Description
These Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are soft, cake-like cookies flavored with warm spices and pumpkin puree, sandwiched with a creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for fall or any time you want a cozy, sweet treat that’s surprisingly simple to make.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 (15-ounce/425g) can pumpkin puree (about 2 cups)
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar (440g)
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil (160ml)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Filling:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar (360g)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves until fully combined and evenly distributed.
- Combine wet ingredients: In another mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly combined.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir gently until no dry streaks of flour remain, ensuring a consistent batter without overmixing.
- Scoop dough: Using a small ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons), portion the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake cookies: Bake one pan at a time for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the centers of the cookies appear dry and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the baking pan from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the filling: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract on medium-low speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add confectioners’ sugar: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed for an additional 30 seconds until light and fluffy.
- Assemble the whoopie pies: Pipe or spread the cream cheese filling onto the flat side of half the cookies. Gently press the remaining cookies on top to create sandwich cookies. Chill the assembled whoopie pies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving to firm up the filling.
- Storage: Store the whoopie pies covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week to maintain freshness and prevent the filling from spoiling.
Notes
- Make and store cookies and filling separately ahead of time for easy assembly before serving, ensuring perfect presentation.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before assembling to prevent the cream cheese frosting from melting and becoming messy.
- If you don’t have a cookie scoop, try to portion dough as evenly as possible so cookies sandwich well.
- Adjust the size of whoopie pies by changing the scoop size but be mindful that baking times will vary accordingly.
- Use high-quality canned pumpkin puree, such as Libby’s, which is thick and flavorful, for best results.
- Ensure your brown sugar is soft; if hardened, soften it before use to improve texture and sweetness integration.
- Measure flour by weight or use the spoon-and-level method to avoid packing and ensure tender cookies.
- Use room temperature eggs for even incorporation; warm eggs briefly in warm water if needed.
- Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent dense or tough cookies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 whoopie pie
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
