Try This Decadent Fall Treat!

As the leaves begin to turn and the crisp autumn breeze fills the air, it’s time to indulge in the comforting flavors of fall. What better way to celebrate the season than with Pumpkin Whoopie Pies? These delightful sandwich cookies combine the warmth of pumpkin with the tangy goodness of cream cheese frosting. Whether you’re a pumpkin enthusiast or simply seeking a scrumptious treat, these whoopie pies are sure to become a family favorite. Let’s dive into how to create these irresistible pumpkin delights!

What Are Whoopie Pies? Whoopie pies are a delightful dessert originating from the Northeastern United States. They consist of two soft, cake-like cookies that sandwich a luscious layer of frosting. The result is a portable, hand-held treat that’s as fun to make as it is to eat!

You Will Need:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preparing the Pumpkin Cookies:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
• In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs until well combined. Add in the brown sugar, canola oil, and pumpkin puree. Mix until smooth.
• Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until fully combined.
• Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 11 minutes or until the cookies are set and slightly springy to the touch.
• Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack.

2. Making the Cream Cheese Filling:

• In a standing mixer, combine the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
• Gradually add in the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until well incorporated.
• Stir in the vanilla extract, ensuring the filling is well combined and velvety.

3. Assembling the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies:

• Match up pairs of cookies that are similar in size and shape.
• Using a piping bag or a spoon, place a generous dollop of the cream cheese filling onto the flat side of one cookie in each pair.
• Gently press the flat side of the second cookie onto the cream cheese filling to create a sandwich.
• Repeat this process for all the cookie pairs.

4. Storing and Freezing:

• To enjoy your Pumpkin Whoopie Pies within a couple of days, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• To freeze, wrap each whoopie pie tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Frozen whoopie pies can be enjoyed for several months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before indulging.

Make sure you stop by the Country Store while you’re here at the farm to try one of our delicious Whoopie Pies. Visit our blog for more tasty recipes!

What better way to enjoy a cool, crisp Fall morning that with scones fresh from the oven. Why, we’re drooling just writing this blog!

You’ll need:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold or frozen cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Coarse sugar for sprinkling

To make:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, combine flour, sugars, baking powder, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until ingredients are well combined. Sprinkle butter pieces over the top of the flour mixture and pulse until mixture becomes fine crumbs.

In a large measuring cup, whisk together heavy cream, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour pumpkin/cream mixture over flour/butter mixture in food processor and pulse until mixture begins to clump.

Carefully turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Fold the dough in half over itself and use your hands to gently flatten layers together. Rotate the dough and fold in half again, repeating this step 5 times (don’t overwork the dough). Form into a disk about 6 inches wide.

Using a large knife, cut dough into 8 wedges pressing knife straight down (don’t saw). Place scones 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Brush each scone with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Transfer to oven and bake for 17 minutes. Enjoy!

Visit our blog for more Fall fun!

Enjoy corny Fall family fun in the country with 7-acre pumpkin patch, more than 40+ attractions and activities … and lots of good things to eat!

Succulents can be one of the most black thumb-friendly plants in existence. However, even these easygoing plants need special love if they reside in an area that’s out of their native habitat. Follow these tips to keep your succulents healthy as the temperatures dip!

Despite growing in a variety of different climates, succulents come from warm, dry regions with relatively low humidity and minimal rainfall. So when our temperatures start dipping into the freeze zone, we need to take some additional steps to ensure they are ready to rock and roll when we warm back up again.

Unless you have sedums or sempervivums (these gals tolerate frost), your succulents will need to be covered if they are outside. Invest in translucent frost cloth that will allow your plants to photosynthesize while protecting them from the harsh temperatures. If your succulents are in pots, you can move them indoors to a space that stores enough above-freezing temperatures to keep them going (i.e. a south-facing wall or sunroom). Most plants will go into dormancy, slowing their growth along with their water needs. We’re going for drier soil this time of year.

Another thing to watch out for is mealy bugs. Infestation resembles a fluffy white substance on the leaves. Treat immediately by spraying isopropyl alcohol. If you have multiple plants, isolate any infested plants from their healthy friends. The best preventative is good air circulation. Keep a fan going or open a few windows to keep the air flow going.

Visit our blog for more gardening tidbits!

Combine the decadence of chocolate with the savory flavor or pumpkin with these delicious Fall pancakes.

You’ll need:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp browned butter or melted butter
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

To make:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, pumpkin, eggs, butter, maple syrup and vanilla.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix the batter until just combined. Batter will be a bit lumpy. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the batter and set aside for 10 minutes.

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and add butter, or spray with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup pancake batter on the center of the hot pan and gently spread batter to form a circle. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Using a spatula, flip the pancake over and cook the other side for a minute, or until golden. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve with maple syrup if desired.

Visit our blog for more Fall fun!

Enjoy corny Fall family fun in the country with 7-acre pumpkin patch, more than 40+ attractions and activities … and lots of good things to eat!