Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

By
Jessie Sheehan
Jessie Sheehan
Jessie Sheehan
Jessie Sheehan is a recipe developer, baker, food writer, and author of "The Vintage Baker" and "Icebox Cakes."
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/22/22
pumpkin whoopie pies

The Spruce / Jessie Sheehan

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Resting: 60 mins
Total: 102 mins
Servings: 36 servings
Yield: 36 pies
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
227 Calories
11g Fat
30g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 36
Amount per serving
Calories 227
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 15%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 123mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 31mg 2%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 75mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Pumpkin whoopie pies are not only extremely fun to say—who doesn't want to say "pumpkin whoopie?"—but they're also incredibly easy to prepare and delicious beyond measure. Oh, and if they are filled with a tangy cream cheese frosting that perfectly sweetens the not-very-sweet pies, well then all the better. The batter comes together quickly, as it calls for oil and requires nothing more than a mixing bowl, a whisk, and a spatula. It does require an hour's rest in the fridge, but this is time well spent, as it firms up the batter so that the whoopies keep their shape and bake-up into the cutest little rounded "hump" shape.

The filling is also super simple—as long as you remember to bring your butter and cream cheese to room temp—and truly plays off the pumpkin flavor like nobody's business. And yes, you and everyone around you will be trying to dip their finger into the bowl for a little taste, so consider yourself warned. The pies can be made ahead and frozen, then you can go ahead and assemble them at your leisure. If you make the frosting ahead of time too, you'll need to refrigerate it, due to the cream cheese. Just let it warm up a bit til scoopable and then, really, there should be nothing standing between you and a whoopie at any old time.

Ingredients

For the Whoopie Pies:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves

  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

  • 1 cup vegetable oil

  • 1 cup light brown sugar

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 3 scant cups pumpkin puree  (from about 1 1/2 (15-ounce) cans)

For the Filling:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Make the whoopie pie batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and white pepper.

  3. in a large bowl, combine the oil, light brown sugar, granulate sugar, and vanilla and whisk to combine.

  4. Add the eggs, yolk, and pumpkin, and whisk again.

  5. Add the dry ingredients and gently fold them into the wet, mixing just until the dry disappears.

  6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

  7. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  8. Using a small 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoons, scoop the batter on to the pans, about 12 to 15 scoops per pan.

  9. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan at the halfway point. The pies are done when the tops are firm and dry to the touch and lightly pressing with your finger does not leave an indentation. Do not over bake.

  10. Let the pies cool on the pans while you make the filling.

  11. To make the filling, combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and on medium high speed, beat until smooth and uniform.

  12. Add the vanilla and beat again.

  13. With the mixer on low speed, add about a cup of the sugar at a time to the bowl, beating thoroughly until combined after each addition.

  14. Once all of the sugar has been added, add the salt.

  15. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium or medium high, and beat the mixture just until smooth. Do not over mix or the frosting will lose structure.

  16. To assemble the whoopies, turn half of the pies over.

  17. Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring spoons, place a scoop of frosting on each upturned pie.

  18. Top each one with another pie.

  19. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until you are ready to do so.

Tips

  • Do not over mix the whoopie batter or your pies will be dense. The same applies to the filling, which will lose structure if overmixed.
  • Don't skip the step where you rest the batter or your whoopies may not hold their shape.
  • Do not over bake the whoopies. Check on them at 10 minutes to insure they do not get too dry.

Recipe Variations

  • Add a teaspoon or so of cinnamon to the filling, or to taste, for a cinnamon cream cheese filling.
  • Add extra spices to the pies if you like a spicy little cake.
  • Omit the spices altogether if you like your pumpkin flavor unadorned.