Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies

This twist on the classic whoopie pie combines two cake-like pumpkin cookies with a sweet-tart “cream cheese” filling. The cookies bake up soft in the center with a crispy exterior that softens when you add the filling.

Makes: 10-12 whoopie pies
Free of: gluten and all top allergens

Ingredients

Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) dairy-free, soy-free margarine, such as Earth Balance
1 cup cane sugar
6 tbsp aquafaba egg replacer (see egg replacer note at end of recipe)
2 cups Cat’s GF Flour Blend (See recipe below)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla

Filling

6 oz non-dairy cream cheese, such as Daiya, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) dairy-free, soy-free margarine, such as Earth Balance, room temperature
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2-3 tsp unsweetened coconut milk (carton, not canned)

Recipe Tips

*A Note on Coconut Coconut is technically a fruit. While most allergists do not consider it a tree nut, if you are nut allergic, ask your doctor if coconut is safe for you.

Instructions

For cookies, preheat oven to 350° F, and set aside 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat margarine and sugar until creamy. Add aquafaba and beat again. Scrape down bowl.
In a separate bowl, combine flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and xanthan gum.
In another small bowl combine pumpkin puree and vanilla.
Add half of dry ingredients to mixer bowl and blend on medium 15 seconds. Add all of pumpkin and vanilla and blend on medium to combine. Add remaining dry ingredients, mixing on medium for 15 seconds or until batter is formed.
Using an ice cream scoop for perfectly round shapes, drop batter in 1/4-cup mounds onto baking sheet. Allow space for batter to spread as it heats. Bake 14 minutes or until cake-like cookies are golden and firm to the touch. Remove to a rack to cool completely before removing from baking sheet.
For filling, place dairy-free cream cheese and margarine in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar, and beat again until fluffy. Add vanilla, cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons coconut milk if need to smooth out filling.
To assemble, place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the flat side of a cookie and top with a second top. Repeat until you have 10-12 completed whoopie pies. These goodies will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator.

Egg Replacer Note:

For aquafaba: You’ll need 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas for this recipe. Drain can’s liquid into a bowl, and measure out 6 tablespoons. Reserve can ingredients for another use.

Cat Ruehle’s Gluten-Free Flour Blend

Makes: 4 cups
Ingredients

2 cups sweet sorghum flour
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup potato starch (not potato flour)

Method

In a large bowl, whisk the flours and potato starch together until well combined.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place up to 1 month. For longer storage, keep in the refrigerator up to 6 months or in the freezer up to 1 year. Before using, bring to room temperature. Just before measuring, whisk the flour blend to aerate. Sifting is not necessary if you whisk.

Catherine Ruehle is a pastry chef and the author of the best-selling Let Us All Eat cake: Gluten-Free Recipes for Everyone's Favorite Cakes (Ten Speed Press). Find more recipes from Catherine Ruehle at http://www.catruehle.com