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Whether you're a new friend or an old pal, welcome to my kitchen! Pull up a stool, pour yourself a cup of tea, grab a couple of cookies, and riffle through my recipe box - there's lots of good stuff in there!
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Sunday, November 23, 2008

Makin' whoopie

Whoopie PIES, that is. Pumpkin whoopie pies, to boot.

First off, let me explain what a whoopie pie is, for the benefit of those of you who have never heard of such a thing. They're a New England staple (and, according to Wikipedia, a Pennsylvania Dutch goodie as well). Two soft, chocolate cookies are sandwiched together with a creamy white frosting. My grandmother used to make them; I have (and still use) her recipe - remind me to post it sometime.

Last week at work, my friend Stephanie, who knows of my love of all things pumpkin, presented me with a lovely gift: a pumpkin whoopie pie. Two soft, fluffy pumpkin cookies, with a cream cheese frosting between them. It was utterly delicious.

I requested the recipe, which she gave me; it's from Family Fun magazine. I'll be making these on Tuesday, to take to school for our Thanksgiving feast on Wednesday. Enjoy!


Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Ingredients: Pumpkin Cookies
2 eggs
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients: Filling/Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 to 5 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture a half cup at a time, blending each time until smooth.

2. Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet, using a moist finger or the back of a spoon to slightly flatten each mound. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners' sugar a half cup at a time, until the frosting is spreadable.

4. To assemble the pies, turn half of the cookies bottom side up and spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on each one. Top them with the remaining cookies (turned right side up). Makes 10 to 14 whoopie pies.

1 spoons thrown:

Karen said...

I grew up in New England and remember these pies. I bet the pumpkin ones are delish!