Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Dulce de Leche Filling

Ingredients

• 13/4 cups (238 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams)
• unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at
• room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 11/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) pumpkin puree (not
• pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, preferably at
• room temperature
• 3/4 cup (about 75 grams) fresh cranberries,
• coarsely chopped (if frozen, don’t
• thaw)
For the Filling:
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons; 4 ounces; 113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
• 1 cup (96 grams) marshmallow crème
• (or Marshmallow Fluff)
• 1/4 cup (30 grams) confectioners’ sugar
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup (75 grams) dulce de leche, homemade or store-bought

Instructions

• Whisk the flour, cinnamon, cardamom, baking powder and baking soda together.
• Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and salt together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until creamy.
• Beat in the vanilla and reduce the mixer speed to low.
• Add the pumpkin puree and beat until it’s fully incorporated; don’t be discouraged when
• the mixture curdles — it will soon smooth out.
• Turn off the mixer, scrape down the
• bowl and add half of the dry ingredients.
• Pulse to begin the mixing and then mix on low, scraping the bowl as needed, until the flour mixture is blended in.
• Beat inthe buttermilk.
• Turn off the mixer, add the remaining dry ingredients, pulse and then mix on low until you have a lovely smooth batter.
• Switch to a flexible spatula and fold in the cranberries. Don’t be too thorough — it’s better to have an uneven mix than to break the berries and turn the batter red.
• Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out level portions of dough, or use a
• tablespoon to get rounded spoonfuls, and fill the muffin tins. The scoops of dough
• will sit upright in the center of the tins, but when baked they’ll melt evenly into
• the cups.
• Bake the whoopie pies for 11 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and
• front to back after 6 minutes, or until they are puffed, golden brown and springy
• to the touch.
• Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes, then
• turn them out on the racks and allow them to cool completely.
To Make the Filling:
• Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle
• attachment, or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, marshmallow
• crème, sugar and salt together on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl and
• beater(s) as needed, for about 3 minutes, until very smooth.
• Lower the mixer speed, add the dulce de leche and beat until thoroughly blended.
• Using a spoon or a small cookie scoop, place the filling on the flat sides of half
• of the cookies; sandwich with the other cookies, flat sides down.
• The cookies can be eaten now, but the filling benefits from a 30-minute stay in the refrigerator.