Annual Food & Drink Issue

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Candied Pecans Recipe

Go Nuts!

If you’re in search of a way to add some delicious crunch and nutty flavor to your dessert repertoire, look no further. From cookies and cakes to puddings and crisps, these sweet and nutty local recipes are sure to be a hit with all of your family and friends.

Photography by Emily Pérez Long

Leslie Goff’s Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Candied Pecans

Yields: 16 servings

Ingredients

For the cakes:

1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1 cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 (15 oz.) can puréed pumpkin
(not pie filling)
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the pecans:

2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
½ Tbsp. water
½ cup pecans

For the filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
Pinch of salt
1½ to 1¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbsp. bourbon (or substitute 1 tsp. vanilla extract)

Directions

For the cakes:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl.

Mix together sugar, oil, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla in a separate large bowl until well combined, then stir in flour mixture.

Using a 1-oz. cookie scoop or Tbsp. measure, drop a scant scoop’s worth of batter or 2 scant Tbsp. of batter onto a lined baking sheet to form 1 mound. Make 15 more mounds, arranging them 2 inches apart.

Bake until springy to the touch, 14-18 minutes. Transfer cakes to rack to cool.

Form and bake remaining batter on the other parchment-lined sheet. It should yield about 32 cakes.

Leave oven on.

For the pecans:

Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper.

Stir together sugar, salt, and water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil. Stir in pecans.

Spread mixture on lined sheet pan and bake until coating is bubbling and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Cool completely on pan on a rack.

Coarsely chop candied pecans.

For the filling:

Beat cream cheese, butter, and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar and bourbon and mix on low speed until smooth.

Chill filling until firm enough to hold its shape when spread, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

For assembly:

Spread 1 heaping Tbsp. of filling on flat side of a cooled cake, then top with another cake. Repeat with remaining cakes.

Gently press pecans onto filling around the middle of each whoopie pie to help them adhere to filling.