The Best Pumpkin Whoopie Pie You'll Ever Taste!

Every October since 1991 Keene, NH has hosted the Pumpkin Festival.  Most known for it's amazing display of carved pumpkins (last year there were an unbelievable 29,762!), this year the festival will be held on October 15th and 16th from 10am to 9pm on both days.  Visitors to the festival can find plenty to do: arts and crafts vendors, food tents, pumpkin seed spitting and pie eating contests, live musicians and a costume parade. 

    

     According to the Federated Church of Marlborough, NH they serve the best pumpkin whoopie pies in the country at this festival.  Wanting to see, or rather taste, for myself I decided to whip up a batch using the recipe I found on Delish.com.

     Oh my goodness.  Hands down these are the best whoopie pies EVER.  Even if you think you're not a pumpkin fan you'll love these.  Not too overpowering with pumpkin flavor and just the right amount of spices.  The cream cheese filling is so thick and sweet that just a bit will do.  And best of all, the recipe was so easy to make!  Usually after I try a recipe for the first time I find there are certain ingredients I would add/delete or other little changes that I would make in order to perfect the taste.  Not in this case - every time I have made these I have followed the recipe exactly.  Why mess with perfection?

     Last fall I made a batch for my husband to bring to the guys at work.  To keep them fresh, I wrapped them individually in plastic wrap and placed them one layer deep (don't want them to get squished!) and carried them in a reusable shopping bag.  Due to the cream cheese filling my husband was instructed to keep them in the refrigerator when not being eaten.  I was told later that day that there was no need to refrigerate them, they didn't last that long!  In fact, they were such a hit he guys asked to bake them again ASAP! (I made them for the guys the following weekend!)

Whoopie Pies:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp nutmeg

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Icing:

8 oz cream cheese (room temp)

1 stick butter (room temp)

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups confectioners' sugar 

Directions:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350

2.  Mix wet ingredients (oil, water, pumpkin, eggs and vanilla).  Whisk together dry ingredients (sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt)

3.  Add dry ingredients to wet and mix well

4.  Drop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (I found this is a must for perfect pies!) using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop (this ensures equal pies)

5.  Make sure they are round; sometimes you may need to take a knife and shape them a little

6. Bake 12 to 14 minutes; cool before icing

7. To make icing: combine ingredients and beat until light and fluffy.  Spread on cooled pies and sandwich.

Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear your favorite recipe!