I may be a few weeks early for an autumn style recipe but I first made these a while ago and really loved them and really wanted to make them again to share with you.
For those of you that follow me on Twitter or Facebook you already know of my cookbook obsession. Any lame excuse is enough for me to part with my cash for a cookbook. I just can’t get enough of them and this one in particular I had been after for a while.
As soon as I got it I wanted to bake everything in it, but where to start? Now here is a bit of a shameful secret of mine, I had never made whoopie pies before! Don’t know why just never had. With all the delicious whoopies pies to try it was a hard decision, but I had a can of pumpkin I wanted to use and if I was going to be making an American treat then how much more American can you get than Pumpkin?
I adore pumpkin everything, sweet or savoury, I love it. But you don’t see a lot of pumpkin flavour things in the UK, even tinned pumpkin can be a bit tricky to come by, hence why when I see it I stock up.
So the decision was made to make pumpkin whoopie pies and I had to decide on a filling. Having a little pumpkin left from my tin and wanting a buttercream style filling after adding a little of this and a little of that, I came up with spiced pumpkin buttercream. Now in America you could no doubt just add pumpkin pie spice but that’s not available in the UK so I had to make my own by adding a little vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a bit of all spice. I really loved the flavour this produced even though it was not a true representation of pumpkin pie spice.
I feel the pumpkin spiced buttercream just added a extra kick of pumpkin and the spices complimented everything so well.
It’s a bit of a debate I believe; as to what is a whoopie pie? Is it a cake? Is it a biscuit / cookie? Is it a pie? Well I’m no expert and have read many stories on its origins, most seem to claim that this was an Amish treat made from left over cake batter. True or not, I don’t know but I will tell you one thing, they are so delicious! I am now officially on the whoopie pie bandwagon. Maybe I am a few years late, but hey, better late than never I say.
*The measurements in cups is a guide this recipe was made using metric weight*
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
Ingredients for the batter
- 320 grams Plain flour (All Purpose, (2 and 1/4 cups))
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon all spice
- 1/2 teaspoon mace (or 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg)
- 60 grams rolled oats ((3/4 cup))
- 115 grams unsalted butter - at room temperature ((1 stick))
- 120 millilitres Sunflower oil ((1/2 cup))
- 280 grams light brown sugar ((1 and 1/4 cups packed))
- 1 large egg
- 225 grams pumpkin puree ((1 cup))
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 90 grams dried cranberries (optional, (1/2 cup))
For the frosting
- 115 grams unsalted butter - at room temperature ((1 stick))
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon all spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 100 grams pumpkin puree ((1/3 cup))
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 500 grams Icing sugar (Confectioners sugar, (3 and 1/2 cups))
Instructions
Directions for the whoopies
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F /Gas mark 4 and prep 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar and all the spices together.
- Stir in the oats.
- With an electric mixer, or hand held mixer and a large bowl, combine the butter, oil and sugar. Start on a slow speed and build up to a medium speed until everything is well mixed and creamy.
- Add in the egg and mix.
- Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla and mix in well until everything is well combined.
- On a low speed start adding in the flour mix a little at a time until all dry and wet ingredients are combined.
- Fold in the cranberries if using.
- Using a large ice cream scoop, place the dollops at least 3inches apart to allow for a little spreading.
- Bake in your oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Once firm to the touch take them out and allow to cool on their trays for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to fully cool down.
Directions for the frosting
- Beat the butter with an electric stand or hand mixer until it is very pale and fluffy.
- Add half the icing sugar and on a slow speed mix until all is well incorporated.
- Add the pumpkin puree and beat until well incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract and give it another good beating.
- Add the spices to the rest of the icing sugar and give it a quick mix.
- And the remaining icing sugar and spice mix to the buttercream and beat until everything is well mixed in together.
- Place a scoop of the buttercream on one half and sandwich it together with a second half.
- These will keep in an airtight tin for 4 to 5 days.
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Wow! It looks amazing and delicious. I can even feel the smell :)). Thank you for this post and for the recipe, and i will definitely try to make it.
Hi Jess and Brandon thank you I know you will love then when you try them 🙂
Fantastic! I am SO ready for more pumpkin treats!
Hi Diana, I too am ready for more pumpkin treats I love the stuff its so versatile and it makes wonderful sweet treats 🙂
I’ve never made a whoopie pie! But they look delicious will try give them a go!
Hi Hannah, I hadn’t before these either, give them a go you won’t be disappointed 🙂
I have pumpkin on the brain right now so thank you for helping to indulge me.
Hi Bintu, you’re welcome I love pumpkin too and will be using it loads over the next few months as it comes fully into season.
These look sooooo soooo yummy. I LOVE pumpkin and I can’t wait for fall to come 🙂
Hi Michelle, I love fall too, the ingredients are the best 🙂 I adore pumpkin and love it sweet or savoury, and can’t wait to use it more over the next few months.
We all know how inaccurate it can be but I found this explanation of a whoopee pie on wikipedia which should provide a foundation of the definition. Call ’em what you want; either way, they look delicious.
Hi DB, I agree with you they are delicious regardless of their origin. Thanks for the link to the article it was an interesting read 🙂 I love it when food has a bit of a history especially if that history is a little controversial! Thanks for stopping by.
They lookk and sound very delicious indeed. I must make some more whoopie pies, I have a book which is dedicated to them!
Hi Janice, thanks for stopping by 🙂 After the success of these I’m going to rush out and buy a book on whoopie pies to get loads more ideas. I can’t wait to start experimenting with them as these ones were so good.