Go Back
sourdough pumpkin whoopie pies sitting on a plate

Sourdough pumpkin whoopie pies

These sourdough pumpkin whoopie pies are brimming with a creamy smooth maple filling sandwiched between two delicious soft pumpkin cookies.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Course: Dessert, snacks
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups flour (all purpose flour or half regular and half whole wheat are fine!)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup unrefined sugar (or regular white sugar)
  • 1/2 cup sourdough discard or active starter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 6 T butter, melted
Maple Buttercream filling:
  • 1/4-1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup (half stick) softened butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 T cream cheese
  • drizzle of milk if too thick

Method
 

  1. In a medium bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, unrefined sugar, sourdough starter, eggs and vanilla. 
  2. Melt the butter and allow to cool about 5 minutes. Add to the pumpkin mixture and stir briefly.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir well but do not over mix! The cookie batter will be very moist. That is fine. 
  4. Preheat the oven to 350. Put the dough in the fridge until the oven has reached temperature. 
  5. In the meantime, grease two cookie sheets/baking sheets or line with parchment paper or use silicone baking mats which are my personal favorite. 
  6. Using a small cookie scoop (ice cream scooper) place little mounds about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. These cookies do not spread very much. 
  7. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. 
  8. Place into oven and bake for 12-14 minutes. These are a soft pumpkin cookie but they should still be a bit firm and yet bouncy when you tap them with your finger. They have the texture and feel of part cake-part cookie. 
  9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for five minutes. 
  10. Transfer to a wire rack and allow the cookies to cool to room temperature before spreading filling on them.
  11. Make the filling by using an electric mixer and beating together everything except the powdered sugar. Add the powdered sugar and beat well. Add a dash of milk or two until it is a spreadable consistency.
  12. Spread filling between the flat side of two cookies and sandwich them together. (Or use a piping bag for a prettier appearance). Store in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy!

Notes

Note: I doubled this recipe and it made a nice big batch of apx 2 1/2 dz finished whoopie pies.
These cake-like cookies can also be enjoyed for a less sweet (and messy) snack with out the maple buttercream filling as a basic sourdough pumpkin cookie recipe.