Zucchini Bread "Whoopie Pies"

Sandwich cookies are almost always a good thing.  When I can make myself feel they're somehow good for me by way of a vegetable ingredient - well, of course, they're that much bettah!

This one is an adaptation of zucchini bread - turning it into a cookie, then going one step further by adding a rich, sweet filling.  It's from Martha.  Oh, Maaaatha!

Zucchini Bread "Whoopie Pies"

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour *I substituted Whole Wheat*
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• Coarse salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, divided (Need at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup finely grated zucchini
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

1. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a bowl. 
2. In a separate bowl or stand mixer, beat 1 stick butter and the sugars until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3. Beat flour mixture into butter mixture. Mix in zucchini, oats, and walnuts. Place batter in refrigerator until set or firm - about 15 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons), drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden, about 17 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
6. Beat together remaining 1/2 stick butter, the cream cheese, and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon filling onto the flat side of 1 cookie, and sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining filling and cookies.

*Makes about a dozen average-size cookies.  If you want a smaller version like I did for my kiddos, use about 1 tablespoon of batter.