Chocolate & Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Another awesome recipe that uses pumpkin puree! And the best part? These are perfect for your halloween party too.

If you have never had 'Whoopie Pies' before, they are an awesome dessert that sandwiches icing (in this case pumpkin icing) between two fluffy cookies that are made from a batter very similar to cake batter.

You can also add some extra excitement by rolling the edges in sprinkles or small candies!

This recipe is originally from marthastewart.com, and the original link can be found here. This recipe makes about 20 whoopie pies :)

Chocolate and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

• For the cookies:
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp soft butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• For the pumpkin filling:
• 1 ounces of cream cheese (half a pack) at room temperature
• 1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F and cover your cookie sheets with parchment paper
2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt
3. In a second bowl, beat together the butter (or margarine), shortening, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy
4. Add the egg to the sugar mixture, and mix well
5. Add half of the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and mix well
6. Add the milk and vanilla, then the rest of the flour mixture and stir until completely mixed
7. Drop about 2 to 3 tsp of batter at a time onto the baking sheets.  I fit 8 cookies on each sheet and they didn't expand into each other :)
8. Bake for 7 - 12 minutes (depending on their size), or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cookie
9. Let cool completely before icing
10. To make the icing, beat together the cream cheese, butter (or margarine), and icing sugar.  When smooth, add the pumpkin and spices and continue to mix until smooth and fluffy
11. To make a whoopie pie: Place a layer of icing on the bottom of one cookie, and then cover with a second cookie
12. Enjoy!