As I mentioned on Tuesday, I ate more than one pumpkin whoopie pie from Lou’s, my favorite diner in Hanover (my hometown). I started craving them as soon as I returned to the city so decided to make them for myself, cream cheese frosting and all!

I decided to go with a mini version because eating a full one of these puppies is like inhaling an entire birthday cake. At least with the minis, I can eat three in a sitting and am still able to walk afterwards. Kind of.

This version is fluffy, sweet, pumpkiny, and just the right amount of cream-cheesy. See the full recipe found here originally.

Ingredients:

Cookies
– 2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 tspn baking powder
– 1 tspn baking soda
– 1 tspn ground cinnamon
– 1/2 tspn ground ginger
– 1/2 tspn salt
– 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
– 1 1/4 cups sugar
– 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
– 1 cup pumpkin puree
– 1 tspn vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting
– 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
– 6 tblspns butter, softened
– 1/2 tspn vanilla extract
– 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Cookies
– Preheat oven to 350° F
– Lightly grease or line four baking sheets with parchment paper.
– Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt in medium bowl.
– Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes.
– Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
– Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat until smooth.
– Stir in flour mixture until combined.
– Drop by heaping measuring teaspoons onto prepared baking sheets.
– Bake for 10 to 13 minutes or until springy to the touch.
– Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting
– Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl on medium speed until fluffy.
– Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
– Spread a heaping teaspoon of filling onto flat side of one cookie; top with flat side of second cookie to make a sandwich.
– Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.
– Store in covered container in refrigerator.
– Enjoy!