Asparagus Whoopie Pies

This basic recipe is all over the Internet. Spices vary. Some have raisins and/or nuts. Adding the icing and turning them into whoopie pies was my idea.

Yield:

32 small sandwich cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup grated asparagus

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup rolled oats

¼ cup butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

 Instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse fresh asparagus.  Cut off any tough ends.  Hold the stalk of the asparagus at a 45-degree angle on an old-fashioned flat grater.  Grate, turning the stalk. It will look like a pencil getting sharpened. Set aside.

Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, cream 1 cup butter and sugar.

Stir in eggs, grated asparagus and 1 tablespoon vanilla.

Stir in flour mixture.

Stir in oats.

Scoop into 1 tablespoon balls and drop on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until light brown. Do not over-bake.

Cool on a rack. Handle them gently as they are very soft.

In a large bowl, beat together ¼ cup butter, cream cheese and 1 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer.

With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a cup at a time. Beat until smooth and creamy.

Spread frosting on the bottom of one cookie. Press the bottom of a second cookie against the frosting.

 Notes:

Consider adding to the cookies:
ground cloves
ground nutmeg
raisins
nuts