Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

These delightful Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are a quintessential autumn indulgence, boasting tender and moist pumpkin-infused cookies enveloping a delectable cream cheese filling with a delightful tang. Crafting these treats is a breeze, and their abundant pumpkin essence ensures they’re a perennial crowd-pleaser.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

Spices — The cookies incorporate a blend of comforting, autumnal spices like ginger, cinnamon, and clove, delivering that beloved, seasonal taste. It’s worth noting that the longer spices remain stored in your cupboard, the less potent their flavors become. If these spices aren’t staples in your kitchen, it’s advisable to verify their freshness before incorporating them into your recipe.

Pumpkin Puree: This recipe calls for an entire can of pumpkin puree, eliminating the dilemma of what to do with leftover pumpkin. Make sure to opt for 100% pure pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling. Although they share similarities, pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and flavored, whereas pumpkin puree is simply unadulterated pumpkin. Ensure you select a high-quality puree, as some brands may have excess water content.

Brown Sugar: I appreciate the gentle sweetness that light brown sugar imparts while preserving the cookies’ soft and moist texture.

Butter: Use unsalted butter to prevent an unpleasant salty taste in the filling. Ensure the butter is sufficiently softened so that your finger leaves an indentation when pressed into it. If it’s too cold, it can be challenging to achieve a smooth consistency when beating it.

Cream Cheese: Opt for a block of full-fat cream cheese, not the spreadable variety from a tub. Full-fat cream cheese lends the filling a creamy texture with a subtle tanginess. Like the butter, if the cream cheese isn’t at room temperature, you may end up with a lumpy filling.

Powdered Sugar: In case you don’t have powdered sugar on hand, you can refer to my post here on how to make powdered sugar.

HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN WHOOPIE PIES

1.In a spacious mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.

2. In a separate mixing bowl, blend the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until they are thoroughly mixed.

3. Combine the wet mixture with the flour mixture, stirring until a uniform mixture forms with no visible dry streaks.

4. Using a small ice cream scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons in size), place scoops of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about a 1-inch gap between each. Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the centers appear dry, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Take the sheet out of the oven and let it sit on the pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

5. Prepare the filling by mixing the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together at medium-low speed until a smooth consistency is achieved. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar until it’s completely blended. Proceed to pipe or spread this frosting onto the flat side of half of the cookies.

6. Gently press another cookie onto the frosting, forming sandwich pairs. Allow them to chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Here are some expert tips to consider when making this recipe:

Preparation for Special Occasions: If you’re planning to serve these pumpkin whoopie pies for a special event, you can prepare and store each component separately in the refrigerator. Assemble the whoopie pies just before serving to ensure they look perfect. This prevents any unintended flattening of the filling while storing.
Avoid Assembling Warm Cookies: Take your time when assembling the pumpkin-flavored whoopie pies. If the cookies are still warm during assembly, it can cause the cream cheese frosting to melt, resulting in a sticky situation.
Uniform Cookie Sizes: If you don’t have a cookie scoop, try to make the cookies as evenly sized as possible so that each cookie has a partner to create a perfect sandwich.
Size Variations: You can adjust the size of your whoopie pies by using a larger or smaller ice cream scoop. Keep a close eye on the bake time, as it will vary depending on the size you choose.
Choose Quality Pumpkin Puree: Not all canned pumpkin is the same. Preferred brands like Libby’s offer thick, rich, and flavorful pumpkin puree. Some other brands may have a lighter color and a more watery consistency.
Soft Brown Sugar Matters: Ensure your light brown sugar is soft and moist for the best results. If your brown sugar has hardened, you can find detailed instructions on how to soften it in a separate post.
Precise Flour Measurement: Accurate flour measurement is crucial. Adding too much flour is a common mistake that can result in overly dense cookies. If you don’t have a scale, fluff the flour with a spoon, gently spoon it into your measuring cup, and level it off with a knife. Avoid scooping directly from the bag, as it can lead to overpacking.
Room Temperature Eggs: To ensure even incorporation into your batter, bring your eggs to room temperature. If you forget to take them out of the fridge in advance, you can quickly warm them by placing them in a large bowl and covering them with warm tap water for about 5 minutes.
Avoid Overmixing: Be cautious not to overmix the batter, as this can result in dense and tough cookies.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why might my whoopie pies become tacky?

Due to the presence of pumpkin puree, these whoopie pies have a higher moisture content and may develop stickiness if left at room temperature. To avoid this, it’s advisable to refrigerate the whoopie pies once they have cooled to room temperature.

What’s the storage duration for these treats?

These delectable pumpkin-flavored whoopie pies can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. It’s important to keep them covered or in an airtight container for freshness.

Is freezing an option for this recipe?

Certainly! You have the option to freeze these whoopie pies by wrapping them tightly and placing them in the freezer, where they can be stored for up to three months. For best results, consider thawing them in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

It’s astonishingly simple to create these delightful Pumpkin Whoopie Pies! These irresistible autumn treats are universally adored.

CourseDessert

CuisineAmerican

Prep Time10minutes minutes

Cook Time12minutes minutes

Chill Time30minutes minutes

Total Time52minutes minutes

Servings 18servings

Calories405kcal

Author klara

Equipment

Mixing Bowls
Baking Sheets
Parchment paper
Spring-loaded scoop
Electric hand or stand mixer
Piping bag (optional)

Ingredients

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

For the Cookies:

Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F and lining two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a spacious mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, using a whisk to blend them thoroughly.
In a separate mixing bowl, blend the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until they are well combined, resulting in a cohesive mixture. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until everything is fully incorporated, leaving no dry streaks behind.
Using a small ice cream scoop, typically holding about 2 tablespoons of dough, drop portions of the dough onto the prepared pans, ensuring they are spaced approximately 1 inch apart.
Proceed to bake one pan at a time in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the centers of the cookies appear dry, and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Once done, remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

For the Filling:

In a spacious mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment, whisk together the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla at medium-low speed until you achieve a smooth consistency, typically around 1 minute.
While the mixer operates at low speed, gradually incorporate the confectioners’ sugar until it’s thoroughly blended. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then, increase the mixer speed to medium and continue to blend for approximately 30 seconds until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. If you prefer, you can transfer this frosting to a piping bag.
Next, either pipe or evenly spread the frosting onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Pair them with another cookie, pressing gently to create delightful sandwich pairs. For best results, let them chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving. These whoopie pies can be stored, covered, and refrigerated for up to one week.

Notes

If you plan to prepare these pumpkin whoopie pies in advance for a special occasion, consider making and storing each component separately in the refrigerator. Assemble the whoopie pies just before serving to ensure they maintain their flawless appearance. Delaying assembly prevents any unintentional flattening of the filling during storage.
Exercise patience when putting together the pumpkin-flavored whoopie pies. Rushing the process with warm cookies can result in the cream cheese frosting melting and creating a sticky situation.
In the absence of a cookie scoop, strive to make the cookies as uniformly sized as possible to ensure each one finds a compatible partner for sandwiching.
For size variation, you have the flexibility to create smaller or larger whoopie pies by adjusting the ice cream scoop size. Keep a watchful eye on them in the oven, as the baking time will differ accordingly.
Bear in mind that not all canned pumpkin is identical. My preferred choice is Libby’s pumpkin puree, known for its thickness, rich color, and flavor. Other brands may exhibit a lighter color and a more watery consistency.
To achieve optimal results, confirm that your light brown sugar is soft and moist. If it has solidified, consult a detailed guide on how to recondition hardened brown sugar.
Precise flour measurement is paramount. Overloading the recipe with too much flour is a common error that can yield undesirable results. The most reliable method for measuring flour is to use a scale. Alternatively, fluff the flour with a spoon, gently fill your measuring cup, and level it off with a knife. Avoid directly scooping flour from the bag, as it can lead to over-packing the measuring cup.
Ensure your eggs reach room temperature to facilitate even integration into the batter. If you forgot to take them out of the refrigerator in advance, you can expedite the process by placing them in a large bowl and covering them with warm tap water for about 5 minutes.
Exercise caution to avoid overmixing, as this can result in cookies that are overly dense and tough.

Nutrition

HOW COOKING PRO

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