If we have to choose just one recipe to welcome fall with, let it be these soft pillowy cookies filled with fresh vanilla buttercream. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are the dessert everyone loves, and everyone asks for the recipe, too!
These pumpkin whoopie pies are exactly how whoopie pies should be. The actual pumpkin cookies are super soft, almost like muffin tops. The vanilla buttercream filling is light and fluffy like clouds. Each bite is full of pumpkin spice, and truthfully, if you're already here reading this, you know you're going to love them so I don't have to convince you anymore!
This recipe makes 12 whoopie pies from 24 soft pumpkin cookies. While that is definitely too much to serve two people, I think you'll have no problem gifting the rest of them. Plus, they freeze so well, too!
Ingredients
If your pantry is ready with all of the fall baking ingredients, then you can make these pumpkin whoopie pies quickly! I love that this recipe uses 1 ½ cups of canned pumpkin, which is almost a full can. You can make my pumpkin donut holes with the leftover, which are baked and coated in cinnamon sugar!
- Brown Sugar. This is the only sweetener we're using for the cookies, and we're using it because the molasses brings extra moisture and keeps these cookies soft and tender, like muffins. If you love brown sugar, try my brown sugar cream cheese frosting.
- Oil. Use any neutral oil, like canola oil, grapeseed oil, or even vegetable oil.
- Canned Pumpkin. Be sure to buy canned pure pumpkin, not the one called pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices.
- Eggs. We need two whole eggs for the pumpkin whoopie pies, plus an extra egg white for the fluffy cream filling. I recommend using pasteurized eggs since the egg white won't be cooked in the filling.
- Vanilla. Always bake with real, pure vanilla extract.
- Flour. Use all-purpose flour here, not cake flour.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. You can use 1 heaping tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, or 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, and 1.5 teaspoons ground ginger.
- Milk. A small splash of whole milk for the cream filling.
- Powdered Sugar. This is for sweetening the cream filling between the pies.
- Butter. Traditionally, the filling for pumpkin whoopie pies contains shortening because it stays soft at cool temperatures, but I much prefer the taste of butter. If you are searching for an old fashioned recipe, simply use this recipe but swap in ¾ cup of shortening instead of the butter. The photographs here show white shortening, but you can use butter or even butter-flavored shortening.
How to Make Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
You really need a stand mixer for this recipe because the cream filling needs to mix for a long time. This is the stand mixer I use and love in my own kitchen.
Preheat the oven to 325°P. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make the cookies: In a large bowl, blend together brown sugar and oil with a spoon until well combined.
Add pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla and continue to stir until smooth.
Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices, and then add to the wet ingredients, stirring only until combined (be careful not to overmix).
The batter should be completely homoegenous
For best results, spoon batter into a piping bag with a large tip and pipe mounds of batter (about 1 tablespoon each) of batter onto the lined sheet tray, about 3 inches apart. (If you don't have a piping bag, use two large spoons and space the batter in the same way.) You will get 24 cookies, and you will have to bake them on several sheets.
Bake cookies for about 10-12 minutes, until they begin to turn golden. Let cool completely before sandwiching cookies together with the filling.
Cookie sandwiches will keep in a sealed plastic container in the fridge for a few days.
Make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the egg white, milk, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of the powdered sugar, then mix on high speed until the mixture is creamy and light.
Add shortening (or butter) and remaining cup of sugar, and whip on high speed until very light, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Take the fluffy filling mixture and scrape it into a pastry bag. Alternatively you can just use a spoon or knife to fill the pumpkin whoopie pies.
This recipe makes 24 cookies, so you will get 12 sandwich cookies for your final product, because 2 cookies makes one whoopie pie.
Storage
These cookie sandwiches will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days. You can freeze them, both with and without filling and then defrost in the fridge before eating.
You can absolutely freeze the cookies after being baked individually or even with the filling. Lay the individual cookies flat to freeze, and then move to a freezer-safe storage bag to store for up to 3 months. You can also fill the pies with the cream filling, and then wrap them individually before freezing. Let defrost in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for a few hours. Do not ever microwave these, as the cream filling will melt and spill out everywhere!
While a cake mix has the ideal texture for making whoopie pies, that is not how this recipe is written. You would need to find a recipe specifically for using a cake mix to make pumpkin whoopie pies.
Yes, just mix together 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Mix this all together and store for up to 6 months in a sealed container. Use it in homemade pumpkin spice lattes or any other pumpkin dessert you might like!
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Soft, fluffy pumpkin whoopie pies with vanilla buttercream filling.
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup canola oil
- 11/2 cups canned pumpkin
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 heaping tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
For the buttercream filling:
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
- ¾ cup butter or shortening
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the cookies: In a large bowl, blend together brown sugar and oil with a spoon until well combined. Add pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla and continue to stir until smooth.
- Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices, and then add to the wet ingredients, stirring only until combined (be careful not to overmix).
- For best results, spoon batter into a piping bag with a large tip and pipe mounds of batter (about 1 tablespoon each) of batter onto the lined sheet tray, about 3 inches apart. (If you don't have a piping bag, use two large spoons and space the batter in the same way.)
- Bake cookies for about 10-12 minutes, until they begin to turn golden. Let cool completely.
- Make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the egg white, milk, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of the powdered sugar, then mix on high speed until the mixture is creamy and light. Add butter (or shortening) and remaining cup of sugar, and whip on high speed until very light, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Spread a dollop of cream filling on one cookie, and then top it with another cookie to make a sandwich. You will get 12 sandwich cookies from 24 cookies. Cookie sandwiches will keep in a sealed plastic container at room temperature for a few days, but are best kept in the fridge.
Notes
Storage: These cookie sandwiches will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for a few days. You can freeze them, both with and without filling and then defrost in the fridge before eating.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 638Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 355mgCarbohydrates: 83gFiber: 5gSugar: 51gProtein: 6g
Carla @ Carla's Confections says
I absolutely love pumpkin whoopsie pies. I made a vegan version and it was so tasty! But this one looks even better!!!
kristina says
Mmm..! Pumpkin desserts are my favorite! Just made pumpkin bars last night :) These look too good, need to try them as a whoopie pie, that filing sounds amazing!
vianney says
~Yummy~ I can't wait to read her book!!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
You can never go wrong a good whoopee pie! Especially with ALL THE PUMPKIN! Pinning!
Erin {Delightful E Made} says
Just look at that creamy, delicious filling and the cakes look so moist and delicious! Want to sink my teeth into one right now! Beautiful post! ~Erin
Marjory @ Dinner-Mom says
Definitely on my short list of fall recipes to make!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
Oh yes, I love me some whoopie...pies. Hehe!!! Seriously, pumpkin in a soft cookie with filling, doesn't get much better!!
Krinca says
Can you do the buttercream without shortening? I'd rather just use butter~ These look really good, thanks for sharing!
Christina Lane says
You certainly can. It won't be as fluffy or marshmallow-tasting, but anything with butter is still amazing, right? :)
Happy baking!
Christina
Yolanna says
People think!!! when you eat just 4.5 cookies, you eat 1 WHOLE CUP OF SUGAR!! with it. No wonder, that America is obese !!! There are
healthier alternatives.
Not recomended and I wouldn't touch it.
holly erickson says
Pumpkin whoopies are my fav! Trying these for sure!
Deb says
I think they are just meant to be a special treat-just one or two of them a few times a year.
Deb says
Do you think these could be made with a gluten free flour mix? My grandson has celiac disease and always gets so excited when he gets a "regular" treat-he would love these....
Christina Lane says
I think the Cup 4 Cup would be great here. Definitely make sure you use a GF flour mix that contains xanthan gum.
Lata says
Yes, I made some yesterday using the gluten free flour. Just substituted the same exact amount, also omitted egg white in the butter creamI did halved the recipe and they came out amazing. Made them bite sized.
Christina Lane says
Oh thank you so much for sharing, Lata :)