I grew up in New England, where the whoopie pie originated, so I have eaten my fair share of them. I have tested this recipe many times over to create a delicious replication of the classic New England fall treat.
This Pumpkin Whoopie Pies recipe serves 24 and costs approximately $17.82 to make. That is only about $0.74 per whoopie pie.
These Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are a fall staple
As I’ve mentioned on my blog before, I grew up in New England, and the cuisine found there has made a lasting impression on me. Now that it’s fall and I no longer live in New England, I tend to get nostalgic this time of year.
New England, hands down, is the capital of fall: the crisp smell of leaves and apples that permeates the air, harvest festivals, apple picking, fried dough, apple fritters, and the fantastic fall colors.
Yup, I miss home.
In honor of my New England roots, I wanted to adapt a treat that originated there: the whoopie pie! Some people call them the new cupcake, and I think they’re every bit as good (and cute) as the cupcake so they may have something there!
This Pumpkin Whoopie Pies recipe uses a lot of spices, but I think that’s what makes them so good.
PRO TIP! If you gather all of the ingredients to make this recipe, then you should be set for the entire fall baking season as far as spices go! Enjoy!
The moist layers of this part cookie and part cake dessert is the perfect Fall treat you did not know you were missing! Move over Pumpkin Pie; these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are here to stay!
Why you’ll love this Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Recipe
- Flavor: The pumpkin flavor of these cake-like cookies is full of warm fall spices. The maple cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement to the pumpkin flavor layered between the cookies.
- Crowd Pleaser: Whoopie Pies are always a favorite wherever you take them.
- Bakery Style Recipe: This recipe rivals anything you can buy at your favorite recipe.
RELATED: Chocolate Whoopie Pies | Red Velvet Whoopie Pies | Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies
Ingredients and Estimated Cost of Pumpkin Gobs
Per Serving Cost: $0.74
Recipe Cost: $17.82
- 3 cups all-purpose flour – $1.29
- 1 teaspoon salt – $0.01
- 1 teaspoon baking soda – $0.01
- 3 cups chilled pumpkin puree – $5.13
- 1 teaspoon baking powder – $0.05
- 2 ½ Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie Spice – $0.84
- 1 cup granulated sugar – $0.30
- 1 cup dark brown sugar – $0.74
- 2 large eggs – $0.20
- 1 cup vegetable oil – $0.65
- 2 large eggs – $0.72
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – $1.36
- 3 cups powdered sugar – $1.20
- ½ cup unsalted butter – $1.68
- 8 ounces cream cheese – $3.00
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup – $0.84
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the pricing for this recipe in November 2023.
Cook’s Tools:
- large mixing bowls
- whisk
- baking sheets
- parchment paper OR silicone baking mats
- Cookie scoop
- Stand Mixer OR handheld mixer
- large piping bag
- large circle icing tip
How to make Pumpkin Whoopie Pies With Cream Cheese
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Next, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices and set aside.
- Using a separate bowl, whisk sugars and oil together.
- Then, add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Sprinkle the flour mixture over the pumpkin mixture and whisk until no flour streaks remain.
- Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets and bake one cookie sheet at a time for ten to twelve minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool for ten minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely and repeat the process with the remaining dough.
- Next, beat the butter until smooth and then beat in the cream cheese.
- Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down and pipe the filling onto the flat side of the cookies.
- Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling, pressing down slightly.
- Finally, assemble the remaining cookies and chill for at least one hour before serving.
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Recipe tips
- If you gather all of the ingredients to make this recipe, then you should be set for the entire fall baking season as far as spices go!
- Chill the pumpkin puree before you add it to the batter.
- I do not recommend freezing these because of the cream cheese frosting and the outside of the whoopie pies will get stick when thawed.
- If the dough is too sticky, add an extra ½ cup of flour.
Storing Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
I do not recommend storing your whoopie pies in the fridge, as they can become sticky while in the fridge. Instead, store them in an airtight contanter in a cool dark place. They will stay fresh for up to two days.
Pumpkin Whoopie Pie FAQs
It is not named after Whoopie Goldberg, as some mistakenly believe! The first Whoopie pies were served at the Labadie’s Bakery in Maine in 1925.
Whoopie pies are two small cakes sandwiched together with buttercream. The cakes don’t form a crust on them as cookies do. Consequently, while you eat a whoopie pie, the cake gets a little sticky in your hands.
The most likely cause of the whoopie pies coming out flat is due to the batter being too thin. When the batter is too thin, it does not hold up well in the oven. A thicker batter will hold its shape and puff up as it should during the baking process.
Whoopie pie filling can be made of almost anything from chocolate to buttercream. For this recipe, I use a maple cream cheese frosting to complement the pumpkin flavor of the cake sandwich layers.
More pumpkin dessert recipes:
- Pumpkin-Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
- Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip
- Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with Cinnamon Chips
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Pumpkin Blossom Cookies
- Irresistible Pumpkin Honey Muffins
- Pumpkin Pecan Pie Monkey Bread
- Honey Kissed Pumpkin Cake
- Pumpkin Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream
- Kettle Corn with Pumpkin Spice
- Pumpkin Blossom Cake
More from Food Folks and Fun
Pumpkin Whoopie Pie
Equipment
- large mixing bowls
- whisk
- baking sheets
- parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Cookie scoop
- stand mixer or handheld mixer
- large piping bag
- large circle icing tip
Ingredients
FOR PUMPKIN COOKIES:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ½ Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 cups chilled pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FOR MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkles or jimmies for garnish, optional
Instructions
MAKE PUMPKIN COOKIES:
- Move oven rack to middle positions, and preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices; set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk sugars and oil together. Add pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined and no flour streaks remain.
- Use a cookie scoop with a 1.5-2 tablespoons capacity to drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
- Baking 1 cookie sheet at a time, bake 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and cool on pan for about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
MAKE FROSTING:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth with no visible lumps.
- Add cream cheese and beat until combined. Add powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Be careful not to overbeat filling or it will thin out. If you think the filling is too loose, put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up.
ASSEMBLE:
- Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe filling onto the flat side of overturned cookies.
- Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of filling. Press down slightly so that filling spreads to cookie edges.
- Repeat until all cookies are used. If you’re using sprinkles to garnish, hold each whoopie pie in your hand and sprinkle the garnish in the crack of the whoopie pie and turn until all exposed frosting is covered.
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Video
Nutrition
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Recipe adapted from this fantastic cookbook: Baked: New Frontiers in Baking.
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DO NOT fix them the night before bc if you refrigerate them overnight they are extremely sticky and ruined before you ever even put the yummy icing on them.
These are one of my favorite desserts ever! The cream filling is delicious!! These are incredible.
So glad you love them!
Love them, sticky or not.
Can they be frozen?
They can be frozen, but I find they are way too sticky, so I do not recommend it.
do you make your own pumpkin puree or use something pre-made? if so, do you have a recipe you are willing to share?
Hi Kaiti,
I wish I had time to make my own pumpkin puree, but I do not. Therefore, I do not have a recipe. Sorry.
Have you tried a gluten free version?
Hi Alex, unfortunately, I have not. Sorry.
They’ll cook the same
Yes, I used my own pumpkin purée. So simple to make and so much tastier. If your homemade pumpkin puree seems too loose (which has only happened twice in 30 years) you can always let it drain in a strainer with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. My whoopies tirned out great with it!!
What is the brand of mixer you are using? I’ve never seen one like that! Making these with my kids today. I cannot believe I have never made them Whoopie pies before!
Hi Courtney, it’s a Bosch mixer.
These came out AMAZING but were super sticky/moist the next day or so. Any advice on eliminating this?
Thanks!
Hi Michelle, add an extra 1/ cup of flour and this will make them not as sticky.
Delicious and adorable. So easy to make. Never have to use the mixer for the batter. I used Jimmies on the edges. Really added to the overall appearance.
Delicious, Rich and creamy and best for a Tea Time Treat. My kids to love it.
these were so delicious! i love anything pumpkin in the fall and these were great for my girlfriends lunch!
These whoopie pies look absolutely amazing! All those flavors are so perfect for fall. I especially love the maple cream cheese frosting.
We love whoopie pies. These Fall flavored ones are a perfect addition for my Fall baking list.
The best recipe to make this season. These whoopie pies are soooo goood!
I did add more cream cheese and maple syrup. The whole family enjoyed throughly them. I blinked and they were all gone.
Delicious! My whole family loved them and asked me to make more!
It says to refrigerate the pumpkin puree, do you do that before you mix it up or just refrigerate it all after it is done being made?
Hi Teresa, chill the pumpkin puree before you add it to the batter.
I’m a little late to the game. I made my first batch in mid Sept and everyone loved them. I just now completed my third batch! They look wonderful too.
I made these for Sunday dinner to see if they were a good choice for Thanksgiving. EVERYONE loved them. Even people who don’t love pumpkin loved them. They are soft and fluffy and so delicious.