Creamy whoopie pies can give you the creeps
October 21, 2008
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Patrick Decker
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
These whoopie pies got dressed up for Halloween – with seasonally orange cookies and gross-out green (but still delicious) cream filling. The cookies even can be prepped a month ahead, covered tightly in plastic wrap and frozen. Make the filling just before using.
To turn these whoopie pies into pumpkins, use orange food colouring in the filling instead of green. Then pipe a small dollop of purchased green frosting on top of the assembled pie to create a "stem."
Goblin Pies
Cookies
550 ml (2 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
5 ml (1 tsp) baking soda
2 ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder
5 ml (1 tsp) salt
15 ml (1 tbsp) cinnamon
125 ml (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
250 ml (1 cup) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla
125 ml (1/2 cup) canned pumpkin
250 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
5 to 6 drops orange food colouring
Filling
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
625 ml (2 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
15 ml (1 tbsp) vanilla extract
1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
1.25 l (5 cups) marshmallow sandwich spread
30 ml (2 tbsp) green food colouring
Heat oven to 180 C (350 F). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Use an electric mixer on medium to beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla.
Add pumpkin and mix to combine. Reduce mixer to low, then add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Add orange food colouring, then beat until evenly blended.
Portion 16 mounds of batter (50 ml/1/4 cup each) onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 5 cm (2 inches) between each.
Bake, rotating sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted at the centre comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes.
Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
When cookies are cool, prepare filling. In a large bowl, combine butter and powdered sugar. Use an electric mixer on medium to beat until smooth (it will look crumbly at first). Beat in vanilla and salt.
Add marshmallow and beat until smooth, then add green food colouring and beat until evenly coloured.
To assemble, arrange 8 cookies on the counter, flat sides up. Divide filling evenly among cookies, about 125 ml (1/2 cup) per cookie, and spread in an even layer. The filling also can be piped onto the cookies.
Place a second cookie, flat side down, over filling on each. If you store the pies in the refrigerator, remove them about 1 hour before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
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