Christina's Cucina

An impassioned Italian Scot sharing how to cook authentically, and travel with enthusiasm.

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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Dulce de Leche Filling for OXO’s Bake a Difference and Cookies for Kids’ Cancer

September 13th, 2016 | 23 Comments

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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Dulce de Leche FillingI am very excited to share this Dorie Greenspan recipe with you as due to my participation, OXO will donate $100 to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer (up to $100,000) for the OXO Bake a Difference and Dorie Greenspan Campaign– it’s such a great cause!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Disclosure: OXO sent me a Non-Stick Pro 12 Cup Muffin Pan, a Medium Cookie Scoop, an OXO On Illuminating Digital Hand Mixer, and a Medium Silicone Spatula in order to bake the whoopie pies for this campaign for charity. All opinions are my own.

I have a confession to make: I’d never tasted a whoopie pie before making these; can you believe it? I’ve just never been in a situation where there were whoopie pies in front of me to try, and my mother never made them when I was growing up, and she surely never bought them. Surely, if I asked her about them today, she’d say, “What are those?”

So my first whoopie pie experience was a positive one: I liked them. The texture of the cookie part was lovely, and the fall spices in the cookies with the flavor of the filling were lovely together. I’d love for you to tell me what you think of this recipe, especially if you are more experienced in the “whoopie pie field” than I am. :)

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Just a couple of notes on the OXO products and about making these whoopie pies before I pass you over to Dorie and her recipe~

  • OXO’s Non-Stick Pro 12 Cup Muffin Pan is made with a ceramic-reinforced, two-layer, commercial-grade coating that provides ultimate non-stick release and is scratch-, stain-, corrosion- and abrasion-resistant. Unique micro-textured pattern ensures even baking.
  • Designed for easy scooping and consistent shaping, the Medium Cookie Scoop‘s soft grip absorbs pressure while you squeeze to smoothly release your cookie dough.
  • With a light to guide you, OXO On Illuminating Digital Hand Mixer includes intuitive digital controls to steadily increase or decrease speed. When you’re finished, the on-board beater clip, wrap-and-secure cord, and flat, stable base allow for compact, upright storage.
  • You’ll definitely need a spatula whenever you bake and OXO’s Medium Silicone Spatula will make things a whole lot easier with its flexible, but strong feature (I dislike floppy spatulas).

-Instead of using marshmallow creme or fluff, I purchased Trader Joe’s marshmallow (without questionable ingredients) and made my own by melting them with a little Golden Syrup in place of corn syrup. Even better, you can make your own homemade marshmallows.

-It’s still a bit early to find fresh cranberries and I couldn’t find frozen ones, either, so I soaked some dried cranberries and this was a good substitution in a pinch.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with
Dulce De Leche Filling

Recipe from Dorie’s Cookies by Dorie Greenspan

Dorie says: I liked these big pumpkin-spice cookies when I first made them and thought of them as cookies. But when I sandwiched them with a marshmallow crème and dulce de leche filling, officially turning them into whoopie pies, “like” became too mild a word for how I felt about them. They passed over into love ’em territory, and they’ve stayed there ever since.

The cookies themselves have the soft, light texture and flavor of spice cake. In fact, they’d be exactly like spice cake if they didn’t have the surprise of fresh cranberries, which, in addition to adding color and pop, have just the right the amount of pucker to make the sweet a grown-up dessert.

Plate of Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

As for the filling, sticky, sweet fluff is a must. It’s just about part of the definition of whoopie pies. For these, it’s paired with store-bought or homemade dulce de leche. It’s the perfect combo, but when you’re ready for a swap, sandwich the cookies with a spiced cream cheese filling.

A word on size and pans: I’m Goldilocks when it comes to whoopie pies — I like them not too big and not too small. For me, baking them in muffin tins is just right. You can scoop the dough out onto lined baking sheets and bake the cookies free-form if you’d like — they’ll be fine, though not perfectly round. If for you a whoopie pie isn’t a whoopie pie unless it’s the size of a Whopper, see Playing Around and go for it.

Makes 16 cookies

For the whoopie pies

  • 1 3⁄4 cups (238 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
  • 3⁄4 cup (150 grams) sugar
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1⁄2 cup (113 grams) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, preferably at room temperature
  • 3⁄4 cup (about 75 grams) fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped (if frozen, don’t thaw)

For the filling

  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (96 grams) marshmallow crème (or Marshmallow Fluff)
  • 1⁄4 cup (30 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 1⁄4 cup (75 grams) dulce de leche, homemade or store-bought

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat it to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter two standard muffin tins (do this even if the tins are nonstick).

To make the cookies: Whisk the flour, cinnamon, cardamom, baking powder and baking soda together.

Whisking dry ingredients together with my OXO whisk
using my own OXO whisk

Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and salt together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Beating butter and sugar with OXO's illuminated hand mixer

Add the egg and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the pumpkin puree and beat until it’s fully incorporated; don’t be discouraged when the mixture curdles — it will soon smooth out.

Turn off the mixer, scrape down the bowl and add half of the dry ingredients. Pulse to begin the mixing and then mix on low, scraping the bowl as needed, until the flour mixture is blended in. Beat in the buttermilk. Turn off the mixer, add the remaining dry ingredients, pulse and then mix on low until you have a lovely smooth batter. Switch to a flexible spatula and fold in the cranberries. Don’t be too thorough — it’s better to have an uneven mix than to break the berries and turn the batter red.

Folding cranberries into whoopie pies with an OXO spatula

Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out level portions of dough, or use a tablespoon to get rounded spoonfuls, and fill the muffin tins.

Making whoopie pies in an OXO muffin tray

The scoops of dough will sit upright in the center of the tins, but when baked they’ll melt evenly into the cups.

Whoopie pies in the OXO tray

Bake the whoopie pies for 11 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back after 6 minutes, or until they are puffed, golden brown and springy to the touch.

Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes, then turn them out on the racks and allow them to cool completely.

To make the filling: Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, marshmallow crème, sugar and salt together on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl and beater(s) as needed, for about 3 minutes, until very smooth. Lower the mixer speed, add the dulce de leche and beat until thoroughly blended.

Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, place the filling on the flat sides of half of the cookies; sandwich with the other cookies, flat sides down. The cookies can be eaten now, but the filling benefits from a 30-minute stay in the refrigerator. Just don’t eat them from the fridge — you’ll deprive yourself of the cookies’ wonderful texture.

Half eaten Pumpkin Whoopie Pie

Playing Around

Whopper-Size Whoopie Pies. If you use a large cookie scoop (one with a capacity of 3 tablespoons) to portion out the dough, you can make 6 really big pies (12 cookies; 6 pies). These bake best when you use an insulated baking sheet or stack two sheets one on top of the other. Line the (top) sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and bake the cookies for 15 to 17 minutes.

Storing

The unfilled cookies can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 1 day. Once filled, they can be kept covered in the refrigerator for a day or two, but they’re really best the day they’re made.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

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I promise not to sell or share your info, ever.

 

 

Yield: 16

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Dulce de Leche Filling for OXO's Bake a Difference with Cookies for Kids' Cancer

Dorie Greenspan's Pumpkin Whoopie pie recipe.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes

Ingredients

For the Whoopie Pies

  • 1 3⁄4 cups (238 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
  • 3⁄4 cup (150 grams) sugar
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1⁄2 cup (113 grams) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, preferably at room temperature
  • 3⁄4 cup (about 75 grams) fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped (if frozen, don’t thaw)

For the Filling

  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (96 grams) marshmallow crème (or Marshmallow Fluff)
  • 1⁄4 cup (30 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 1⁄4 cup (75 grams) dulce de leche, homemade or store-bought

Instructions

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat it to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter two standard muffin tins (do this even if the tins are nonstick).

To make the cookies:

  1. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, cardamom, baking powder and baking soda together.
  2. Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and salt together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the pumpkin puree and beat until it’s fully incorporated; don’t be discouraged when the mixture curdles — it will soon smooth out.
  3. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the bowl and add half of the dry ingredients. Pulse to begin the mixing and then mix on low, scraping the bowl as needed, until the flour mixture is blended in. Beat in the buttermilk. Turn off the mixer, add the remaining dry ingredients, pulse and then mix on low until you have a lovely smooth batter. Switch to a flexible spatula and fold in the cranberries. Don’t be too thorough — it’s better to have an uneven mix than to break the berries and turn the batter red.
  4. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out level portions of dough, or use a tablespoon to get rounded spoonfuls, and fill the muffin tins. The scoops of dough will sit upright in the center of the tins, but when baked they’ll melt evenly into the cups.
  5. Bake the whoopie pies for 11 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back after 6 minutes, or until they are puffed, golden brown and springy to the touch.
  6. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes, then turn them out on the racks and allow them to cool completely.

To make the filling:

  1. Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, marshmallow crème, sugar and salt together on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl and beater(s) as needed, for about 3 minutes, until very smooth. Lower the mixer speed, add the dulce de leche and beat until thoroughly blended.
  2. Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, place the filling on the flat sides of half of the cookies; sandwich with the other cookies, flat sides down. The cookies can be eaten now, but the filling benefits from a 30-minute stay in the refrigerator. Just don’t eat them from the fridge — you’ll deprive yourself of the cookies’ wonderful texture.

Playing Around

  1. Whopper-Size Whoopie Pies. If you use a large cookie scoop (one with a capacity of 3 tablespoons) to portion out the dough, you can make 6 really big pies (12 cookies; 6 pies). These bake best when you use an insulated baking sheet or stack two sheets one on top of the other. Line the (top) sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and bake the cookies for 15 to 17 minutes.

Storing

  1. The unfilled cookies can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 1 day. Once filled, they can be kept covered in the refrigerator for a day or two, but they’re really best the day they’re made.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 1836 Total Fat: 165g Saturated Fat: 102g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 54g Cholesterol: 447mg Sodium: 212mg Carbohydrates: 95g Fiber: 19g Sugar: 42g Protein: 7g
© Dorie Greenspan
Cuisine: American / Category: Bread, Cookies & Pastries

Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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Bread, Cookies & Pastries, Cakes & Pies, Course or Meal, Cuisine, Desserts, Ingredient, Nut Free, Other, Special Diets, Vegetables, Vegetarian · American, Charity, Cookies for Kids' Cancer, Dorie Greenspan, dulce de leche, Filling, kitchen gadgets, kitchen tools, OXO, Pumpkin, whoopie pie, Whoopie Pies

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Reader Interactions

23 Responses

  1. How to Prepare a Pumpkin (How to Cook, Bake or Roast a Pumpkin) - Christina's Cucina says:
    November 21, 2017 at 5:06 pm

    […] skin of the pumpkin. Place in a bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to use in recipes, such as pies, muffins or desserts. So […]

    Reply
  2. Mary Pisarkiewicz says:
    September 27, 2016 at 1:21 pm

    This looks fabulous! Thanks for sharing. can’t wait to try out this recipe!

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 27, 2016 at 1:56 pm

      It’s yummy, Mary! I would try making them on a cookie sheet to get the real Whoopie pie shape next time.

      Reply
  3. David says:
    September 17, 2016 at 6:51 am

    Add me to the list of those who have not had whoopie pies! Yours look quite good, Christina!

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 17, 2016 at 7:27 pm

      Ha! I don’t feel so badly, now- I’m in good company! They tasted really good, David!

      Reply
  4. Jill @ Mad About Macarons says:
    September 16, 2016 at 3:29 am

    Would you believe that makes two of us never to have had a whoopie pie before? I really must try them. They look delicious, Christina, and what a wonderful initiative!

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 17, 2016 at 7:29 pm

      Three of us! David from Cocoa and Lavender admitted he’s never tried one either! We’re in good company! ;)

      Reply
  5. Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says:
    September 14, 2016 at 8:24 pm

    Yummy! I’m all about pumpkin right now! These Whoopie Pies sound delicious!

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 17, 2016 at 7:29 pm

      They are tasty, Cynthia!

      Reply
  6. Suzanne says:
    September 14, 2016 at 4:02 pm

    I love the Fall and am always so happy to see pumpkin recipes start to surface. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a whoopie pie, a throwback from my childhood, they were a favorite but I have never had pumpkin. Very nice recipe and a worthy cause,

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 14, 2016 at 7:29 pm

      This was my first whoopie pie, Suzanne! The pumpkin flavor was yummy, and yes, a very good cause! :)

      Reply
  7. rosemary nardone says:
    September 14, 2016 at 2:26 pm

    These look awesome I love just about anything with pumpkin and a great cause too! Shared on my personal and blog Facebook page

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 14, 2016 at 2:51 pm

      Thank you so much, Rosemary! That’s very kind of you!

      Reply
  8. Suzy | The Mediterranean Dish says:
    September 14, 2016 at 5:23 am

    My kids would love these! Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 14, 2016 at 2:52 pm

      I’m sure they would, Suzy!

      Reply
  9. Christie says:
    September 14, 2016 at 5:15 am

    These would be perfect for a Halloween party and what a great cause.

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 14, 2016 at 7:15 am

      Yes, they would Christie, and it is a very good cause. Cannot even imagine what these children and their families have to go through!

      Reply
  10. Platter Talk says:
    September 14, 2016 at 4:30 am

    Oh boy! I know some kids that are going to love this! Thanks!!!

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 14, 2016 at 7:14 am

      You’re welcome!

      Reply
  11. Cynthia Rusincovitch says:
    September 14, 2016 at 12:52 am

    These sound amazing. We’ll have to try them, I bet the kiddos will really love them.

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 14, 2016 at 7:14 am

      I bet you’re right!

      Reply
  12. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says:
    September 14, 2016 at 12:46 am

    What a creative way to use pumpkin. I am so excited for all the pumpkin recipes around at the moment.

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      September 14, 2016 at 7:13 am

      They do taste very good, Dannii! Happy baking!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Prepare a Pumpkin (How to Cook, Bake or Roast a Pumpkin) - Christina's Cucina says:
    November 21, 2017 at 5:06 pm

    […] skin of the pumpkin. Place in a bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to use in recipes, such as pies, muffins or desserts. So […]

    Reply

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Meet Christina

A Scottish Italian cook living in Los Angeles, Christina is usually cooking, baking or (cr)eating something scrumptious. When she isn't in the kitchen, she loves to travel, near and far, as long as good food is involved. Christina is on a mission to save authentic Italian dishes from extinction, and is constantly promoting Scottish (and British) food as some of the best cuisine the world has to offer—one steak pie and sticky toffee pudding at a time.



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