Pumpkin Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Since it's Christmas Eve, I thought I'd share a last minute holiday treat. Kristin and I baked these during her visit over the weekend. Since the recipe made so many, we passed them on to friends and family. And everyone agreed- these pumpkin gingerbread whoopie pies (or call them gobs if you're from Pennsylvania like Kristin) are ridiculously good!  The cookie portion is soft and cake-like and tastes more like gingerbread than pumpkin. And the cream cheese filling... spiked with a few spoonfuls of pure maple syrup and a dusting of cinnamon... amazing! I do recommend using a small cookie scoop (I went with what I had on hand which was rather large and I ended up with softball-size whoopie pies!). Which taste great but aren't exactly "cute". Because if we're being honest, looks do matter. Oh, and Merry Christmas!

Pumpkin Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

INGREDIENTS

Cookies:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp. ground ginger

1 Tbsp. ground cloves

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup canola oil

3 cups chilled pumpkin puree

2 large eggs

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

3 Tbsp. maple syrup

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. To make the cookies, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves and set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil.  Whisk in pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla.  Slowly stir in the flour mixture, mixing until well combined.

3. Using a small cookie scoop, drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto silpat lined baking sheets.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean.  Let cool on pan for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. To make the filling, using an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon and beat until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

5. To assemble the cookies, spoon frosting into a piping bag or 1 quart zip top bag. (Just cut about 1/4 inch off the corner of the bag.) Turn half the cooled cookies upside down.  Pipe filling onto the halves.  Place the other halves, flat side down, on the filled halve.  Press down slightly.  Refrigerate until filling is firm, if necessary.

Makes 24-36 whoopie pies, depending on size.

(Adapted from Gonna Want Seconds, originally from Baked)