Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Filling

this idea

These pumpkin whoopie pies are soft, pumpkin cookies with a maple cream cheese filling. This post has been updated, originally posted October 2013.

These pumpkin whoopie pies are the perfect cookie for fall.  I have a confession though: I’ve spent a lot of my life avoiding pumpkin foods and desserts. I’ve never been a huge fan of them – but I desperately wanted to be. It’s just so fall-ish. And it smells wonderful while baking.

The good news is, I’m starting to like it more.  Some pumpkin things I would even call delicious and want seconds. Like these! They are dreamy, and probably my favorite pumpkin dessert. (Close call with this and this though). You know they have to be pretty amazing if a non-pumpkin lover craves them!

I actually tried my first ever pumpkin spice latte a couple weeks ago! (Can you believe I waited that long?! I haven’t ordered another since, so you can guess how I feel about those, haha!). I still won’t choose a piece of plain old pumpkin pie for my dessert, but pumpkin mixed in with something else? Sure. And pumpkin with maple cream cheese filling – definitely!

Ingredients for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies:

• flour
• baking soda
• baking powder
• salt
• cinnamon
• ground ginger
• ground nutmeg
• granulated sugar
• brown sugar
• vegetable oil
• canned pumpkin puree
• egg
• vanilla extract
• cream cheese
• unsalted butter
• powdered sugar
• maple syrup
• maple extract

See below for the full recipe and details!

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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Filling

Soft, cake-like pumpkin cookies filled with a delicious maple cream cheese filling.

Course: Dessert

Servings: 15 whoopie pies (will vary depending on how large you make them)

Ingredients

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1-1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (chilled is best, but not necessary)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Maple Cream Cheese Filling

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon maple extract

Instructions

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

4. In another large bowl, whisk the oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar together. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk until combined.

5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.

6. Use a small cookie scoop (mine is about 2 tablespoons size) and scoop the dough onto the prepared pans, about an inch apart.

7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookie center looks dry and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean.

8. Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Maple Cream Cheese Filling

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the butter and cream cheese on medium high speed until smooth, creamy.

2. Add in powdered sugar, maple syrup and maple extract (start with 1/8 teaspoon maple extract, add more if desired). Mix together, then beat on medium high speed until smooth and fluffy.

To Assemble the Whoopie Pies

1. Make sure cookies are no longer warm. Pipe or spread frosting on the flat side of one cookie, almost to the edge. Top with another cookie, flat side pressing against the frosting, to make a sandwich.

2. Chill sandwich cookies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy. Store leftover cookies in the refrigerator. 

Recipe Notes

I dusted my pumpkin whoopie pies with powdered sugar for the photos, just thought it would look nice. It doesn’t make a difference in taste either way, so feel free to do it for looks if you’d like, or not! 

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

If you love pumpkin, try out our No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie or Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Sugar Frosting.

Be sure to check out more fall recipes and crafts here!

-Manda