Spiced Ginger Whoopie Pies (low FODMAP)

45 Minutes prep/chill • 20 Minutes cook • Low FODMAP • Gluten-Free • Makes 3 dozen • Ok to make-ahead: Steps 1 - 3

Soft ginger molasses cookies with a crisp sugar top melded together with cinnamon-spiced cream cheese filling. What’s not to love? These low FODMAP whoopie pies are fun, delicious, and a bit addicting! You can make the cookies small for a two-bite version of the whoopie pie, or make them large for a real whoopie pie extravaganza! The combination of the cake-like cookies with the creamy filling is simply wonderful. Chilling the cookie dough before you bake is an important step so the cookies don’t spread out too much as they cook—so don’t skip this step!

Ingredients: Cookies

2 cups gluten-free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

3/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 egg, at room temperature

1/4 cup dark molasses*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup granulated sugar, for dipping

Ingredients: Spiced Cream Cheese Filling

6 ounces lactose-free cream cheese, at room temperature (I used Green Valley Organics)

1/4 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 teaspoon of the combination of ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves—really just a pinch of each spice)

Directions: Cookies

(1) Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt to combine. Set aside.

(2) Cream butter and sugar: Add softened butter and brown sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the egg, molasses, and vanilla and beat until smooth.

(3) Add the dry ingredients: Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add dry ingredients in two batches, mixing until just combined before adding the second batch.

Make-ahead note: At this point, you should cover the dough and refrigerate until firm. This can be 30 minutes to overnight.

(4) Prepare: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and remove the dough from the refrigerator. Put the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Put the cold water in a second small bowl.

(5) Scoop and roll: For each cookie, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough (less for smaller cookies, more for larger cookies), roll it into a ball then flatten the ball slightly so it won’t roll. Dip the top of the ball quickly in cold water, then in granulated sugar. Place sugar side up on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. (I cooked one dozen at a time.)

(6) Bake: For 8 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges and crackly on the top. Watch so you don’t overbake! 8 minutes was the perfect bake time in my oven.

(7) Finish: Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let cookies cool on the sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

*A note about molasses: 1 teaspoon is considered low FODMAP so each cookie will have 1/2 teaspoon if you make 2 dozen.

Directions: Filling and Assembly

(1) Combine the cream cheese and butter: Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the butter and beat until smooth and combined.

(2) Add the powdered sugar: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and spices, then beat on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix a bit more until fully combined and smooth. If the frosting is too soft to hold its shape, refrigerate for about 10 minutes before frosting the cookies.

(3) Fill the cookies: Match cookies of similar size, spread the filling onto the flat side of one cookie, and sandwich it together with a second cookie. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling.

(4) Plate and serve: Serve right away or put your filled whoopie pies in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.

Eat and enjoy every bite because you can!

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