Just in time for Thanksgiving, I’m bringing you the ultimate of pumpkin recipes! How about a Pumpkin Whoopie Pie?! If you’re not familiar with whoopie pies, my definition of them would be, two cake-like cookies with a cream filling in-between. Chocolate and white cream are popular, but when I was at The Wilds of New England in September, a sweet young woman made these pies for all the ladies’ dessert!!! I begged asked her if she would share her recipe, and she sweetly obliged!
I made these for my grandsons’ birthday celebration because I thought they would be the perfect size for them to hold. These are pretty rich, so I feel like the smaller size is more inviting and less guilty, even for big people!! I froze the rest for our church fellowship dinner. They’re easy to make take no special skills!! If you add these to your contribution to Thanksgiving dinner you just might go home with an empty platter!
My friend, Cassie combined two different recipes to come up with the perfect cake and the perfect filling!
Cakes – Makes 4.5 dozen small sized pies
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 c. oil
1 c. dark brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
3 c. pumpkin puree (Two regular size cans)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, white sugar, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined.
Using a 1 tablespoon scoop or a 1/2 tablespoon measure, (I made mine 1/2 Tbl. size, perfect for little hands to hold!) drop the batter onto a baking sheet (lined, if possible, but not necessary), leaving about 1″ between the batter. Try to keep the batter as circular as possible. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the tops are done and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Filling – Browned Butter Frosting
5 Tbl butter
4 oz cream cheese softened
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
pinch of ground cloves
3 – 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Continue heating the butter until it turns a light golden brown color. Set aside and let it cool for 15 minutes.
In a stand mixer, beat the cooled browned butter and softened cream cheese on medium speed, until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
Add in maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ground cloves and mix on LOW until just combined.
Slowly and gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
To one of the cooled cookies, spread about 2 tsp of the frosting, then top with another cookie. Place on a wax paper lined baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
Have you ever had a Whoopie Pie? If so, what flavor?
With love from my country kitchen,
RefreshHer 
Hi Denise, These look scrumptious! I’m going to try to make them. I don’t see how much butter the recipe calls for for the filling. Can you please let me know? Thank you!
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Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Sheena! I’ve edited the recipe and fixed the problem!! Those 5 TBL of butter are crucial!! Enjoy!
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Thank you, Denise! I love brown butter, so these care calling my name! Have a wonderful week.
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I didn’t really grow up with whoopie pies, but my husband did. As a teen, he often baked the chocolate, cream filled type at home, but he has often lamented that his brothers would eat the cookie part before he got a chance to sandwich them together!
When my own kids were growing up, I made the chocolate whoopie pies frequently and I also had a recipe for mocha ones with a creamy raspberry filling, and a recipe for pumpkin whoopie pies. In recent years, I’ve tasted chocolate ones with mint, coffee, or peanut butter filling. In fact, there is a shop in Freeport, Maine called Wicked Whoopies that sells a whole bunch of different flavors like lemon, gingerbread, and much more.
But Cassie’s pumpkin ones are really something special. I am so glad you got the recipe, because my friend and I have tried to figure out the filling but there was a flavor we couldn’t quite identify. Now I know it was the browned butter! Thanks for sharing this.
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Oh my goodness…raspberry filling? Mint? Peanut butter? Count me in!! An odd number of cookies – that’s funny and sad all at once!! =)
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Nice post! 🙂
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My husband was born and raised in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, which is the birthplace of whoopie pies which have a Mennonite origin. It used to be that was the only place where you could find them, but now they can be found in just about every part of the country. In Lancaster markets, you will find every flavor imaginable – not only chocolate and pumpkin, but vanilla, spice, lemon, red velvet, etc. Pumpkin is one of my favorites! I am intrigued by this filling recipe because it is very different from traditional whoopie pie filling. I’ll have to give it a try!
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The flavors you’ve mentioned are delicious, I’m sure!! I’m typically a more traditional flavor lover, but this pumpkin is just really special! Let me know what you think!
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