Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

4.50 from 6 reviews

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are not really pie. They're made with two cakes sandwiched together to form kind-of a cookie. Weird, but whether you think of them as cakes, cookies or pies, they're a real treat.

Prep Time30

Bake Time10

Total Time40

Servings:38 cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

17 ½ oz all purpose flour (3 ½ cups, see note)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
4 oz unsalted butter (½ cup, room temperature)
16 oz light brown sugar (2 cups)
3 ½ oz vegetable oil (½ cup)
½ teaspoon lemon extract
2 large eggs (room temperature)
15 oz pumpkin puree (1 ¾ cups)

Cream Cheese Filling

12 oz granulated sugar (1 ½ cups)
2 ½ oz all purpose flour (½ cup)
¼ teaspoon salt
12 oz whole milk (1 ½ cups)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon extract
8 oz unsalted butter (room temperature)
8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

Instructions

Make the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
Sift together 17 ½ oz all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. Set aside
In a large mixing bowl, cream 4 oz unsalted butter with 16 oz light brown sugar until light and aerated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer running, slowly add 3 ½ oz vegetable oil½ teaspoon lemon extract. Scrape the bowl. Add 2 large eggs and mix to combine.
Alternate adding the flour mixture and 15 oz pumpkin puree, starting and ending with the flour. Scrape the bowl between additions of flour.
For small whoopie pies, use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Use a larger scoop or ¼ cup measure to make large whoopie pies. Moisten your hand with water and tap the tops of the cookies to flatten slightly.
Bake until the cookies spring back when pressed in the center and are lightly browned around the edges, 10-12 minutes for small cookies or 12-15 minutes for larger cookies.
Cool completely before filling. At this point the cookies can be wrapped and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Make the cream cheese filling

Combine 12 oz granulated sugar, 2 ½ oz all purpose flour and ¼ teaspoon salt in a saucepan, whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in 12 oz whole milk until smooth. Heat the mixture over medium low, whisking constantly, until it begins to boil.
Continue to cook and stir for 2-3 minutes until it thickens to a pudding-like texture. Immediately remove from the heat. Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon lemon extract and cool to room temperature.
In a mixing bowl, cream 8 oz unsalted butter until smooth. Scrape the bowl. With the mixer running, toss in 8 oz cream cheese and mix until smooth. Scrape down the bowl, switch to whisk and add the milk paste. Turn the speed to high and whip until light and fluffy.
Flip half the cookies over. Pipe or spoon a generous dollop of filling on the flat side of the flipped cookies and sandwich with the remaining cookies.
The cookies will keep for 3-4 days, refrigerated. Best eaten at room temperature.

Notes

If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.

Nutrition