If you haven't heard of a Whoopie pie before, then let me tell you this... you are missing out. It is essentially two cakes or cookies with an icing in the middle. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Absolutely! So how can you make them even better? You can make a pumpkin version that is not only delicious, but is also healthy that isn’t loaded with excessive sugar and calories.
Where do Whoopie Pies come from?
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, “No one is entirely sure where Whoopie pies originated. At least four states – Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania – lay claim to the snack. Some say Amish wives invented the Whoopie pie from remnants of cake batter and frosting. According to the story, the name originated from the Amish men who, when they found these treats in their lunch boxes, would exclaim, “Whoopie!” But the first commercially sound Whoopie pies were sold by Labadie’s Bakery in Lewiston, Maine around 1920.
Growing up in Chester County, PA outside of Philadelphia, I was only 45 minutes away from Lancaster County, which is known for its Amish population. I remember taking regular trips with my mom and aunt to a place called Shady Maple. Shady Maple is a smorgasbord restaurant, bakery and massive gift shop. And this is where I was first exposed to the Whoopie pie. So naturally, every time I eat a Whoopie pie, I think back to the Saturday trips with my family to Lancaster County.
Why do my Whoopie pies come out flat?
Whoopie pies that come out flat are usually due to too thin batter. The batter does not hold up well in the oven when it is too thin. When a batter is thicker, it will hold its shape and puff up as it should during baking.
Why do I love this recipe?
There are so many reasons why I love making these healthy pumpkin Whoopie pies. My favorite part of the recipe is that you mix all the ingredients in one bowl. As soon as the cookies are baked, you can rinse the bowl and make the filling. In addition to being sugar-free, this recipe is also low in calories, making it perfect for supporting a healthy lifestyle. Last but not least, these pumpkin Whoopie pies are a delicious and healthy treat that is packed with vitamins and minerals. So go ahead and make this a part of your breakfast!
Are these healthy pumpkin Whoopie Pies diet friendly?
As long as you use a nutritional sweetener, then this recipe is perfect for you. The cookies are completely sugar-free and do not use any additional sweeteners. The flavor comes from the pumpkin spice seasoning. The cream cheese filling does use Swerve, a nutritional sweetener, but you can leave that out if you don't mind a less sweet filling.
Are these gluten free?
You can certainly try to make this recipe gluten free if you use certified gluten free oats and an all purpose gluten free flour, such as Red Mill’s Gluten Free All Purpose Flour.
So instead of belaboring this, let's get baking!
Healthy Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Ingredients:
1 ½ cups quick oats
¾ cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
4 tbsp butter (softened)
1 egg
½ cup (120g) pure pumpkin
1 oz almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp cinnamon
Buttercream Filling
4 tbsp butter (room temperature)
3 tbsp cream cheese (room temperature)
½ cup confectioners swerve
1 tsp vanilla extract
Cookies: Take out two bowls (1 large, 1 medium). In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients except the swerve. In the other bowl, add in the eggs, butter, vanilla extract and swerve. Thoroughly mix. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry bowl and mix well. Make sure everything is well combined. Once combined add in the carrots and mix again.
Set the oven to 350°. On a large cookie pan, add parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Add a small amount off to the sheet; should make about a 2” cookie. Bake for 11 minutes. Pull out of the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Carefully transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled.
Icing: Add all the buttercream ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with a hand mixer until well combined. Add icing to a piping bag and add to the bottom of one cookie. Once you cover the side of a cookie, top with another cookie.
Nutrition - 8 Whoopie pies:
Calories: 236
Protein: 5.1g
Fats: 15g
Carbs: 21g
Fiber: 2.2g
Net Carbs: 18.8g
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn a very small commission when you click on the link at no additional cost to you.
Comments