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I have been waiting to make these since Labor Day. I’ve been drooling over pictures on the Web of pumpkin whoopie pies, with that spongy cake on the outside and soft creamy middle. Nom nom nom! And now, the perfect time to make them as a dessert to a perfect fall meal has arrived: Saturday night.
On an average Saturday night, say, five years ago, a single E and a single me would have been dressed in our designer duds running around from lounge to lounge dancing and flirting and drinking and stumbling home around sunrise. We’d consider it a pretty productive night if we didn’t lose anything—cell phones, house keys, pride, sanity. Tonight, after a busy week of work which included launching apps, drinking martinis and interviewing actors from the James Bond movies at a 007 documentary premiere, E and I were in our pajamas at 7PM, loading up “The Living Daylights” on Apple TV and cooking dinner.
E made lobster, which in itself doesn’t scream fall, but we also roasted potatoes with rosemary and garlic in duck fat (“mother’s milk!” E reminded me), browned some asparagus and drank Shiraz. I lined up my ingredients for dessert on the counter. “I’ve never had whoopie pies,” he told me.
“Really? Your mom never made them for you?” I asked, shocked that a child could be so deprived. Actually my mom never made me whoopie pies either, and she only bought the store bought kind like once every three years. But I remember them being such a special, delicious treat, bought for straight “A” report cards or relatives in from out of town. I wanted to make them for my man to celebrate…being in our PJs on a Saturday night!
The cooking process went smoothly, but as I was about to spoon the cookie batter onto the baking sheets, E comes over and dips his finger into the batter. Then, he smeared batter on my top lip. “Mustache!” he laughed. He’ll get his later.
I let the cookies cool, and after a delicious dinner, I whipped up the sugary frosted filling and slathered it on the cookies. I made mini sandwiches with the pumpkin cakes and stuffed one in E’s mouth. Shortly after, we passed out on the couch.
This is not the last E will see of whoopie pies. I plan on making several versions with different flavors throughout the winter (coconut, cinnamon, chocolate, Baileys flavored…).
Cookies:
1 can canned pumpkin
2 cups dark brown sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
Cookie: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grab a few baking sheets and line with parchment paper or grease with oil or butter. In large bowl, beat together pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract until blended. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cloves. Add to pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.
Spoon batter onto baking sheets with a tablespoon. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Turn pans halfway into cooking time, and take out of oven when cookie tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove from pans to wire racks or plates lined with parchment paper to cool completely.
Meanwhile, beat together all filling ingredients with electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Spread 1/2 tsp. filling onto flat side of one cookie and top with another. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.
Recipe from this yumminess.
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