Cookie Trends

Does everyone recall the infamous Hollywood Cookie Diet that suggests you simply eat up to four cookies a day, replacing breakfast and lunch, and eat a sensible dinner. Eat a cookie for breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch and mid-afternoon snack.

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If only life was so glorious as to eat only cookies 24/7 and still maintain a healthy body…but as for the Hollywood Cookie Diet? They “claim” it works, I beg to differ—instead I suggest fitting a cookie  into your overall healthy eating plan. Not eating all cookies and fitting one meal in—I’d be a blood sugar nightmare!

So the next cookie trend is a bit more believable; cookies vary by region. Take a look at these regional cookie trends.

• Northeast: Apple Cider Buttons
• Southeast: Bananas Foster Bars & Chocolate Butter Pecans
• Southwest: Gold Rush Bars & Pistachio Biscochitos
• Northeast: Mount Rainer Macaroons
• Midwest: Wintermint Wafers & Almond Butter Buckeyes

But since when do I follow trends, especially in the kitchen. I’ve always liked to do my own thing! Which is why instead of making Wintermint Wafers of Almond Butter Buckeyes, the current cookie trend for the Midwest, I chose to go the pumpkin route (are you surprised), and boy am I glad I did. I give you permission to be a cookie rebel like me—make these cookies no matter what the trend is!

White Chocolate Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple-Marshmallow Cream Filling

Ingredients

FILLING

• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
• 2 teaspoons maple extract

CAKE

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 1/2 cup milk
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• Mini white chocolate chips

Preparation

FILLING

• Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add marshmallow creme and maple extract; beat until blended and smooth. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

CAKE

• Sift first 7 ingredients into large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in another large bowl until blended. Gradually beat in oil. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients in 2 additions alternately with milk in 1 addition, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Cover and chill batter 1 hour.

• Arrange 1 rack in bottom third of oven and 1 rack in top third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment; spray lightly with nonstick spray. Spoon batter onto baking sheet to form cakes (about 3 level tablespoons each; about 12 per baking sheet), spacing apart. Let stand 10 minutes.

• Bake cakes until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking. Cool cakes completely on baking sheets on rack. Using metal spatula, remove cakes from parchment.

• Line cooled baking sheets with clean parchment; spray with nonstick spray, and repeat baking with remaining batter.

• Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling on flat side of 1 cake. Top with another cake, flat side down. Repeat with remaining cakes and filling. Roll in mini white chocolate chips.DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature.

Have you tried the cookie trend for your region?