Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (October Cookie Carnival)

This month’s Cookie Carnival recipe is for pumpkin whoopie pies. When I saw the email, I thought they’d be Pumpkin with a cream cheese filling. I’ve seen quite a few recipes floating around for those. But these are chocolate cookies with pumpkin filling. That way they’re black and orange for Halloween 🙂 The recipe is from Martha and you can even watch her make them with Cookie Monster here.

I’ve never made whoopie pies before so this was fun for me. The chocolate cookie batter is very chocolatey and delicious 🙂 The filling is also great. It only uses 1/4 cup of pumpkin, so it looks like I’m going to be making something else pumpkin-ey soon. I’m looking forward to that! Next time I’ll definitely make a double batch of the filling. I thought the cookie somewhat overwhelmed the pumpkin filling. But overall, these were great and I’ll definitely be making these again. Probably very soon.

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie pies – from Martha Stewart – makes ~20
For the Cookies1 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 – I used soymilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling4 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. 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.

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

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13 Responses to “Best Dang Thing EVER Bars”

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    1
    HoneyB — September 9, 2009 at 1:00 pm

    This is a great post and I love that you and your sister made these together! You know its a favorite when you can make a recipe from memory! Thanks for participating 🙂

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    Laura — September 9, 2009 at 1:45 pm

    Awesome bars! You and your sister sound like me and my sister, so I loved this post extra for that. Great submission, thanks for participating.

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    Colleen — September 9, 2009 at 3:57 pm

    Yum, these look SO good! And fairly easy – I will be making them soon!

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    stephchows — September 9, 2009 at 4:16 pm

    Love the story that goes with these 🙂 family recipes are the best!

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    Katie — September 9, 2009 at 4:18 pm

    OH YUM!! Those look so freakign gooooood!!

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    The American Homemaker — September 9, 2009 at 5:12 pm

    Those look great!!!!!!!!!! MMmmmmm

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    Ingrid — September 9, 2009 at 8:01 pm

    I suppose if you were fond of chocolate they would be the best dang thing. I’d like the blonde version of this instead. 🙂

    You almost make me wish I had a sister instead of six brothers, almost. 🙂
    ~ingrid

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    Sara @ Our Best Bites — September 10, 2009 at 3:46 am

    oh my neighbor makes these and they are SO good! Mmmm I’m wishing I had one right about now, thanks for sharing the recipe!

    (also glad you enjoyed the taquitos!)

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    Justin — September 11, 2009 at 12:07 am

    whoa, a whole pack of caramels? this sounds amazing

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    madebymel — September 11, 2009 at 12:46 am

    Oh.my.gosh! I bet these really are the best dang thing ever! I can’t wait to make these to bring to work!

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    Karen - Mommy to four sweeties — September 18, 2009 at 7:09 pm

    I wonder if these can be made with a plain chocolate cake mix since I don’t have a german chocolate one on hand.

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    Jen — September 20, 2009 at 11:55 pm

    I would think any chocolate cake mix would work

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    fun size wife — February 25, 2015 at 4:06 pm

    These are close to the Pioneer Woman’s Knock You Naked Brownies except for the frosting. Thank goodness chocolate and caramel are legal!

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