Evil Tara's Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

We had some pumpkin around here from the spooky holiday and decided it was time to finally delve into the cream cheese crack. Umm. That would be code for Evil Tara's Whoopie Pies. Traditionally the soft chocolate cookies with the creamy white frosting known as Whoopie Pies are well adored. I've seen them several times in various blog locations. By far my favorite post on them is Whoopie Pies by Ron Merlin. Very cool. I loved the recipe. Loved the cookies. So when Tara posted this insane recipe of hers on Face Book...well lets just say I was hooked.

I cut off the rind and cooked it in the crock pot about 3 hours, then mashed it really fine. You can use the canned stuff if you want.

Tara's original recipe:

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Makes about 24 pies) Note: It is important to chill the pumpkin puree so that the pies keep their shape when you are scooping them out onto the baking sheet. Also if you are baking in batches keep the dough refrigerated between baking.

Whoopie Cookies

3 c flour

1 t salt

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

2 t cinnamon

2 t ginger

1 t cloves

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 cups chilled pumpkin puree

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, set aside. In a separate bowl or mixer, whisk the brown sugar and oil together until combined. Add the chilled pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.

Using a medium cookie scoop with a release mechanism, drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. (If you are baking in batches, refrigerate the dough between batches.) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the pan while you make the filling.

Cream Cheese Filling

3 ½ c powdered sugar

½ c butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

6 oz white chocolate*, melted and cooled

½ t orange extract

1 T orange zest

Chop the white chocolate and melt in the microwave. Start with 30 seconds then stir and microwave in 10 second increments until nearly melted. Stir until remaining small chunks melt entirely. Set aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until it is completely smooth, with no visible lumps. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the powdered sugar and orange extract and beat until smooth. Gently fold in the white chocolate and the orange zest. Do not over beat the filling, or it will lose structure. (The filling can be made 1 day ahead. Cover the bowl tightly and put it in the refrigerator. Let the filling soften at room temperature before using.)

*Please use real white chocolate. White “confection,” “dipping chocolate,” “bark,” or “morsels” will not work. You know it’s white chocolate if in the ingredient list you see cocoa butter. If you can’t find white chocolate, it’s better to leave it out than to use the fake stuff.

So...The oranges on our tree where a little bit too green to use for frosting, but my boys got overzealous and picked some anyway. So, this is what we had...a zested green. Ironically, it still tasted very orange like...so we ate it anyway.

Resisted the urge to just put this jug right up to my lips and chug it. I did however lick the spoon...several times.

Tara's original picture is what really got me. I honestly imagined myself the size of a Smurf with my head smack dab in the middle of the cream cheese frosting. Aside from feeling really silly, I do imagine it would have been wonderful. No. I didn't rub the cream cheese frosting on my face to be sure.

Assembly

Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down (flat side facing up). Using the same scoop used for the cookies or a tablespoon to drop a large dollop of filling onto the flat side of the cookie. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up before serving. The whoopie pies will keep for up to 3 days, on a parchment-lined baking sheet covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator.

Thanks be to Evil Tara, for her ever un-righteous cooking episodes. I, for one am all about the cream cheese crack now and then. Did I just type that out loud?
There you go!