Miniature pumpkin whoopie pies filled with bourbon cream. Yum!

This Halloween, go ahead and tell your kids you won’t be sneaking any of their chocolate. You have something better, and it’s for grown-ups only: mini pumpkin whoopie pie with bourbon cream. Because a touch of bourbon is definitely in order if the trick-or-treaters in your neighborhood are anything like the ones in mine. I swear, last year they were lined up at my door waiting for me to come home from work  (they actually waited for me to get out of my car, go inside, and come back with candy) and there was a steady parade of ghosts and goblins streaming by until well after 8pm. By the end of the night, I was cold, hungry, and cranky!

This year I’ll be prepared with soup in the crockpot, so I can actually eat something nutritious, and a platter of these boozy pumpkin whoopie pies to help keep my sanity. I’m actually kind of looking forward to it!

As an added bonus, these whoopie pies fit in perfectly with the challenge that Gold Medal gave me this month: make a baked treat using at least four ingredients from a list they provided (pumpkin, marshmallow, banana, chocolate chips, bourbon, sour cream, maple syrup, caramel, coconut, toffee, nuts, peanut butter, cream cheese, molasses, and cinnamon). I almost made some crazy spiked rocky road brownies, but couldn’t pass up the allure of the pumpkin. I think I made the right call!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Bourbon Cream

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Cake:

• 1 cup Gold Medal® all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons milk

for the Bourbon Cream:

• 3 ounces reduced fat cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon bourbon

Instructions

2. Heat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients (through the ginger). Mix well.
4. In a second bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the oil and egg; Stir in the pumpkin. Mix in half of the dry ingredients. Stir in the milk, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients.
5. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Use the back of the spoon to smooth out any lumps and bumps. Bake for 12 minutes, or until puffy and cooked through. Let cool completely.
6. Use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese and butter until it's smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar to form a stiff icing. Stir in the bourbon. Cover and chill until ready to use.
7. To assemble the whoopie pies, spoon a heaping teaspoon of filling onto the flat sides of 8 cakes. Top with remaining cakes, pressing down gently.
8. Store in the refrigerator, bringing to room temperature before eating.

Disclosure: This post was brought to you in partnership with Gold Medal Flour. Thank you for helping support the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen.