Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling
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It’s your favorite childhood treat with a fall twist—Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling! Enjoy the soft, spiced pumpkin cookies and luscious cream cheese filling in these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. They’re easily made and perfect for autumn gatherings, dessert tables, or a special treat anytime.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Recipe
Ingredient Notes
For the Pumpkin Cookies:
- All-purpose flour | This is the base of your cookies, giving them structure. Make sure to measure it properly—spoon and level rather than scoop!
- Baking soda and baking powder | These help the cookies rise and puff up nicely. The baking powder gives the cookies a light texture, while the baking soda ensures they don’t spread too much.
- Salt | A little pinch balances the sweetness and brings out the flavor of the spices. Don’t skip it!
- Warm spices | Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg give the cookies that cozy, fall flavor. Freshly ground spices will make a big difference if you have them on hand!
- Unsalted butter | You want the butter soft enough to cream easily with the sugar.
- Sugar | Granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps the cookies spread slightly as they bake, creating a tender crumb.
- Pumpkin puree | Canned pumpkin puree gives the cookies their pumpkin flavor and moist texture. Be sure to grab pure pumpkin, not the spiced pumpkin pie mix!
- Egg | One large egg binds everything together and adds richness. Room temperature eggs mix in better, so let it sit out for a few minutes before using.
- Vanilla | Vanilla adds a nice mellow sweetness that pairs perfectly with the pumpkin and spices.
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- Cream cheese | Softened cream cheese makes for a smooth, creamy filling. Full-fat cream cheese gives you the best rich flavor—don’t be tempted to go low-fat!
- Unsalted butter | The butter adds extra creaminess and helps the filling hold together. Make sure it’s softened for the best results.
- Powdered sugar | This sweetens the filling and gives it that silky, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Sift it if you want an ultra-smooth filling.
- Vanilla | A touch of vanilla rounds out the flavor of the cream cheese filling. Pure vanilla extract is worth it for the best taste.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies
This sweet fall treat is super easy to make and uses simple ingredients. It’s a great recipe for any skill level and loved by all!
STEP 1 | Prep for the recipe
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
STEP 2 | Combine dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg, then set it aside for later.
STEP 3 | Cream butter and sugar
Now, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy.
STEP 4 | Mix wet ingredients
Next, mix the canned pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture until well combined.
STEP 5 | Finish the cookie dough
Then, slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a silky-smooth batter forms.
STEP 6 | Scoop the batter
Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of the whoopie pie batter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each cookie for spreading. E
Note that the batter will not be thick like regular cookie dough, so ensure the scoops are equal enough so you can match them up nicely during assembly.
STEP 7 | Bake cookies
Now, bake the cookies in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until they are set and slightly puffed. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
STEP 8 | Cream cheese frosting
Onto the filling! In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to mix until the filling is smooth and well combined.
STEP 9 | Assemble and serve!
Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous amount of cream cheese filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Then, sandwich each with another cookie, pressing gently to allow the filling to spread to the edges.
Tips from the Home Chef’s Kitchen
Like today’s recipe? Try more of my pumpkin treats, like Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar, crowd-pleasing Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust, or a seasonal classic, like fool-proof Pumpkin Bread.
Variations and Substitutions
- Sub Brown Sugar. For a richer, more molasses-like flavor, swap the white sugar in the cookies for brown sugar.
- More Pumpkin Spice. Pumpkin pie spice is typically a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. If you prefer, you can replace the three called-for spices with a mix of pumpkin pie spice.
- Pipe the Icing. Instead of spreading the filling onto the cookies, use a piping bag with a star piping tip to add dimension and design to the cookie sandwiches.
- Not a fan of cream cheese frosting? No problem. Replace it with your favorite buttercream recipe, or use sticky-sweet marshmallow fluff.
Storage Tips
- Once the cookie sandwiches cool completely, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
- You can also freeze homemade whoopie pies by wrapping each one individually with plastic wrap and storing them in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container.
- Before enjoying them again, let them thaw overnight in the fridge or set them on the countertop until completely thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pumpkin puree is just plain pumpkin with nothing added. It can be homemade or canned (sometimes with some salt). On the other hand, pumpkin pie filling (or mix) has sugar, spices, and thickeners already mixed in, making it ready to go for pie baking.
Traditional whoopie pies are made with two soft, chocolatey cookies filled with a light marshmallow fluff. While marshmallow filling is the classic choice, some recipes also use buttercream for a delicious twist! This recipe uses cream cheese frosting because it pairs well with the pumpkin spice flavor.
Pumpkin puree makes whoopie pies extra moist, which can lead to stickiness if left out. To avoid this, pop them in the fridge once they’ve cooled down!
Whoopie Pies are believed to have been created by Pennsylvania Dutch women. They used leftover cake batter to bake small disks and sandwiched them with leftover icing. It was a tasty way to avoid wasting ingredients, and they’re sometimes called whoopie pies or gobs!
Looking for More Cookies Sandwich Recipes?
Enjoy a classic combination of nutty and sweet with my Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with chocolate filling (plus they’re gluten-free). When Christmas rolls around, try my Mint Oreo Cookies – Yum!
What to Serve With a Pumpkin Whoopie
Sip on my favorite Hot Apple Cider Recipe or easy Chai Tea Latte Recipe to get the whole autumn sweets experience. This recipe also pairs well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cookies:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the canned pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a smooth batter forms.
- Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each cookie.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and slightly puffed. They should spring back when gently touched. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, continuing to mix until the filling is smooth and well combined.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous amount of cream cheese filling on the flat side of one cookie. Then, sandwich it with another cookie, pressing gently to allow the filling to spread to the edges.
Notes
- Note that the batter will not be thick like regular cookie dough, so ensure the scoops are equal enough so you can match them up nicely during assembly.
- The baked cookies should spring back when gently touched, indicating they are done and ready to cool.
- Serve the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies immediately or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can also be individually wrapped in plastic wrap for a grab-and-go treat.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
