Whoopie Pies with Barbara Ross

GRANDMA SNOWDEN’S PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES

PUMPKIN COOKIES:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 15-ounce can of pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CREAM CHEESE FILLING:
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
½ cup (one stick) salted butter, softened
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Beat the butter on medium speed until smooth (no visible lumps). Add the cream cheese and beat on medium speed until smooth, and combined. Add the powdered sugar gradually, beating as you do until it is mixed. Add the maple syrup and the vanilla and beat until smooth. Place the filling in the refrigerator while you make the cookies. This will make it easier to work with when you are filling the pies. Filling can be made a day ahead.

TO MAKE THE COOKIES:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices together in a bowl. Whisk together sugar, oil, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla in a separate large bowl until combined thoroughly. Add in flour mixture.

Using a one-ounce ice cream scoop, drop a scant scoop of batter onto the parchment paper. Scoops should be two inches apart. (You will have batter left over.)

Bake twelve to eighteen minutes, until springy to the touch. These will be cakelike cookies. Place cookies on a rack to cool.

Repeat until all the batter is used. (You will have thirty-two to thirty-six cookies.)

TO ASSEMBLE:
Spread a heaping tablespoon of filling on the flat side of a chilled cookie. Top with another cookie.