Pumpkin-Chocolate Whoopie Pies

I’m a complete sucker for anything and everything pumpkin. It doesn’t feel like Fall until I’ve had my first pumpkin spice latte or I’ve smelled the sweet and spicy aroma of a pumpkin spice candle in my house. Pumpkin puree is a Fall staple in my kitchen cupboards, so when the craving hit for a delicious dessert I knew exactly what I was going to bake. I’ve had this pumpkin & chocolate whoopie pie recipe saved in my recipe binder for a few years but had never gotten around to baking it, until now. This is the perfect autumnal treat that I know I’ll be baking for years to come. I’d love to know what your favorite pumpkin or Fall recipes are - please share!

PUMPKIN-CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES

Yields: Approximately 8 whoopie pies

Time: 30 minutes, not including wait time for cookies to cool

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

¾ cup pumpkin puree

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted; plus ¼ cup, room temperature

¾ cup heavy cream

⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1¾ cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions:

1) Position oven racks to the upper and lower thirds, then preheat to 350 degrees F.

2) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, & salt. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, melted butter, and ¼ cup heavy cream. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and whisk until just combined.

3) Drop dough in 2-tablespoon mounds (I used an ice cream scoop), 1 inch apart, onto two greased baking sheets. Bake until tops of cookies spring back when gently pressed, about 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.

4) In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat room temperature butter, ½ cup cream, cocoa powder, and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread filling on flat side of half the cookies; sandwich with remaining cookies.

Recipe courtesy of Food Network Magazine, with a few minor changes of my own.