe I wasted so much time!

These cookies are wonderful and I can see so much potential to play around with a ton of different filling flavors… first and foremost, I think, is peanut butter! Mmmm… soon.

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
(recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart)
Cookies:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg

Prepare cookies:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.

Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.

Drop about 2 teaspoons dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.

Prepare filling:
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese, butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.

Assemble:
Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.