Gluten-free pumpkin whoopie pies

Made by Nicole November 8, 2011 6 comments » Share

It happens every year. As we start to feel the crisp chill in the air and experience the shortened days, my kitchen becomes a warm and comfortable little haven and the need to bake is almost instinctive. The winter holiday season is lurking just around the corner, so it makes sense to get out our rolling pins, muffin pans and cookie cutters, and get ourselves warmed up with some traditional baking.

To get in the spirit of the season, I began by creating soft and spicy gluten-free pumpkin cookies and then decided to pair them with a version of Ricki’s delicious chocolate “buttercream” frosting, a rich buttercream alternative that is made from a base of pumpkin puree and unsweetened chocolate. There’s no doubt this pair was meant to be together, because the end result was pretty incredible.

For the pumpkin cookies, I made use of my favourite vegan egg substitute and binder—flax. If you’re new to vegan baking and are interested in learning the proper how-to of flax eggs, check out Sayward’s recent post. It’s a great method!

Now, time to light yourself a scented candle, put on a pot of tea and get ready to participate in one of the season’s most beloved pastimes, starting with this recipe. Enjoy!

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Gluten-free pumpkin whoopie pies

Yield: 12 whoopie pies

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp flax meal
• 1/2 cup water
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup Sucanat
• 6 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (optional)

For the filling:

• 1 cup + 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 6 oz. unsweetened vegan chocolate
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

Directions:

For the cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the white rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, spices, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.
3. In another bowl, briskly whisk together the flax meal and water (use Sayward's method for best results). Add the pumpkin puree, tahini, Sucanat, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Fold in chocolate chips if using.
5. Portion dough using a cookie scoop onto the prepared cookie sheets and use the bottom of a wet glass to flatten each cookie. Bake the cookies at 375F for 10 to 12 minutes or until very lightly browned on the bottom. Allow them to cool completely before proceeding with assembly.

For the filling:

1. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
2. In a double boiler, place the chocolate, tahini and coconut oil. Heat on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and oil are melted. Remove from heat and add to the pumpkin mixture. Continue mixing all ingredients until smooth.

To assemble:

1. Pipe or spread a thick layer of chocolate filling on a cookie and place another cookie on top, pressing down gently. These whoopie pies are best eaten the day they are made, but they can also be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Chocolate filling recipe adapted from Ricki's chocolate buttercrea