Hello friends! My latest cookbook, New England Desserts: Classic and Creative Recipes for All Seasons, is coming out October 2022 (you can preorder it here!). To tide you over, here's a scrumptious recipe for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies that's perfect for fall.

 

 

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

You cannot go wrong with these pumpkin spice whoopie pies. Use canned pumpkin or fresh roasted, pureed pumpkin or squash, like butternut. It’s worth letting the fresh stuff drain in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl for at least an hour to remove any extra liquid. This will ensure your cakes don’t spread too much in the oven. Makes 16–18.

 

For the cakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1⁄3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 cup pureed pumpkin, fresh or canned

 

For the filling:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

8 ounces cream cheese, cold

Pinch of salt

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease or line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

For the cakes, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until combined.

Drop the batter in heaping tablespoon-sized dollops spaced 1 1/2–2 inches apart (a 1-ounce cookie scoop works great here). The batter should slump a bit when scooped rather than hold its original shape like a scoop of ice cream. If it’s too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of water.

Bake 11–13 minutes. For best results, bake one cookie sheet at a time on the center rack so the tops don’t crack. Remove from the oven when the centers are set and spring back when gently pressed. Let them sit on the hot pan for 5 minutes before transferring to racks to cool. Repeat with the second and third batch. Let cool completely before filling.

For the filling, beat the butter with an electric mixer (preferably fitted with a paddle attachment) until no lumps remain. Add the sifted confectioner’s sugar in two or three batches, and beat on low to start, then increase to medium-high until combined. Add the cold cream cheese and salt. Mix until smooth and fluffy.

To assemble, wait until the cakes are fully cooled. Match up similarly sized cakes. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling and place in the center of the flat side of one of the cakes (again, a 1-ounce cookie scoop is the perfect tool). Sandwich another on top, and gently press and twist until the filling reaches the edges. Repeat for the rest.

Serve cold or at room temperature. Store, loosely covered (so the cakes don’t get too sticky), in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze.