Whoopie pies were pretty much a staple of my childhood. So, it was only a matter of time until they made an appearance on here. And, I can also promise this won’t be the last time you see whoopie pies around this place.
If you’re new to the whoopie pies, they’re basically a cake-like cookie filled with icing. So kind of like oreo meets cake but on steroids.
My grandma Smith was a celebrity around my high school lacrosse team, as she’d occasionally walk over to our practice with a massive box of whoopie pies. You know those traditional chocolate cake and bright white Crisco filled icing ones. Just what we needed mid-practice….
Now, these pumpkin whoopie pies aren’t your traditional whoopie pies. I’ve been pondering up for awhile what I could use for a filling that wasn’t the traditional crisco + powdered sugar fest. Then, I came across Hummusapien’s pumpkin dip and decided, yup… that’s it! So these are technically Pumpkin – Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. Pumpkin cakey cookies with Pumpkin filling. If that doesn’t scream Fall, I’m not sure what does.
Honestly, the cookies alone are also ridiculously fabulous. So, if whoopie pies aren’t your thing, these cookies will be.
Be a rebel. Be like Grandma Smith. Show up to Thanksgiving with these guys instead of a pie. <<okay, maybe both! What’s Thanksgiving without pie?!>>
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/3 cup avocado oil or oil of choice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin canned
- 2 eggs
Filling
- 1/2 cup pumpkin canned
- 2 Tbsp almond butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 oz Neufchatel cheese or cream cheese
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 1/2 Tbsp coconut flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather two nonstick baking sheets.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder & soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- In a medium bowl, add oil, brown sugar, and eggs. Beat with a hand mixer for 1 minute. Add pumpkin. Beat again for 1 minute.
- Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture with a large spoon until well incorporated and all the flour is mixed in.
- Place approx. 2 Tbsp of dough 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. The cookies don't spread too much so make them about the size and shape you want.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until cookies are firm in the center.
- While cookies are baking, prepare the filling. In a new bowl, combine all the filling ingredients and mix with hand mixer until fluffy.
- Scoop filling into the corner of a freezer bag and keep in refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the whoopie pies.
- When your cookies are done baking, allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing. Allow to completely cool on a baking rack before filling.
- To assemble the whoopie pies, cut a hole in the end of the freezer bag filled with filling. Pipe onto one cookie. Top with another equally sized cookies. Repeat for all 8 cookies.
- Store any extra in the refrigerator.
Notes
- The filling is inspired by Hummusapien's Pumpkin Dip - and she does a great job of explaining why you need to use the coconut flour. Pumpkin is very 'm' word - which can be difficult. Adding the coconut flour which absorbs a TON of liquid is really necessary here.
- Don't feel like an underachiever if you want to eat the cookies plain. They are phenomenal plain.
- Keep them in the refrigerator after you make them. They're legit right away but still very good the next day.
These were a hit at Thanksgiving without the filling! I’m a gingerbread Sammie lover though so wondering what tweaks could be made to make this recipe gingerbread…some sort of mash-up between this recipe and your ginger loaf maybe?