Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Make Me Think of Aunt Jen and Muddy Shoes

Oh, hey there! If you’ve ever come in on a rainy October afternoon, shoes caked in mud (my mum’s favorite challenge), and been greeted by the warm smell of pumpkin spice, you’ll probably get why I love these little Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. I first tried making them after Aunt Jen brought a box over for Thanksgiving… but honestly, hers looked like they’d gone through a blender. Mine looked about the same the first time. Still tasted amazing though, so who cares?

And okay, I’m just going to say it: If perfection is your thing, maybe look up a fancier recipe, but if you like proper soft cookies that stick to your fingers and make you smile, you’ve come to the right kitchen. Plus, my cat will probably walk over the counter halfway through explaining, so let’s just roll with it—

Why I Keep Coming Back To This Recipe

I make these when the clouds hang heavy, or when my kids (or honestly, just me) need cheering up. My family goes a bit mad for them because the spicy pumpkin filling just feels like autumn—not the Starbucks kind of pumpkin, but the homemade pumpkin that lets you smuggle in cinnamon without anyone complaining it’s too spicy.

Sometimes, if I’m feeling lazy—or, you know, short on time—I’ll just slap the filling between two store cookies. But friends, nothing beats doing it from scratch. The one thing that used to drive me bonkers: keeping the whoopie pies from sticking together in the tin overnight. (Let them cool first. Ask me how I learned.)

Grab These Ingredients (Substitutions Totally Allowed)

• 1 and 2/3 cups (about 210g) all-purpose flour – My gran swears by King Arthur, but honestly, I’ve used anything from Walmart. It’s all flour.
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice – Got ginger and cinnamon? Mix your own if you fancy.
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar – Dark or light, whatever you dig out of the cupboard
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled – I forgot to cool it once, it turned out a bit… odd, but still edible
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree – Not pumpkin pie filling (been there, not great)
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract – I once used vanilla bean paste; made it almost too posh

For the Filling:

• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 oz (110g) cream cheese, softened
• 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar – Give or take; I sometimes just tip in more for thickness
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Let’s Make Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (Step By Step and a Few Detours)

1. Heat your oven to 350°F (that’s about 180°C – unless you live somewhere with an oven from the stone age; in which case, just aim for ‘medium hot’). Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment (trust me, much easier cleanup but in a pinch, I’ve used foil—just grease it up a bit).
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt together. It kind of smells amazing at this stage, but don’t eat it yet.
3. In another bowl, toss in brown sugar and melted butter and mash (er, mix) them up. Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Mix again till it’s all blended into a happy orange mess. (This is where I usually sneak a taste. Oops.)
4. Combine wet and dry stuff. Stir gently—overmix and you’ll have tough whoopies. If it looks a bit lumpy, that’s fine, it’s supposed to.
5. Now plop spoonfuls (I use a regular soup spoon, but a cookie scoop is technically better) onto your trays, leaving a wee bit of space for spreading. Aim for about 2 inches apart; if they run together, just call it a whoopie slab. Bake for 13-15 minutes.
6. Pull them out—the tops should spring back if you poke one (gently, unless you want a thumbprint). Cool on the sheet for a couple of mins because if you move them right away, you’ll have pumpkin pancakes instead.
7. Make the Filling: Just beat butter and cream cheese till smooth, add powdered sugar gradually, then the vanilla. Beat some more; I once tried to shortcut with a spatula, but the mixer does it better.
8. Match up like-sized cookies (I almost never get perfect pairs, and that’s okay). Spread filling on one half, sandwich together. Eat one for quality control. Or two.

Things I Figured Out the Hard Way

• Let the cookies cool completely before filling—hot cookies will melt the frosting and you’ll have sad pumpkin puddles. You can speed things up by sticking the tray in the fridge for ten minutes. Or so.
• If you accidentally make the batter too runny, just toss in a sprinkle more flour, but don’t go too wild.
• The filling can be a bit sweet—sometimes, I’ll add a pinch of salt, and it somehow works wonders.

Variations I’ve Actually Tried (And One Mishap)

• I once folded in chocolate chips; it was glorious, try it if you’re a choccie lover.
• Made the filling with maple syrup instead of vanilla—actually, so good, especially if you’re Canadian or just a maple nerd.
• Tried swapping pumpkin for sweet potato. The texture was okay, but it kind of tasted like… a confused muffin? Wouldn’t recommend, but you do you.

What You’ll Need (But Don’t Panic If You Don’t Have Everything)

• 2 baking sheets
• Parchment paper or, honestly, just grease the tray
• Two mixing bowls (one works if you rinse it quick between wet and dry)
• Hand mixer is easiest, but a wooden spoon works the old-fashioned way—just builds character (and arm muscles)
• Cookie scoop (I just use a big spoon half the time)

Once, I forgot to line the tray at all, and used a fish slice (yes, the spatula thing) to scrape them off. It was not my finest hour, but it worked. Sort of!

Keeping Them Fresh – Not That They’ll Last Long!

So, you can store these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days—or in the fridge for 4–5. But honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day! If you do fridge them, maybe let them come back up to room temp before eating for maximum fluffiness. I’ve frozen them, and they’re fine, but the texture gets a bit weird, so I usually don’t bother anymore.

My Favorite Ways to Serve These Bad Boys

I’m gonna level with you—sometimes I just eat them for breakfast with coffee (life’s short). But if we’re being fancy, I put them on a big plate and sprinkle them with a little powdered sugar. My kids love them with hot chocolate after sledding (on the rare days we actually get snow that sticks in these parts).

Better-Than-Store Tips, If You Want To Learn From My Goofs

• Don’t rush cooling, I once tried filling them while they were warm and regretted it—melted mess.
• Actually, I find it works better if you slightly underbake them, so they stay super soft, but don’t overdo it or you’ll have pumpkin goo instead of pies.
• If the filling is too runny, add a handful more powdered sugar. Don’t fret!

Random FAQ (Because People *Always* Ask)

• Can I use homemade pumpkin puree? Yep! Though, I did once and it was a wee bit watery, so drain it well or your batter will be more like soup.
• How do I get perfectly round whoopie pies? Um, I never do—but if you’re determined, use a piping bag and swirl it in a circle.
• Is the filling super sweet? It can be, depending how much sugar you add—taste and adjust. Or add a pinch of salt like I sometimes do.
• Can I make them gluten-free? Actually, my friend tried it with a 1:1 GF blend and they turned out… pretty good. Not quite the same chew, but not bad.
• What’s the best way to clean up pumpkin spills? Quick answer—get to it straight away, or else your kids will walk through and you’ll be finding orange footprints till May. Trust me.

Isn’t baking wonderful? You start off with a messy kitchen, end up with sweet pumpkin magic, and—if you’re anything like me—never have enough left for the next day.
By the way, if you want to geek out on pumpkin varieties, I really liked the info on Serious Eats. For UK baking conversions (because grams still mess with my head sometimes), I use BBC Good Food’s charts all the time.

Alright, that’s it—or is it? On second thought, let me know if you try a Nutella filling, can’t quite bring myself to but maybe you’re braver! Happy baking, friend.

★★★★★ 4.80 from 120 ratings

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

yield: 12 pies

prep: 25 mins

cook: 15 mins

total: 40 mins

Soft, spiced pumpkin cookies sandwiched around a creamy filling create these irresistible Pumpkin Whoopie Pies—a perfect fall dessert.

🖨️ Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. 2
   In a bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
3. 3
   In a separate large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
4. 4
   Gradually stir dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
5. 5
   Drop tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until set. Let cool completely.
6. 6
   Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Spread filling on half of the cookies and sandwich with remaining cookies.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 260 caloriescal

Protein: 3 gg

Fat: 9 gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 41 gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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