Gluten-Free Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Whoopie Pies or Why Do I Put Things Off? 

A while ago (okay, several years ago), my husband saw a display of pumpkin whoopie pies in a bakeshop. His response? “You should make a gluten-free version.” My response? “I’ll put it on my list.” And that’s just where those gluten-free pumpkin whoopie pies remained.

I’m not sure why I resisted baking them. I think I believed that whoopie pies should be chocolate, not pumpkin. Silly, I know. Each fall, he’d gently suggest I make a batch and each fall I didn’t. Until now.

Of course, you know how this story ends. Now I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to make them. In fact, I think I like pumpkin even better than the traditional chocolate version. (My husband might have smirked when I told him this. But he was eating a whoopie pie at the time. So I can’t be sure.)

But enough about how I was wrong! Let’s talk about the pies! As with traditional chocolate whoopie pies, these gluten-free pumpkin whoopie pies are made by sandwiching two dense cakes  together with a light, creamy center. Which brings me to….

The Filling

Most chocolate whoopie pies are held together with a filling made from butter and classic Marshmallow Fluff. I love that filling. It’s light and sweet and perfect. 

For pumpkin whoopie pies, however, I wanted to do something different.  (And, if you are egg-free, you’ll love this change.) I decided to make the filling with whipped cream cheese. Yes! As you can imagine, cream cheese filling complements these pies perfectly.

Egg-Free and Gluten-Free Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Replace the two eggs with 2 tablespoons ground flax meal and 1/4 cup hot water. Whisk together the flax and water and allow it to stand for five minutes. Add as you would the egg.

Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

For the Cakes

Replace the butter with a solid dairy-free shortening
(like Crisco or Spectrum vegetable shortening) or lard. Use as directed. A liquid oil can be used to replace the butter; however, I found the cakes spread when made with oil and had a very moist—almost muffin-like texture—instead of the dense cake-like texture I prefer in a whoopie pie.

For the Filling

Use a dairy-free cream cheese.

Baker’s Note:

How to Make Smaller Gluten-Free Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Traditional whoopie pies are BIG. If you’d like a smaller treat, scoop batter, about 2 tablespoons each, onto prepared baking sheet. Reduce baking time from about 20 minutes to about 12. Check the cakes after eight minutes.

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 12 whoopie pies

Author GlutenFreeBaking.com

Ingredients

For the Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies

• 1 cup cup white rice flour (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (2 ounces; 56 grams)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch or potato starch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup; 4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces; 198 grams)
• 2 large eggs (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 grams, out of shell)
• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree (9 1/2 ounce; 269 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Vanilla Marshmallow Filling

• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature (1/2 cup; 4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (1 5/8 ounces; 46 grams)
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar (3 ounces; 85 grams)
• 1 (7 1/2 ounces) jar marshmallow crème (I used Marshmallow Fluff)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Cream Cheese Filling

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened (3/4 cup; 170 grams)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup; 4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 2 cups powdered sugar (8 ounces; 226 grams)
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In large bowl, or bowl of stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until thick paste forms, use medium high speed. With the mixer running, add eggs in a slow and stream. Stop mixer. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Turn mixer on, mix to combine, about 30 seconds.
2. Add half the dry ingredients. Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Stop mixer. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract. Turn mixer on to medium. Mix until combined. Once again, turn off mixer. Add remaining dry ingredients. Turn on mixer, mix until a thick batter forms.
3. Drop batter, about 1/4 cup each, onto prepared baking sheet. Whoopie pies spread during baking. Be sure to space each cake about two inches apart. Bake until cakes are golden brown, aromatic, and firm to the touch, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove pan from the oven. Allow cakes to cool on the pan for five minutes before transferring the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. (Use a metal spatula to transfer the cakes.)
5. While cakes cool, prepare the filling. For the marshmallow filling: In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and vegetable shortening until light and fluffy. (Use high speed on a handheld mixer or medium-high speed on a stand mixer.) Add the powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add the marshmallow creme and vanilla extract. Mix until fluffy. For the cream cheese filling: Cream together cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Mix to combine. Filling should be fluffy. It it's too thick, add another teaspoon of milk to thin.