Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

It's a cake, It's a cookie, No! it's...

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie!

This months Cookie Carnival choice was
Martha Stewart's Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.
Pumpkin spiked cream cheese filling sandwiched
between two devils food chocolate cookies.
It taste like a cake, it's name says pie, but it really is a cookie.
How perfect for Halloween!



I got 12 cookies, the recipe said 18. But the recipe also said mini. Oops!
There was nothing mini about mine.
Mine were big enough that one would do ya.
O.K, mine were big enough that half would do ya.

For a girl who loves chocolate and pumpkin, these didn't do it for me.
I got great reviews, but not on my list of *MUST MAKE*.
They were cute, perfect for the season and fun to make.
Just not my favorite. :(

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE COOKIES
* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
* 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 cup whole milk
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE FILLING
* 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
* Pinch of cinnamon
* Pinch of nutmeg

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
3. Drop about 2 teaspoons dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
4. Prepare filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
5. Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.

Makes about 18-20 cookies.