Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

These monsters were my post-holiday creation for friends and family.  A meal in and of itself.  With a bit of cinnamon fluffyness to cusion between the ginger layers.  Definitely would recommend narrowing the size a bit next time around.  Fills the home with the warm comfort of spices and delicious ginger...

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

3 3/4 cups Wheat Flour

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 tsp Ginger

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Ground Cloves

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 Vegetable Shortening

1 Stick Unsalted Butter, softened

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 large Egg

3/4 cup Molasses

3/4 cup Buttermilk

(or substitute 1 Tbsp lemon juice w/ regular milk and let sit for 5 minutes)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together Flour, Salt, Baking Soda, and Spices.  Set to the side, while in a larger bowl, with a hand mixer, combine Shortening, Butter and Brown Sugar.  Beat until smooth and fluffy.  Add in the egg, until incorporated and then scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Slowly add in half of the dry ingredients.  Stir in the molasses, and combine with the remainder of the dry ingredients and buttermilk.

Scoop dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Approx. 1/4 cup scoops for each cookie.  Into the oven they go "Good Luck!" (as Nana would say), and Bake for 15 minutes, until cookies are puffed.  Let cool on wire rack.

Cinnamon Fluffy Filling

2 Sticks Butter, melted

2 cups Powdered Sugar

1 jar Marshmallow Fluff

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Tbsp. Cinnamon (or more to taste)

Blend all ingredients together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes.)  Place to side, until cookies are cool.  To assemble pies, spread fluffy filling on one cookie bottom, and press together with the base of another.  Pies can be individually wrapped with plastic wrap and frozen, or refrigerated before serving if needed.