If you’re not familiar with whoopie pies, they’re delicious hand-held treats that hail from the Northeast. Whoopie pies consist of two soft rounds of cake-like cookies, sandwiched with creamy icing in the middle. When I first made whoopie pies at home, I didn’t anticipate liking them as much as I did! I’m generally not a huge fan of soft cake-like cookies, but these pumpkin spice whoopie pies are SO moist, and definitely more like cake than a cookie, but also not totally cake-cake, if that makes any sense. This combination of spiced pumpkin and creamy cream cheese filling is divine and these are now one of our favorite fall treats! The recipe comes from a great cook book, Baked, New Frontiers in Baking.
Ingredient List
These delicious pumpkin whoopie pies require standard baking ingredients, but here’s a few things of note:
- Pumpkin Puree – you’ll need 3 cups of pure pumpkin puree (make sure you’re not buying canned pie filling). Two standard 15oz cans or one large 28oz can will give you enough, plus just a bit extra to make yourself this milkshake 🙂
- Dark Brown Sugar – dark brown sugar gives extra depth of flavor here. I recommend it, but you could certainly use light brown sugar if that’s what you have.
- Cream Cheese – I recommend full-fat, or reduced fat cream cheese. Avoid fat free cream cheese.
- Butter – unless you have a dietary restriction, use real butter, not margarine or butter alternative.
Instructions
You’ll make your cute little cakes first, and when they’re completely cooled, you can fill them with the filling.
- Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Beat wet ingredients in a stand mixer.
- Add the dry ingredients to finish the batter.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion our little circles of batter and bake!
- Optional- I like to use a spatula and gently tap down the tops of half of the cookies. I find that tapping down the “dome” just a bit helps them to sit flat and not roll!
- After the cakes cool on the baking sheet for a couple minutes, transfer them to a rack to cool.
- When completely cool, flip over half the cakes, whip up a cream cheese filling, and sandwich the cookies together!
These have an incredibly soft, rich texture and flavor. There is nothing bland about these. The cakes are light and so, so soft, yet dense and flavorful at the same time.
A note on whoopie pie sizing
Before scooping out your cookies, you might wish to experiment with portions. A standard #30 or #40 cookie scoop will portion about about 1.5-2 tablespoons of batter. These are small, but sizable whoopie pies, suitable for most! I also made some extra large ones, mostly for efficiency haha. I got tired of scooping and baking batter so we made some with about 4 tablespoons batter and they were huge and awesome. If I were making these for a bake sale, or as a special gift for someone, I would totally make big ones. If I was making these for a dessert tray or party, I’d do small ones. here’s a comparison:
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these ahead of time or freeze these pumpkin whoopie pies? Freeze cakes in a single layer and then stack in an airtight container between layers of parchment. Thaw at room temp and then frost. I’ve never frozen them frosted, but I think that would work just fine as well.
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Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Whoopie Pies
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: about 30 small/med
Description
Soft pumpkin spiced cake rounds sandwiched with cream cheese filling. Divine!
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup oil
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 cups pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
Cream Cheese Filling
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temp or slightly chilled
1 8-oz. package cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
optional: 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together the brown sugar, white sugar, and oil.
- Add the pumpkin puree and mix well.
- Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well.
- Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined.
- Using a cookie scoop or 1 tablespoon measure, drop the batter onto the baking sheet, leaving 1-2 inches between the batter. Try to keep the batter as circular as possible.
- Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the tops are done and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean or with just moist crumbs attached.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for a couple minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
- To prepare the filling, beat the butter on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and extract, and beat until combined. Transfer to a large Ziploc bag and cut 1/2″-1″ off the corner.
- Flip half of the cakes over on a flat surface and divide batter between them. Sandwich halves together.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Method: Oven Baked
Questions & Reviews
I made this tonight with my family, I love them, there are delicious!
So I made these using a gluten free flour and they were/are amazing! We had way too many so I froze the leftovers and they are beyond amazing frozen. The cookie stayed soft and the filling is almost like icecream!
This recipe is delicious. The only thing is my batter turned out a little more runny than yours. I did use my own puréed pumpkin (3 cups), so I’m not sure if that’s the cause. Thank you for sharing!
Made these yesterday – they were so good!!!
Just so you know, I decided to have these at my picnic wedding (my dear mom made many many many of them) – and 7 months down the line I still get asked to make these whenever I am bring dessert to gatherings. So thanks for making my wedding memorable! 🙂
Question! Would this recipe work in cake form? I LOVE the flavors of these little whoopie pies, so I wondered if the same recipe would work poured into a cake pan or two since the “pies” are so cake-like. Do you think I’d need to make any adjustments to the measurements?
This looks like a fun recipe. One daughter-in-law really loves pumpkin so I would like to try it. I will use real maple syrup, though. Your bottle of Aunt Jemima’s in NOT maple syrup!
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
Pattie in Vermont
Syrup snob. 😛
OK I just made these for a Thanksgiving Pre party and I DON”T WANNA SHARE!! The are easy and amazing tks for the great recipe..I have to go buy more pumpkin now…chow
these are so pretty and look just like the pictures! but they are sweet sweet sweet. too sweet. i love sweets and desserts but i couldn’t eat even one. sad face.
These were soooooo delicious but was wondering if anyone else had a little crunch every so often. Don’t know if its the canned pumpkin I used or the nutmeg. I made pumpkin cookies a couple of years ago and used similar ingredients and the same slight crunch, not every single one. Can’t figure out what it is. Would love to make a batch for my husband to take to work but I don’t want them to think I dropped them and got dirt in them!!!!haha
I also have pumpkin spice and was wondering how much I should use? Also, if i use fresh pumpkin is there any adjustments I should make?
I just made these this morning and LOVE them. They are a huge hit with the kids. Thanks, I think we have a new tradition for Thanksgiving- I’m Canadian.
i don’t see a temperature setting for the stove? Am i missing it somewhere?
350–it’s right there in the first line of the recipe after the last picture. 🙂
These were awesome! My kids didn’t like the frosting, but they gobbled up the cookie parts, which left more of the frosted pies for me.
Do you think you could ad raisins to these?
These were absolutely delicious!! The batch is certainly HUGE, but I'm sure they'll move quickly. Yummiest frosting I've ever made, too.
These are amazing. Seriously.
However…Note to self: overbeating cream cheese frosting makes it runny. >_<
I made these this past weekend for a block party pig roast and they were the first dessert to go and I got tons of compliments! I'm passing on the recipe (and the blog!) to friends as well. Thank you for posting it – they are, well were, delicious!
I made these to take to work yesterday. They were a huge hit!! Great recipe. The only adjustment I may make next time is topping the cakes with chopped pecans before popping them in the oven.
Kirstin, I think these would be AMAZING with a bag of chocolate chips added to them.
Do you think these would make good pumpkin chocolate chip cookies by just adding some chocolate chips to the batter?
I'm looking for a good recipe, and this seems like it may do the trick…
I can't wait to try this recipe out. It sounds delicious! Thanks for posting it.
I was curious if I could use the pumpkin pie spice, instead of the cinnamon, ginger & nutmeg. I didn't want to have to buy all of those when I have the pumpkin pie spice. If I can, do you have any idea how much of it I would use??
In true Michael Scott fashion, I can't stop myself… "That's what she said!" I made these cookies today and they were delicious!
Oh wow, these look awesome! My boyfriend is a pumpkin addict and I'm always looking for new ways to cook it, I'll have to try these!
I love all the pumpkin recipes coming out these days! It definitely makes me feel more and more "fall." Your whoopie pies look beautiful!
These look wonderful! We love,love,love pumpkin. I'll have to give these a try!
These look wonderful! We love,love,love pumpkin. I'll have to give these a try!
Love this recipe! Thanks:)
Winter Flamingo: Thank you SO much for pointing that out–I totally missed that. Just add the ginger with the rest of the spices! 🙂