Hello Autumn! Whoopie Pumpkin Pies!

As soon as September rolls around, the craving for anything pumpkin flavor hits me like a ton of...well...pumpkins. I cannot wait for that first Pumpkin Latte from Starbucks (although I will only order it once to say I've had it. After that, I order a Chai Tea Latte with 2 shots of pumpkin! YUM!) along with a pumpkin scone. Of course, it's time to start stock piling all the pumpkin puree I can at the supermarket before my friends and fellow pumpkin obsessed buy them all up!

While scouring the web for pumpkin recipes, I came across this one and for some reason, I knew I had to try it! Turns out, I loved it. Better yet, the KIDS loved it! This one is a hit!!

Neely's Whoopie Pumpkin Pie

For the cookie:

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature 
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch salt

Filling:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar (start of with this amount, but you'll probably need to add a lot more)
• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Using a stand mixer, add the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, then the buttermilk and the vanilla. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients in increments to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Drop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto parchment lined sheet trays, leaving a 2-inch space between each cookie. Put in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on rack.

Beat together the cream cheese and butter, in a small bowl, until smooth. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar. Once smooth, add the pumpkin puree, the cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth and well mixed.

To assemble the cookie, spread a heaping tablespoon of the filling to the flat side of a cookie and sandwich with another. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

I have to say, that this was one of the funnest recipes I've made. I just had a great time working this one. I will say though that after reading the reviews and changes others had made, that you do indeed need to add A LOT more confectioners' sugar to the filling mix to thicken it up. If you don't, it WILL be runny! I also found that putting in the fridge for a little bit to set them up, helped a great bit too. But regardless of those little quirks, the Whoopie Pie made my family WHOOP for joy!

Recipe curteousy of Food Network: The Neely's.