Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Hello, everyone.  Meet the whoopie pie.

What exactly is a whoopie pie you ask?  Well, according to the trusty and reliable Wikipedia, "a whoopie pie is an American baked good that may be considered either a cookie, pie, or cake.  It is made of two round-shaped pieces of chocolate cake, or sometimes pumpkin or gingerbread cake, with a sweet, creamy filling or frosting sandwiched between them." 

I think that description pretty much sums these little guys up.  Or as I like to call them, an inside-out cupcake.  There you have it.

These whoopie pies are pumpkin with a cinnamon-vanilla buttercream.  I only wish I had made my staple cinnamon-cream cheese frosting for the center and they would have been divine.  However, I was trying to step outside my box and use a regular buttercream.

They were still quite delicious. I just love cream cheese.

I followed the recipe exactly from Brown Eyed Baker. I just went the cinnamon frosting route rather than maple.  To each his own.   I didn't use a whoopie pie pan and you probably don't need to either.  My first batch, I put the batter into a piping bag and piped rounds on a baking sheet.  The second batch, I used a cookie scoop.  They both worked well.

With 3 full cups of pumpkin in these little treats, you're sure to get your pumpkin-fall fix.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cinnamon-Vanilla Buttercream (printable recipe)

adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

3 cups flour

2 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups canned pumpkin puree, chilled

2 eggs 

1 tsp vanilla

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.  Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl and whisk together.

3.  Combine sugars and oil in mixer.  Add pumpkin puree until thoroughly combined.  Add eggs and vanilla.

4.  Gradually add in flour mixture until thoroughly combined.

5. Using piping bag, cookie scoop, or large spoon, drop by heaping, rounded tablespoons onto baking sheet about 1 inch apart.

6.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Allow to fully cool on wire rack.

7.  Once cooled, pipe frosting onto one side of one cookie and place another cookie on top and sandwich together. Store in airtight container.

Cinnamon-Vanilla Buttercream

2 sticks butter, room temperature

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp milk or cream

4-5 cups powder sugar

1.  Beat together butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and milk/cream until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar until combined.  Once combined. Beat on medium speed 3-4 minutes.  If too thick, add 1 tbsp of extra milk at a time until desired consistency.