Pumpkin-Maple Whoopie Pies

The end of the year always sneaks up on me. I'm strolling right along, enjoying my summer and like bam! (take that Emeril) it's Labor Day.  Then all of a sudden, September morphs into Halloween.  And by the time I'm barely coming down off my left-over candy sugar high, Thanksgiving is right around the corner.

I really should pay more attention. It's not like the world hasn't been trying to clue me in.  I've been wearing my thick wool coat to work for weeks now, barely a leaf is left on a tree, and my mom's already emailing me asking what I want from Christmas - it's obviously Fall. (And yes, my mom starts her Christmas shopping exceptionally early.  I guess you have to when you have 5 kids to shop for......)

All these signs, yet I'm still trying to grasp the fact that this week is Thanksgiving.  Thursday? You mean THIS Thursday? Are you kidding me? Even more shocking, I have yet to bake on thing made of fall-inspired pumpkin goodness.  And that my friends can not happen. It just can not. It's like kitchen rule #3.

Please don't ask what rules 1 & 2 are- it's kinda like Fight Club. I can't talk about it

So I called upon pumpkin and cinnamon and nutmeg and clove and last but certainly not least, maple syrup. Fall has officially arrived in Sarahland.

Pumpkin-Maple Whoopie Pies

Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com

What You'll Need:
For the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
3 cups AP Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Ground Cloves
1 Tbsp Ground Ginger
2 cups Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Veggie Oil
3 cups Pumpkin Puree (slightly less than 2- 15oz cans)
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Maple-Cream Cheese Filling
1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter, room temp
8oz Cream Cheese, room temp
3 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Maple Syrup

What To Do:
1. Making the cookies: Preheat oven to 350F.  Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Set aside. In a separate large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined.  Add pumpkin to sugar mixture and whisk until incorporated.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.  Slowly add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.

3. Using a cookie scoop (or ice cream scoop), drop on the prepared sheets.  Bake until the tops are slightly crackled and they pass the toothpick test, about 15 minutes.  Keep on the pan to cool completely.

4. While cookies cool, make the filling: Beat together butter and cream cheese.  Sift in powdered sugar. Then add vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Then add maple syrup until well combined.

5. Assemble the whoopie pies: Fill a pastry bag (or ziploc bag) with the maple-cream cheese filling and pipe a large dollop on the half side of half the cookies.  Sandwich with the other cookies halves. Place on a cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes to allow filling to set before serving.

This post was featured at Sugar Bee Crafts by Carrie of My Favorite Finds and by Emily at Nap Time Creations
You can find this recipe at these link parties