Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pies

The New York Times recently posted an article on whoopie pies. I hadn't even heard of whoopie pies until a few months ago, but after drooling over some pictures, I decided to have a go at some whoopie action. I had some frozen homemade pumpkin puree which I wanted to use up, and since I can eat chocolate chips with pretty much anything, I decided on pumpkin chocolate chip whoopie pies.

I started with a pretty simple recipe for pumpkin cookies and tweaked it a bit to make it healthier. Then I added chocolate chips and a cream cheese filling (so much for healthy).

These cookies were really good. The subtle pumpkin flavor and spiciness of the cookies were a nice contrast to the tartness of the cream cheese filling. And the chocolate chips added a nice texture, as always.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pies (makes 15 pies)

Pumpkin cookies (makes 30 cookies, adapted from George Duran):

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  
• Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 4 oz Cream Cheese (I used Neufatchel)
• 3/4 confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate chunks

For Cookies:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.
2. Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
4. Slowly stir in the flour mixture into the batter. Mix just until all the flour mixture is incorporated. Stir in the chips and pecans.
5. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cookie comes out clean. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.
For Filling:
Using a mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar. Stir in chocolate chips/pieces.