Sweet Potato Oat/Cran Whoopie Pies



Sweet Potato Oat-Cran Whoopie Pies ~ healthy & yummy!

When your kids come flyin' through the door after school ravenously hungry - hand them each a Sweet Potato Oat/Cran Whoopie Pie! Not only are they soft, yummy and delicious, these Whoopies bring the hunger-sweet crave to a screeching halt. Loaded with Vitamin A, plus fiber yet offer homemade comforting flavors and textures with a creamy center of goodness. These Whoopie Pies are best when chilled. I wrap each one in clear wrap and stack them in the refrig for easy kid access. You can also just stack them in a plastic air-tight container and keep them in the refrig.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Baking Time: 12-14 Minutes
Makes: 12 Whoopie Pies

Pre-Heat Oven: 425

Ingredients For Whoopie Pie Portion:
2 to 3 fresh Sweet Potatoes {steamed the easy way!-see step one below} or whatever equals to 1 cup of the sweet potato pulp, then mashed
1 cup flour
1/2 cup Quick Oats {Oatmeal}
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 Tbsp. butter at room temperature
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 Tbsp. applesauce
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp mace spice
*parchment paper and cooking oil spray

Ingredients For Whoopie Pie Filling:
1- 8 oz. package, 1/3 fat Cream Cheese - softened
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
3 Tbsp low fat peach flavored yogurt
1 Tbsp applesauce

STEP ONE: Preparing the Sweet Potatoes THE QUICK - EASY WAY - retaining all moisture and vitamins! *This is sooo flippin' easy and cuts your cooking time of potatoes down to 8 minutes. AND YES- you can make these ahead of time and refrigerate! Clean and rinse the whole sweet potatoes. We are going to wrap each sweet potato in a wet paper towel {dampened} covering each potato securely. Now take each potato that's wrapped in the damp paper towel and re-wrap again tightly in clear plastic wrap. Re-wrap a third time- yep... again in clear plastic wrap.-tightly. You should now have each potato wrapped tightly in 3 wraps!  Place potatoes in microwave for 4 minutes. When 4 minutes is up, turn the potatoes to otherside on top and heat again in microwave another 4 minutes. Check tenderness with a toothpick insert.  Remove carefully from microwave with tongs, they are very hot! Using scissors, cut plastic wrap and towel off of sweet potato - slice potato in half scooping out flesh and place flesh into measuring cup, padding the mixture into the cup in order to attain a solid packed cup of sweet potato. Now place the cup of sweet potatoes into a mixing bowl and mash with a fork, then set aside.


Begin by making the Whoopie Pie filling first, this will allow time for the filling to "set" while we are baking the pies.
STEP TWO:
 Place cream cheese in a large bowl and blend with a mixer til creamy, add in the applesauce blend for 30 seconds. Then add in the confectioners sugar blend a minute or until smooth, then add in the yogurt and blend again 30 seconds. Place filling in small bowl and refrigerate.

Place parchment paper on inside area of two baking sheets then spray top side of parchment with cooking oil spray. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl blend together flour,salt, baking powder, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, mace and oats. Mix together well with a wooden spoon. Now add into the dry mixture the mashed sweet potatoes, melted butter, milk, egg, dried cranberries and 3 tbsp. applesauce. Mix all ingredients together just long enough - forl dry ingredients to become moistened. Do not over mix. Place a heaping teaspoon of batter onto prepared cookie sheet, then with the back of a spoon smooth each scoop of batter into a 2 1/2 inch circle {this process helps eliminate a really high center mound when baking your Whoopie Pies. Place in oven and bake til edges are slightly golden, about 12-14 minutes. Place each Whoopie onto a cooling rack.

STEP THREE: Once completely cool then remove Filling from refrigerator. Flipping the Whoopie so flat side is up place a full teaspoon of filling onto the Whoopie, spread almost to the edge of the Whoopie. Now take a second Whoopie, flat side down place onto the filling side you just created. This creates the Whoopie sandwich. Store Whoopie Pies in air tight container in refrigerator, or wrap each Whoopie individually in clear plastic wrap and store in refrig. YOUR GONNA LOVE THIS HAPPY HEALTHY SWEET TATER TREAT!