I have to give credit where credit is due. I got this recipe over at Dreamy Desserts, and let me just tell you, she hit the nail on the head with this one! As someone who grew up in the north east, home of the whoopie pie, I was hesitant at first to derive from its initial awesomeness. But, being a fan of all things fall, pumpkin, and cream cheese...how could I say no?
Because I can't just leave well enough alone, I was determined to make these guys in little pumpkin shapes. At first I busted out my cookie press and the pumpkin disc. However, it would seem that whoopie pie batter is not a friend to the cookie press. BIG mess in the making.
However, I have these FANTASTIC mini cookie cutters made by Wilton. I might be addicted to them. I have their fall set which, among other things, includes a little tiny pumpkin. So, I still used my cookie press to make sure I got the sizes even. I used 2 clicks worth of batter and made silver dollar sized whoopie pies. Baked them on a parchment paper lined sheet at 350 per her instructions. 10 minutes seemed to be the magic number. As she stated, they don't spread, but they do fluff. Make sure, if you're planning to cookie cut them, you make a dollop of batter large enough to accommodate your cookie cutter because they won't spread like a cookie.
Anyway, baked these little puppies for 10 minutes, let them cool, and then took my cookie cutter to them.
A few things I learned in hindsight...
1.) Make sure half of your cookies are flipped right side up, and the other half right side down, before you start cutting. If you're OCD like I am, the fact that when you turn the flat sides in to one another and the pumpkin stems go the opposite ways will drive you nuts.
2.) I wasted a LOT of whoopie pie. If I do another batch I think I will line my cookie sheet with parchment paper, making sure it comes up and over the edge of the sheet. And then, I will pour the batter in, like a giant sheet cake. It will allow me to more effectively punch shapes out without wasting as much. That being said, even after all my waste, this recipe still made 42 little sandwiches.
3.) I piped the frosting onto my little cakes using a number 8 large round tip. My disposable bag didn't pop at all. It probably helped that it was a round open tip rather than a closed star. I also had let my stick of butter sit out on the counter over night, so it was pretty soft, which may have softened frosting up pretty well. for 42 sandwiches I only used about half the frosting amount, however if you correct my mistakes and bake it sheet cake style to cut shapes out of, you'll probably get enough to use the entire amount.
These are PERFECT for Thanksgiving. Mainly because, who has room left in their stomach to eat a whole whoopie pie??? However, itty bitty bites that are pretty much guilt free? And, great for the little mouths at your table this year! Can't go too wrong. Happy baking!
Sounds delicious! Waste not, want not .... you could make a trifle with the left over cake and filling. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, wasted they were not! Jeff HAPPILY "disposed" of them :)
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