Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
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These simple pumpkin whoopie pies with a cream cheese filling are a delicious way to bring the fall flavors of Maine into your kitchen any time of year. This pumpkin whoopie pie recipe is fun to make, even the kids love helping out! And they’re much easier to make than a whole cake!
Maine has two official state desserts, because we like specificity and being “that guy”.
One is the classic blueberry pie, which I love to make in the form of mini blueberry pie cookies, and the other is the treasured Maine whoopie pies, which can be made in a wide variety of flavors.
Today we’re making the classic whoopie pies with pumpkin flavored sandwich cakes and a delicious, sweet cream cheese filling.
These whoopie pies are super moist and soft and so much fun to make. And a total winner with the kids!
…Seriously, my daughter said this was the best recipe I’ve ever made!
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Recipe
- A classic Maine recipe with a fall twist
- Super moist, soft, and fluffy
- Fun to make with kids, and great for a holiday party (like Halloween or Thanksgiving)!
- Waaaay easier to make than a whole cake!
Ingredients to Make This Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Recipe
This simple recipe calls for basic ingredients, but always make sure your ingredients are fresh to get the best tasting results.
For The Whoopie Pies
- All-Purpose Flour – You can also use gluten free flour.
- Baking Powder – Make sure your baking powder is fresh and in-date for best rise results.
- Baking Soda – The baking soda will react with the brown sugar to make these whoopie pies puff up and super tender.
- Ground Cinnamon
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – I like to use my homemade pumpkin pie spice mix for this recipe, but you can also use store bought.
- Kosher Salt – I use a coarse Kosher salt. Reduce the recipe amount by half if using table salt.
- Light Brown Sugar – Dark brown sugar can also be used
- Vegetable Oil
- Pumpkin Puree – Pumpkin purée is not the same as canned pumpkin pie filling. The puree is pure pumpkin without spices.
- Vanilla Extract – Use a good quality vanilla for the best flavor. You’ll need this for both the sandwich cookies and the filling.
- Large Eggs – Brought to room temp so they mix into the batter easily.
For The Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream Cheese
- Unsalted Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Powdered Sugar
Hint: Bring the butter and cream cheese to room temperature before mixing. This ensures no lumps and a smooth batter and filling.
Step by Step Instructions
Follow my step-by-step instructions for the best pumpkin whoopie pies.
Directions for the Whoopie Pie Cakes
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set this flour mixture aside.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the brown sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until well combined on low speed, about 30 seconds.
Step 4
Add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined.
Step 5
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides and give a final stir until no streaks of flour remain.
The batter will resemble a thick cake batter instead of a stiff cookie dough.
Step 6
Scoop 2 tablespoons of the whoopie pie batter onto the baking sheet 2” apart.
Step 7
Bake 10-15 minutes until the cakes are puffed, the tops are dry, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool sandwich cookies on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until they are cooled. While they cool, make the filling.
Tip: Try not to let the little cakes sit on the hot pan too long or the bottoms will get too soft to move.
Directions For The Filling
Step 1
In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 20-30 seconds
Step 2
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.
Beat on low speed for 15-20 seconds, then switch to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes until light, fluffy, and smooth.
Step 3
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of filling on the bottom side of half of the sandwich cookies and top with the remaining cookie halves.
Once the whoopie pies are made, you can enjoy right away or I recommend chilling for 30 minutes for easier eating.
Substitutions & Alterations
- I used light brown sugar in this recipe, but dark can be used instead.
- Use all cinnamon instead of pumpkin pie spice
- Add another extract such as pumpkin spice extract, caramel extract, bourbon vanilla, or maple extract to the whoopie pie dough or the cream cheese filling.
- Add a little pumpkin pie spice to the cream cheese filling as well as the cake batter.
- Not a fan of cream cheese? Make a double batch of my classic Fluff based whoopie pie filling. I use this filling for my Oatmeal Cream Pie recipe too.
- You can make smaller or larger whoopie pies, but be advised that the cooking time will vary depending on the size.
- Add about ½ cup chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips to the batter.
Tips & Tricks
Follow my time-tested tips for the best pumpkin spice whoopie pies.
- For best results, use fresh spices. Check how long your spices have been in the cupboard and make sure they smell strong.
- Bringing the ingredients up to room temperature makes sure all the ingredients blend well together with no lumps!
- Make sure the little pumpkin cakes are cooled completely before adding the filling.
- I recommend chilling the finished whoopie pies in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to make eating them easier!
How to Serve Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
These whoopie pies are absolutely perfect on their own or served alongside a cozy maple latte, but try these with a scoop (or two) of homemade vanilla ice cream or homemade pumpkin ice cream if you really want a pumpkin fix.
You can also serve them as part of a large dessert platter or board with Cookie Dough Oreo Brownies, Golden Grahams Smores Bars, White Chocolate Blondies, and of course those Blueberry Pie Cookies I talked about earlier.
How to Store Whoopie Pies
Store leftover pumpkin whoopie pies in the fridge in an airtight container. They will keep up to 3-4 days. They will soften as they sit. For best results, put a piece of parchment paper in between each layer of whoopie pies. That way they won’t stick to each other!
These whoopie pies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Wrap individual pies tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place them in a large freezer safe storage bag and store in the freezer. Thaw frozen pies in the fridge overnight before serving.
FAQs
Whoopie pies are fluffy cream filling, (often made with fluff) sandwiched between two soft and fluffy cake-like cookies. It’s the perfect treat for little hands and fun fact, it’s the Maine state treat!
Pumpkin puree is a very wet ingredient. Combine that with the sugar and creamy filling, the soft little cakes get sticky over time. Keeping them in the fridge and eating them shortly after baking will keep them from getting too sticky.
Yes! Whoopie pies can be wrapped individually and stored in the freezer for months! See the freezing instructions in the storage section of the post.
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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 cups light brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 15 oz (1 can) pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz 1 block cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Make The Whoopie Pies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat brown sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until well combined on low speed, about 30 seconds.
- Add eggs one at a time and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and give a final stir until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will resemble a thick cake batter instead of a stiff cookie dough.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of the whoopie pie batter onto the baking sheet 2” apart.
- Bake 10-15 minutes until the cakes are puffed, the tops are dry, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool sandwich cookies on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until they are cooled. Try not to let them sit on the hot pan too long or the bottoms will get too soft to move. While they cool, make the filling.
Make The Filling:
- In a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 20-30 seconds
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 15-20 seconds, then switch to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes until light, fluffy and smooth.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of filling on the bottom side of half of the sandwich cookies and top with the remaining cookie halves.
- Chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to set for easier eating!
Notes
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling, use pure pumpkin puree.
- Bringing the ingredients up to room temperature ensures smooth mixing.
