Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
These are so good! Unlike traditional Whoopie Pies, this cookie base does not contain shortening. The filling is a basic whipped cream cheese frosting.
Servings 16
Cost 5
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (500 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ⅛ teaspoon salt (reduce to ¼ teaspoon if using salted butter)
- 1 ½ teaspoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (170 grams)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (12 grams)
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed (100 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¾ cup mild molasses (250 grams)
- ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature (170 grams)
Filling:
- 8 tablespoons cream cheese. softened (114 grams)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (56 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (360 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper
- Carefully measure the flour by weighing it. If you don't have a scale, aerate it well, spoon into the cup and level. Mix the flour with the baking soda, salt, cocoa powder and spices.
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl, then add the molasses and beat until well blended. Tip: if you use your scale, just set the mixing bowl on it, set tare to zero and pour in the molasses until scale hits 250 grams.
- Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beating on low until you have a soft and scoopable dough.
- Cover the bowl and chill for 30 minutes to an hour. You can skip the chill, but the cookies will be a little bit flatter.
- Using a rounded medium cookie scoop or about 2 tablespoons per scoop, drop dough on baking sheets about 2 ½ inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies have little cracks on the top and appear set. These are so moist that it's hard to overbake, but it's easy to underbake.
- To make the filling, beat the cream cheese, butter and salt with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then beat in the vanilla.
- You can spread the filling between the cookies, but if you have a pastry bag and a half inch round tip, then pipe it out in a big dollop and press downward for a clean look.