Gingersnap Whoopie Pies

Recipe borrowed from the September 24, 2010, issue of All You. Enjoy!


Gingersnap Whoopie Pies
Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Pinch of ground black pepper
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 tbsp butter, room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
3 tbsp molasses

Filling:
6 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 7oz jar marshmallow cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper until combined. Stir buttermilk and vanilla in separate bowl.
3. Beat butter and brown sugar in mixing bowl until fluffy. Add egg and molasses, beating continuously. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture. Beat in buttermilk mixture until smooth, then add the rest of the flour.
4. Drop cookie batter (about 2 tbsp per cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, switching baking sheets halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Cookies should be puffy and spring back when touched. Cool completely.
5. To make the filling, use an electric mixer on medium speed to combine all filling ingredients until smooth. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
6. Spread approx 2 tsp filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Press remaining cookies onto filling. Store in fridge or freezer.