You’ve probably figured this out already, but I think every afternoon teatime should be made special, a safe place to step away from the cares of life. Whether you’re using fine bone china, porcelain mug or pottery – make it one that you love, that has meaning, and that creates a setting you can relax in.
And whatever tea you drink, make it a favorite, and your teatime treats special, spiffed up, delicious, and worth the calories. That goes for even rustic treats like these whoopie pies!
Though maple is the overriding flavor of these whoopie pies, they could equally be called “breakfast” whoopie pies, given there’s also blueberry, pecan and even a bit of bacon in them as well. They pack a punch of blueberry-pancake-with-maple-syrup flavor, even in this small package! I think they’re absolutely delicious.
This is another Taste of Home recipe that I’ve taken and tailored with the addition of the dried blueberries and bacon. I recommend using a high-quality, pure maple syrup for the best flavor.
Also, I did these in a couple of sizes, a 1-tsp. scoop, and the more usual size for whoopie pies, 1-Tbsp. scoop.
The larger ones I just baked with pecan pieces sprinkled across the top, and the smaller ones I add a dot of the filling so I could top them with one of each of the main ingredients – dried blueberry, pecan and bacon. Kind of nice to know what you’re getting on the inside by showing it on the outside.
I mean, I just get hungry for one by looking at them! I think they’re also one of those good old comfort foods. They make me think of a frosty morning with blueberry pancakes on the menu…it doesn’t get much better than this!
The batter is a nice thick one, perfect for dropping onto your baking sheet with a cookie scoop.
And what you can’t pick up on here is the smell of maple that just emanates from them when they come out of the oven – absolutely yummy!
Like I said, a bit rustic, but add your favorite porcelain mug, something that makes you happy, and they will add a lovely touch of comfort and maple to your afternoon tea!
Maple Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
- 1/3 c. (76 g.) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 c. granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract or paste
- 1 tsp. maple flavoring
- 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 c. maple syrup
- 1/2 c. pecan halves
- 1/2 c. dried wild blueberries (I use the ones from Trader Joe’s); you may set aside a few extra to garnish the top of the smaller pies
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 c. shortening (I used mascarpone instead)
- 1 tsp. maple flavoring
- 4 c. powdered sugar
- 1/4 c. heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 3-4 pieces cooked crisp bacon, in small pieces (this could be optional; the filling is fairly sweet, though, so I liked the bite of salty bacon every bite or so); keep one piece aside to break into little pieces to top the smaller cookies, if you wish (or just add to the frosting!)
Cookie batter
Filling
Directions
To make the Cookies: Prepare the pecans by preheating the oven to 300° F and toasting them for 10 minutes. Once cooled, chop the toasted pecans into small pieces. Half of these will be for the batter; the other half will be used to sprinkle on the top of the pies before baking (with the 1 Tbsp. sized), or set one pecan piece on top of the smaller (1-tsp. sized) after they are baked.Prepare the dried blueberries by soaking them for a couple of hours in a small bowl just covered with water and a squirt of maple syrup (to rehydrate them a bit before using). Drain and pat dry before using.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla and maple flavoring. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cream and syrup, beating well after each addition. Stir in the 1/4 c. of chopped pecans and the blueberries with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Drop the dough by rounded 1 Tbsp. or 1-tsp. cookie scoop onto a baking sheet covered by parchment (or alternately, you can grease the sheet). Leave a little room in between for them to expand slightly. For the 1 Tbsp. cookies, sprinkle with some of the extra pecan pieces. Bake until edges are light brown and tops spring back when lightly touched, 8-10 minutes for the smaller pies; 10-11 for the larger pies.
Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
To make the Filling: Prepare the bacon ahead by cooking it until crisp; break the strips into small pieces (make sure it’s cooled before using in the filling).
In a large bowl, beat butter, shortening (or mascarpone), and maple flavoring until creamy. Beat in the powdered sugar alternately with the cream and syrup until smooth. Add the bacon bits with a spatula or spoon.
Spread filling on bottoms of half of the cookies, and cover with the remaining cookies. For the smaller cookies, you could put a dab of the filling on the top and garnish with 1 dried blueberry, 1 piece of pecan, and 1 little piece of extra bacon. The larger cookies are garnished with just the pecan pieces you sprinkled over the top before you put them in the oven to bake.
Put in the fridge for 30 minutes to let the filling firm up a bit, but also you could take them out 30 minutes before you want to serve so it’s not too firm. Store in airtight containers.
Very Nearly Teatime 
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