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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Soft, spiced pumpkin cakes sandwiched around a tangy cream cheese filling — the handheld fall dessert that disappears faster than any pie on the Thanksgiving table.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 whoopie pies
Calories 385 kcal

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin cakes

  • 2 cups 250 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup 245 g pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 3/4 cup 150 g packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup 50 g granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup 120 ml vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cream cheese filling

  • 8 ounces 226 g cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup 113 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups 240 g powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch fine salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Whisk the dry ingredients: in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  • Mix the wet ingredients: in a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla until smooth and well combined.
  • Combine: add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, stirring with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix, or the cakes will turn tough.
  • Scoop and bake: using a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons), drop 24 evenly sized mounds onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Smooth the tops lightly with the back of a damp spoon. Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the tops are puffed and spring back when lightly pressed. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Make the filling: beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar in two additions, then the vanilla and salt, beating until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
  • Assemble: spread or pipe a generous layer of filling onto the flat side of 12 cakes. Top with the remaining cakes, flat-side down, and press gently to sandwich. Chill for 20 minutes before serving so the filling sets.

Notes

Use plain canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling — pie filling is pre-sweetened and pre-spiced, and it will throw off the texture and sweetness.
Match your cakes by size before filling so every whoopie pie is even. Scoop with the same scoop and bake same-sized cakes on the same sheet.
The cakes must be completely cool before filling, or the cream cheese filling will slide right out.
Chill the assembled whoopie pies for 20 minutes before serving — the filling firms up and the sandwiches hold their shape when bitten.
Make ahead: bake the cakes up to 2 days ahead and store airtight at room temperature, or freeze unfilled cakes for up to 1 month. Fill the day you serve them. Assembled whoopie pies keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days — bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Keyword cream cheese, fall dessert, make-ahead, pumpkin, Thanksgiving, whoopie pies