Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple-Cream Cheese Filling
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My fall baking moods seem to take on themes during certain months. Once September hits, I feel like I need to eat and bake with as many apples as possible. Even though they’re available throughout the fall and winter months, I feel a surge in September. It starts to wane towards the end of the month, and then October hits. For me, October is the month of the pumpkin. I know that Thanksgiving is typical pumpkin pie day, but by then I’m already full-on excited and planning for Christmas, so my pumpkin lust starts early. Plus, October gives us Halloween (pumpkin carving and pumpkin seed roasting!) and, more importantly, it gives us “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”. I’m a sucker for holiday programming and feel very strongly that I should be baking (or, at the very least, eating) something seasonal during every Charlie Brown special or any of the following: Rudolph (the old school one, with the Land of Misfit Toys), Christmas Vacation, Elf or A Christmas Story. Well, October is only a couple of days away so let’s get moving with these whoopie pies!
You may remember me talking about the whoopie pies vs. gobs nomenclature conundrum when I gabbed about s’mores whoopie pies over the summer, but I’ll lay it out there again. It’s weird for me to call these whoopie pies; I grew up calling all cookies of this type ‘gobs’. It’s regional. It’s Pittsburgh. But I also realize it’s a minority. So no matter what you call these, let’s be clear: you need to make and eat these! To celebrate October, of course. And the pumpkins. And Charlie Brown. The cookie-cakes themselves are soft and light and absolutely packed with spicy, seasonal flavors. Your house will smell like Thanksgiving while these are baking. And paired with a maple cream cheese filling? Heaven. An old colleague of mine shared this recipe with me years ago and I’ve been enjoying them ever since. They should become part of your fall baking rotation too!
Two years ago: Cream of Mushroom Soup
Three years ago: Cinnamon Rolls[/donotprint]
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
For the Whoopie Pies:
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (220 g) dark brown sugar
- 1 cup (218 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 3 cups (735 g) chilled pumpkin puree, canned pumpkin
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Maple-Cream Cheese Filling:
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, (½ cup )
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- 2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.
- 3. In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, the dark brown sugar, and the oil together. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.
- 4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until completely combined.
- 5. Use a small cookie scoop or a large spoon to drop a rounded, heaping tablespoon of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
- 6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, making sure that the cookies are just starting to crack on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cookie comes out clean. The cookies should be firm when touched. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on a cooling rack.
- 7. To make the filling, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth with no visible lumps, about 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then add the maple syrup and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- 8. To assemble the whoopie pies: Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down. Pipe or spoon the filling (about a tablespoon) onto that half. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spread to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are used. Put the whoopie pies in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
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I have been making these for at least 10 years. My children are now grown but beg for these every Thanksgiving. Thank you for sharing and in turn creating a wonderful memory for my children and I.
Pro tip- use this frosting recipe for pumpkin cake rolls, it is life changing. 😂 SO GOOD, everyone will be “this is the best pumpkin cake roll I have ever had” These Whoopie pies are delicious but this frosting is incredible.
I have made these so many times. Doesn’t matter what time of year they are always asked to be made . They are easy. I make the whoopie pie in advance and freeze them. When needed I taken them out make the filling by then they are ready to fill. Thank you so much for sharing
These are so good and seem to be a no fail recipe. I did have to bake an extra few minutes until they were firm and began to crack.
My whole family begs me to bake these all the time! Even my very snobby brother-in-law begs for them and has called them decadent! I make them at least 4 times a year and they are always gobbled right up!
Just want to let you know that I come back every year for this recipe! I started making them in 2011 and have made them at least twice a year ever since! I may have even commented before cause these things are always always enjoyed by all wherever I bring them.
My husband CONSTANTLY asks me to make these. I’m sure I’ve made them 20 times at this point, and they’re always delicious
My favorite recipe – everyone loves them!
Super easy to make, and everyone tells me it’s delicious! Definitely a crowd pleaser that I’ll make again. Thank you for sharing!
Please tell me the calorie count is an error. There is no way one whoopie pie is 141,000 calories! Is that right?
I’ve made these twice…the first time they were very sticky. This time, I baked them a little bit longer and they were perfect <3 they just taste like Fall! No substitutions were needed. Thank you!
Who gives a f@#$ about the backstory!? Thanks for the great recipe.
Delicious! Easy to follow recipe. I used regular Vermont Maid “imitation” maple syrup as I did not have pure. The taste was fine in the frosting.
Delicious….came out perfect and already getting requests from friends and family to make them again! Will definitely make again!
Delicious….came out perfect and already getting requests from friends and family to make them again! Will definitely make again!
Just made these. They were wonderful. Sadly you can’t find pumpkin purée anywhere. Luckily I had two cans in my pantry from last year.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of puree
Just stopping back in after several years of making these because yes, they are in fact always just as perfectly delicious as I remember. This maple cream cheese filling is a dream.
These were so delicious!!! I’ve found a new go-to for the fall!!!
These are the absolute best! I’ve come back to this recipe for years- 8 at least! I make them multiple times a year (fall or not) and they always end up being the star of the show when I bring them to parties. I like to keep them in the fridge so the filling is nice and firm and doesn’t smoosh out when you take a bite. This year I started using the batter to make muffins and they’re such a treat. This recipe is definitely one of my favorites!
Made these with pumpkins I bought for Halloween and didn’t get to carve, they’re amazing!! With most of them I hollowed out one cookie before filling with frosting and squishing between another cookie- and I still had frosting left over.
Had to bake the cookies 20 minutes or more for them to set up. Mine are sticky, as the other reviews mentioned. I used a cookie scoop and they do not spread. I checked my oven temp and it was 350, also baked another kind of cookie and it baked in the time suggested. Sorry, for the trouble I had I will not bake them again.
This recipe was amazing! I made it twice in one week & everyone raves about it. The only thing I changed is that I swapped out 2 sticks of softened butter for 1 cup oil. I couldn’t see making this with that much oil in it. Came out perfect. Thank you!
I have seen similar recipe elsewhere that only calls for 1.5 cups of pumpkin. Would 3 cups make it too runny?
Hi Jen, I’ve never found these to be too runny!
Hi Michelle!
I’ve made this recipe before and LOVE it! I am hoping to make it for a bake sale fundraiser. I would need to bake the whoopie pies 6 days ahead of time to work w my schedule. Do you think they would stay in the fridge for that amount of time? I’m worried the freezer might ruins the cream cheese frosting but maybe not.
Thanks for all of your delicious recipes!
Aly
Hi Aly, I’m so thrilled to hear that! I would freeze the whoopie pie cookies and then make the filling and assemble the day before you need them for the freshest dessert!
I see the recipe calls for chilled pumpkin. Does it have to be chilled?
Hi Brooke, I think it would still work okay if it were at room temperature.
My go to pumpkin whoopie pie recipe! I’ve made them 3x in little over a month! An excellent holiday treat that’s a crowd pleaser!!
Personally, I think they’re better the next day! I leave them in the fridge overnight before eating…
Of note – I’m a Mainer that’s big on whoopies!!!
I was born and raised in the Great state of Maine and am 74 years young! Our siblings and most of Their Offspring still live around Portland!!! I would NEVER disrespect them or anyone else back Home by referring to them as Mainers!!!! The appropriate term is: MAIN(E)IAC!!!! We’ve always been up front about that!!!! No disrespect intended, simply sharing!! Happy Trails
When I found this recipe the other day I thought they would make a great bake sale item at my son’s school fundraiser. I’ve never made whoopie pies before but remember buying ones like these years ago in Maine. I sampled one before sending them off, and they are FABULOUS. Moist, lots of flavor, wonderful filling. I’ll have to make them again just for my family.
I made these Pumpkin Whoopi Pies With Cream Cheese Maple Filling
They are DELICIOUS! WOW . Instead of canned pumpkin. I made my own
pumpkin puree. What a better puree. Very easy to make. If anyone is
interested in making your own puree. Please email me.
Nummy nummy
I used cinnamon extract instead of vanilla. So good
THESE LOOK AMAZING!!! I am so pinning this recipe, it looks great! I also signed up for your newsletter all of your recipes look fantastic.
I made these for an early Thanksgiving theme potluck and they were a hit. I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfectly. I didn’t have any issue with the frosting being soupy, but I did use my stand mixer so maybe that helped thicken it. This yielded only about 2 dozen assembled pies for me, but I may have made them a little on the bigger size. This is a great recipe, and will definitely make again.
I made these over the wknd. I had to experiment with the filling because I could taste too much of the vanilla extract. I put in a 1/4 cup of milk and more maple syrup than the recipe called for and it took the strong vanilla taste away. I couldn’t taste the maple at first so I added until I could get a hint of maple flavor.
You do need to chill these pies for the center does get soupy if left out too long. The pies were delicious. They came out perfectly done! I cooked them for 12 mins. I may add some choc. Chips in my next batch.
My friend from Uniontown, PA brought t a huge batch for Thanksgiving. Everyone raved about them. I had never heard of them, or cookies called ‘gobs’, and I am from Pittsburgh too! We must be from different neighborhoods. This is the perfect recipe to duplicate what he brought. I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect. Thank you!
I am a very lazy cook and found pumpkin cake mix by Pillsbury in the baking aisle today. I followed the directions minus 1/2 cup of water and baked for 8 minutes. Turned out perfectly. But what really stole the show was your filling recipe–out of this world! My husband is licking the bowl as I type. Thank you! I am selling these for a soccer fundraiser tomorrow and my hubby assures me they are well worth the $1 price tag :)
These are yummy and lots of fun to make. I used a muffin top pan to make them, so anyone else who tries this (I think they are also intended for Whoopie Pies) they come out pretty big. I tinkered around and was able to make smaller ones with less batter, but just something to keep in mind.
Whoopie Pies were one of my favorite treats in high school. So I always have a soft spot when I see a recipe. I made these using a muffin tin that only makes muffin tops. Not sure if that was a good idea. They came out huge! Beautiful, perfect actually, but huge! I scaled the next batch down some and that was reasonable. Anywho, taste is super yummy, and they were a lot of fun to make:) thank you!
I made these a few times last fall and they were a hit! I made them for a bake sale that my son’s marching band hosted, and these sold oout in a matter of minutes! My daughter asked to day if we could make them, so later tonight we will make our first batch of the season. A friend of our said that they satisfy a sweet craving without being over sweet. That pretty much sums it up! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
I’m making these as a wedding favor for my son’s wedding and would like to make them ahead of time. Any suggestions on thaw time if I freeze them and how long are they ok out of the fridge?
Hi Jenny, I am not sure how long they would take to thaw, but they should be fine at room temperature for a day (take them out in the morning, serve until evening).
Hello! What a yummy recipe! I finally made these tonight and when the cakes cooled they seemed to look deflated. Wondering if I did something wrong or if this is normal. From your photo, I was expecting them to be fuller but mine look more the height of a cooke than a petite cake. I did not have a small scoop though so wondering if that is what makes the difference in height. I hope when sandwiched with frosting that the height will not matter but curious about what they look like before assembly in case I’ve made a mistake. Thank you!
Hi Helen, Using a larger portion of batter definitely could have contributed to this.
I made these tonight. Delicious! Lots of pumpkin flavor, and the whoopie pie part wasn’t too sweet. I used Libby’s canned pumpkin, cooked the pies until a toothpick came out clean and had no issues with stickiness. The maple cream cheese filling was a bit runnier than I would have liked, but after 30 minutes in the fridge, it was perfect for the filling. I will be making this recipe again. Thank you for sharing!
Could you make these with light brown sugar instead of dark?
Yes!
These were amazing! So moist and just the right hint of maple. Everyone loved them!
I am baking the desserts for my daughter’s upcoming wedding and I am looking for things I can bake ahead of time and freeze. Can these be frozen with the filling in them? If I wrap them individually in plastic wrap, would the wrap stick when it is removed? Do you have any other suggestions for make ahead bite sized desserts? Thanks for any help you can give me!
Hi Jill, The plastic wrap will likely stick because these cookies are very moist. I would not recommend freezing with the filling. If you have to freeze the cookies plain, I would place them on a baking sheet, place in the freezer until frozen, then place in a plastic bag and freeze until you’re ready to thaw. Remove them from the bag to thaw (don’t let them touch), then fill and serve.
These were fantastic! Followed the recipe exactly and they were a hit! Made them for a sports banquet and family party, didn’t have any left overs! A Winner!
These look fantastic! I’m running a contest for pumpkin dish photos, and think you should enter! The winner is decided through public votes on our site. Tonight’s the last night to enter!! Deets here: http://www.partiesthatcook.com/parties-that-cook-best-pumpkin-recipe-photo-contest/
These were delicious. Just made them for Thanksgiving :)
Thank you so much for this recipe! I recently featured your recipe on my blog, along with a direct link to this website. The recipe was PERFECT! I can’t wait to bring it home to my family today! Happy Thanksgiving!
I have made these whoopie pies several times and they are always a big hit.
I want to make them part of my Thanksgiving dessert spread this year but am wondering if I can make the cakes 2 days before and store them in the refrigerator so all I have to do the day of if fill them and let the filling firm up a bit.
Thoughts?
Hi Devin, You could definitely make them ahead, but you don’t need to store the cakes in the refrigerator; you could store them at room temperature in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Found your recipe on Pinterest and made them yesterday… So good! I made minis and have a ton leftover. I’d like to bring them to my thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. Do you think they’ll last that long in the refrigerator or should I freeze them?
Hi Emily, I think they will be fine in the fridge, as long as you keep them in an airtight container.
I bake alot and was very disappointed with this recipe. As others commented, although baked, they were doughy inside. Gummy texture. I could barely taste any spices. The frosting was way too runny. I had to add shortening to get it stabilized a bit so it would not run out of the cakes.
Just made these tonight for my co workers tomorrow in honor of halloween and this was such a simple recipe to make. I tested the batter and it tasted amazing! I will have to wait to hear from my co workers about how awesome these are! I like that I did half the recipe and it was still more than enough to give them each one. I will make these again!
Try with whole wheat flour and real pumpkin to cut down on the stickiness. Raisins are also a great addition.
I just finished making a batch of these…they are delicious! Thank you for another wonderful recipe. :)
Second time I have made these… the 1st were amazing but then I tried to be “healthier” the this second time around. Substituted 1/2 the oil for applesauce, and did 1/2 whole wheat flour 1/2 white. Desserts are not meant to be healthy! Lesson learned! The redeeming factor is the REAL BUTTER, REAL CREAM CHEESE, REAL maple cream cheese icing. I am so glad I did not monkey with that!!! We will be eating this batch, just with a voluminous amount of icing :)
I made these last weekend and they were delicious! I brought them to a gathering at a friend’s house and everyone loved them! The maple wasn’t too strong in the filling but it added just enough flavor. I will for sure make them again!
I just made these for a school bake sale, but sadly I can’t use them. The pumpkin cake part came out beautifully, but the cream middle was just far too runny and they have all fallen apart :( It was a pouring sauce consistency, even after more sugar.
Happy Tasty Tuesday! We love this recipe and it is featured on our Favorite Pumpkin Recipes for Autumn! Thanks!
http://4virtu.com/2012/10/favorite-pumpkin-recipes-for-autumn/
These were incredibly delicious! Very moist
I am so looking forward to making these…I LOVE pumpkin anything, lol I do have a question, though. I am in Colorado…about 588 ft above sea level. Do I need to adjust the recipe for high altitude??
Hi Denise, I haven’t done any high altitude baking, but I do have some general guidelines in the FAQ section: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/baking-faq/
OH MY GOODNESS! These are perfect. My husband has already eaten 2 of them and I just made them! The maple cream cheese filling is so delicious! I will be making these again for sure. Wow.. I’m so impressed with this recipe! Thank you!
This additional comment is a bit delayed but, I just wanted to say that my husband had brought some extras into work and everyone devoured them. He said one of his colleages ripped the tray out of his hands at the end of the day just to spoon out the leftover filling. These are amazing!! They will be my October tradition FOREVER!!!!!!! :)
So here’s the thing: I used an ice cream scoop as directed but, it was a bigger one… My whoopie pies were delish but they were monstor pumpkin whoopie pies!!! Now I need to find a smaller ice cream scoop to make them small, cute, and delish! Thanks for the recipe and I love, love your blog.
This is definitely the best thing since sliced bread. Check out my food review site here http://foodbyskyler.tumblr.com/ . You have a true talent.
Hi – I made these last autumn for my co-workers and everyone loved them!!! They have been dying for me to make them again so I am. I don’t know what it is about pumpkin but I only eat it in autumn. Quick question for you. Does using parchment paper or a mat make a difference? Do you know if I would be okay just spraying the cookie sheet with non-stick spray? Thanks.
I only had one silicone mat but needed more so I just greased (with butter flavored Crisco) and floured the other pans and they turned out fine!
Oh my! Made these with my kids and they were absolutely fantastic!! They just melt in your mouth. Hard to eat just one! We will definitely be making this again! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!!!
Our cookies are cooling and the filling is made, but everything tastes great separate! (I probably shouldn’t have a whoopie pie after sampling! LOL) I’ll be sharing on my blog tomorrow…giving you credit for the recipe and sending readers your way if they would like to try the recipe.Yum!
I just bought a whoopie pie pan! Got to try this recipe this weekend :)
This is our first year to tap the maple trees on our land and I am adding this to my list of maple recipes to make once we have cooked down our first batch of maple syrup. It will be a great celebration and these whoopie pies will be perfect!
I made a batch of these for a New Year’s party yesterday- and might I add it was an awesome recipe to ring in the New Year! My family devoured the whoopie pies! Thank you for sharing the recipe! :)
WOW.
First time making whoopie… ;o) And these were beyond good. so moist, so sinfully good, so so wonderful.
I’m really excited to try making more whoopies now. Thanks for getting me hooked on another calorie friendly dessert. HA! :)
After seeing this recipe highlighted on thekitchn.com last month, I knew I had to give it a shot! They were amazing – I’ve never heard my coworkers so excited before. I made a post about it, which includes a couple of small changes in proportions! Thanks so much for making me so popular at work that week!
http://coconutandchartreuse.blogspot.com/2011/11/mini-pumpkin-whoopie-pies-with-maple.html
These look fantastic! I was just wondering if “pumpkin pie spice” works for the recipe instead of adding cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger separately?
Hi Angela, Yes, you can definitely substitute pumpkin pie spice if you have that handy.
I had never made whoopie pies before, but I made these Sunday night and they turned out amazing! My boyfriend took the extras with him to work the next morning, and they were a hit! I posted these on my blog today, and included a ink to yours. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Just made these for my family. It was my first time ever making whoopie pies and they came out perfectly and extremely delicious! There were absolutely none left and my family was extremely impressed, thanks for the fantastic recipe!
i just made these last night and they were amazing! thank you so much for this delicious recipe!
I am never one to comment on recipes after I make them and I have done quite a bit of cooking and baking in my time, but I have to comment on these. They are AMAZING!!! I first made a half batch to test out of coworkers and the main comment was too sweet, but otherwise delicious. I made them again this weekend for a family dinner and gave some to my neighbors as well. Overall consensus- “omg these are amazing/delicious/wow” The only change I made was to use less then half the amount of maple syrup in the filling. The flavor is great, but in my opinion just too sweet if you use the full 3 Tbs of syrup. I have never gotten so many comments and so many people asking me for the recipe. Thank you so much for the recipe!!!
Have you ever made these in a big whoopee pie, like a 9″? Wanting to try it for Thanksgiving. Trying to think of baking time.
Hmm that would pretty much be a cake at 9″. I haven’t done anything that large. Not sure how much batter you would need or how long to bake.
I made a devoured these several times already and I will be bringing them to our Thanksgiving gathering this year, sure to be a hit! I’m trying to do some things ahead of time, can I make this batter ahead of time and freeze or keep it in the fridge? They are definatly the best when they are fresh, what suggestions do you have to help me avoid looking like our headless turkey but still have wonderful gobs? Thanks!! :)
Hi Shannon, I don’t think the batter would freeze well, but I do think you could successfully put it in the fridge (covered) overnight, but not for longer than that.
This is for Lauren at Keepitsweet: HOW TO WRAP WHOOPIE PIES: My great aunt used to make these. Yummy. She would wrap each one in wax paper, similar to how fastfood resturants fold the wrapper for a hamburger. The size of paper will vary somewhat, a type of scoop used for the batter would keep them a similar size. On a square piece of wax paper, fold top paper down and bottom paper up, one end over the other (from top to bottom), next make a triangle on the right and left (make a point by folding upper right and lower right into a point) and repeat this on the left side. Then, fold the pointed ends underneith. She would then put them (all the wraped pies) in an airtight plastic container. I’m not sure if she refrigerated them. I hope this helps.
I made these for my daughters and their college age friends. They were a big hit! I did change them just a bit. I made regular cream cheese frosting rather than maple. Before I added the frosting, I frosted one side of the whoopie pie with a cooked caramel frosting that I use on caramel cake. After it set, I added the cream cheese frosting and stacked them up. They were delicious! I’m making them again for my November book club!
Oooh love the addition of caramel, sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing!
AMAZING. Just made htem for the first time and my family about died when they ate them. So good-cookies had the right amount of pumpkin flavor and were unbelievably moist. The maple filling is also absolutely amazing with a great sweetness and just a hint of maple flavoring. Will be making these every year for the holidays, as well as in between!
I’ve been making these for years! Love them. They are great with chocolate chips. (Dark chocolate for me.) And they freeze well in a pinch. I use neck pumpkin – less moisture than butternut squash or other pumpkin.
YUM – I made about 4 dozen of these for the Annual Pumpkin Chunkin Competition this weekend to help feed my team :-)
Made these for my church’s Fall Fest this past Saturday, they were ALL eaten. Thanks for sharing. I will be making them again…..and again after that! =)
Found your recipe on a google search for pumpkin whoopie pies. Whipped them out on a Sunday afternoon as a baking escape. These came together beautifully, the recipe halved easily and the flavors just excellent!! Well done!
LOL…I grew up in the ‘Burgh calling these gobs too!! Can’t wait to try these ones.
Bookmarked these last year…finally made them yesterday…YUMM-O!!
Hey Michelle,
I’m making these for a canadian thanksgiving party this weekend, and i wanted to make them mini, like bit size, do you think it would still work as minis?
Thanks for the inspirations!
Sarah
Hi Sarah, These actually aren’t all that big the way they are made, but if you want to make them smaller I think it would be fine.
Thanks for getting back to me so quick, I tried to make them a little smaller but they were a HUGE hit, everyone loved them! Thank you so much, next on my list is the pumpkin Cupcakes.
I made these over the weekend and they were delicious! Now, I know this would kind of defeat the purpose of it being a whoopie pie, but how do you think these would turn out if I made them in cake form?
I have never tried them in cake form, I would think it would work though. You might need to play around with quantities and bake times. If you give a shot let me know!
Hi there! I was just wondering if you happen to have a carrot cake whoopie pie recipe? Or if you’ve ever tried one? I want to make a carrot cake version this weekend, and I love ALL of the recipes I have tried from your site so far so I was wondering if you have any tips?
Oooh I have not, but that sounds FABULOUS!!
I did manage to find one, I almost can’t remember where right now! I think it might have been an adaptation from the book Whoopie Pies, and it was great. I just made your pumpkin last night actually! I’m obsessed with whoopie pies right now. The pumpkin are fantastic! I also made a sweet potato version that is also SO good. I’m hoping you make more so that I can try your recipes :) Maybe a banana with some peanut butter???
I love these and wanted to share my blog post with you. http://cupcakesonmymindblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/pumpkin-whoopie-pies.html
Just made some. They are SO good, I added a little more maple syrup and it made them so rich. YUM! thanks!
Wrapping Whoopie Pies:
WooHoo! Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are a big favorite. I’ll be making these soon. All the Whoopie Pies I have had got individually wrapped in saran wrap as soon as they were put together. That way you could throw them in a stack on a plate, throw them in your lunchbag, and eat them without getting icing on your steering wheel.
These are just too good! The filling was a perfect consistency, the pumpkin taste wasn’t too strong. Oh my, I must give some away before I eat them all!! THANK YOU!! Love this site, keep up the good work!!
I made these last night and they were delicious! My coworkers have been raving about them all morning :)
For next time, do you think I could use 2 C of no sugar added apple sauce instead of 1 C of Canola/Vegetable oil? Also, do you think it would make a big difference with the taste/texture if I used reduced fat cream cheese instead of regular?
Thanks again for this recipe!
Hi Ashley, I have heard of subbing applesauce for oil and it usually works just fine. I also think you would be okay with reduced fat cream cheese.
Great, thanks Michelle! :)
Just made these today, for my birthday! I love them!
OH. MY. GOODNESS!!! These are the most delicious morsels I have ever put in my mouth!!! Thank you so much for this recipe! My husband just made some questionable sounds when he tried one for the first time. We are in LOVE with these!!!
I made these this past weekend and they were AMAZING. They were gone so quickly, I’ll have to make them again soon.. Thank you for this recipe, it is a new family favorite!
Hi, I made these on the weekend. Really easy to make and so, so, so delicious! Made about 36. Had to cook pumpkin and puree it myself as couldn’t find tinned pumpkin puree in Australian supermarket, but all the nicer flavour for it I think. Thanks for the recipe.
These look gorgeous! Do the pumpkin cookies have a muffin top texture to them? I just wanna know because that would make them even better.
They do taste a bit like a muffin top!
It seems the Etsy seller has taken down your photos =) I’m glad as she was claiming that we all stole her photos and NOT that she stole ours =(
I am really sorry to have to tell you an Etsy seller is using your photos to advertise her own business baking, i recognised this one as yours!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/69162218/perfectly-pumpkin-creme-cookie-wiches-1
I can’t wait to make these! I don’t think I am going to wait for October, either! January seems perfect for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies!!! ;)
What are your thoughts on using maple extract instead of maple syrup? I have a bottle of the extract on my shelf, just no syrup. How much would be an appropriate substitute?
i used a teaspoon of maple extract on my second go-round and it was REALLY maple-y! i’d go with 3/4 tsp.
Made these about a month ago and they are sooooo good!!! They’re actually dangerous because I could NOT stop eating them!! Anyone who is intimidated by the maple syrup, don’t be. It’s subtle and is so good with the pumpkin and cream cheese. Yumm!!!
I agree Kelly – totally addicting!
I made these yesterday, and they are amazing. Sometimes gobs (I’m a southwestern PA girl) can be a little dry, but these are moist and tender. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
You’re welcome, so glad you loved them! I think gobs will always be the chocolate/white icing ones to me :)
Made these last night- and they are so yummy- light and fluffy. The icing is a perfect blend for the pumpkin. Thank you for sharing!
You are welcome! Thank you for stopping back to share your results and the pumpkin love :)
These were absolutely amazing. I can’t believe how good they were! Mine were moist the next day, but it’s also been rainy here so I will attribute that to the humidity.
Yay! So glad you liked ’em!
I can’t wait to make this. Got some recipes at a class last week – another filling option is ginger buttercream….it was so good. But I do want to try the maple filling! Thanks!
Love the idea of ginger buttercream! Will definitely try that next time!
Thanks so much for the delicious recipe! I LOVE all things pumpkin, and decided to try these out. The only thing is that mine took a bit longer to cook and are also very moist & sticky to the touch. They taste beautifully & hold together fine with the frosting, but just wish they weren’t so sticky. Any advice for the next batch? x
Hi Veronica, I haven’t had any sticky/moist issues, but I would make sure they are fully baked and firm to the touch before taking them out of the oven, and make sure they are 100% cool before storing them airtight. I’m glad you enjoyed them regardless though!
Made these last night and they are delicious!!! The maple syrup in the frosting compliments the pumpkin so nicely! Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome, so happy you are loving them!
It looks delicious! They remind me of macarons I ate in France but moister. I definitely have to try those ! YUMMY:)
I posted them! They were delicious, thanks for the recipe :)
http://www.whattastyfood.com/2010/11/pumpkin-whoopie-pies-maple-cream-cheese.html
Very welcome! They look great!
Made these, loved these!!! Just not too good for my waistline, I could eat the whole batch. (and I used maple syrup flavoring instead of the maple syrup, had some handy and worked out beautifully, ~ 1 tsp.) loved, loved, loved, more so than my infamous pumpkin roll recipe! thanks!
I know, not much of what I make is good for the waistline, oops ;-) Glad you loved these though!
I’ve made these before for my work but with a cinnamon cream cheese filling. The maple haters might want to try that. It’s amazing. I use equal parts cinnamon to vanilla. Definitely going to try the maple though!
Oooh thanks for the tip on the cinnamon filling Amanda!
I was searching for a great new pumpkin recipe for our church community group tonight and I ran across this recipe. I had to take a sample of course before I serve it tonight and these are so yummy!!!! I love that they are not all that hard and they take so great. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Very welcome Amber! Glad they passed the taste test :)
I made these this past weekend and yum they are heaven…however my cake part of the whoopie pie is very moist, not necessarily a bad thing but like haven’t cooked long enough moist. The toothpick came out clean but something seems off…my frosting inside came out perfect and delish!
Finally was able to make these, my 5 year old LOVES them and they were a big hit at work as well. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!
Yay for approval from kiddos and coworkers!!
Thanks for the recipe. Did you use real maple syrup or the “fake stuff?” I made it with real maple syrup and the frosting was far too runny. I had to thicken it up with more powdered sugar and a little corn starch and lost a lot of the maple flavor. For some reason, maple extract is really hard to find (even in New England!), but I’m going to hunt around for it. The smaller amount would have made a big difference.
Anyway, the cakes were amazing. Just perfect. The frosting was good, too, just a lot more work. ;)
Hi Christy, I’m sorry you had some trouble with the frosting. I used real maple syrup (never use the fake stuff for any baking) and didn’t seem to have a problem with the frosting consistency. In any case, maple extract would be wonderful in this! I hope you manage to get your hands on some!
Hmm. Maybe I measured something incorrectly if no one else is having trouble. The frosting did set a bit after some time in the fridge, so I’ll try it again and leave some extra time for it to set, just in case. Thanks for your reply! I thought it was unlikely that you’d have used artificial maple syrup, but I couldn’t figure out what else might have happened.
this exact thing happened to me! my filling is currently in the ‘fridge, thickening up. to be fair, my butter and cream cheese were out on the counter for a LONG time. i’m hoping it sets up well. otherwise i suppose i’ll add some more powdered sugar. anyone else have any ideas?
I made these for my Fall Harvest themed cooking club event. I can’t even describe how big of a hit they were! The cakey outsides are moist and so flavorful. The gooey icing center is a perfect companion- not overly sweet and finger licking delicious. These will definitely become part of my normal baking rotation. THANK YOU!
You are welcome! So glad you enjoyed them and they were a hit! I think they’re definitely worthy of a spot in the baking rotation :)
making these today!!
Enjoy Kelsey!
I’m planning on making these for my “throwdown” at work next week. Secret Ingredient: pumpkin..(so I guess it’s more of an Iron Chef type of deal haha).
Oooh, good luck! Let me know how it goes!
Wow, these are fantastic! Yum! Thanks for posting the recipe, I really enjoy reading your blog. We have a lot of common interests it seems… except Go Hurricanes! (Carolina, that is!) Thanks again for a great recipe, I really enjoyed!
You’re welcome, Allison! So glad you loved these! I don’t hate on the Hurricanes, solid, respectable team, unless they’re playing the Pens :)
I made these over the weekend and they were a HUGE hit! I should have made a double batch. It’s rare that I make a dessert, no matter how good, that it equally stuns so many people. One thing I’ll do next time is to add a 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp Maple Extract to bump the maple flavor even more without thinning the filling with too much syrup. I had some filling left over and tried adding some extract and it was even better IMHO. Great recipe, thanks for sharing. BTW, I’ve been asked to make these again for Christmas morning.
Erik, Thanks so much for the tip on maple extract, awesome idea! Will definitely be trying that!
I made these over the weekend and they were phenomenal! Only problem I had was that they needed more like 20 minutes to cook. Not sure why, since my oven usually runs hot, but at 10 minutes they were mush. But soooo very worth the wait. The cake was delicious and the filling is to die for! They vanished in a flash. Thanks for the great recipe and your site!
You are most welcome Eliza, thanks for taking the time to stop back and comment! Great to hear you loved these, even if they took a little longer to bake!
I made the Pumpkin Whoopie Pies for a fund raising event. They were easy to make and fabulous to eat. People just went crazy over them – young and old. This is a great recipe and it tastes just like Fall.
Thanks so much for sharing your review Betty, thrilled to hear these were a hit!
These are seriously wickedly good!!! I’m making them for Thanksgiving (Canadian) tomorrow!!! My hubby claims your blog is the reason he has to go to the gym everyday-lol Luv the recipes!!!
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving, Michelle! Hope you enjoyed these for the holiday, and tell your hubs I said sorry! ;-) Glad you love the recipes!
Shame on you! These are far too addicting and sinful… I would type more, but it is so hard to take bites without using my hands… ;o) YUMMY! ~RR
Hahaha!!! Bite away! Glad you loved these!
Just made these! Never in my life have I gotten as much praise for anything I have ever baked as I did for these! http://kaitlinwithhoney.com/2010/10/08/makin-whoopie/
Aw yay, praise is awesome!
Pumpkin and maple cream cheese?! This is one of my favorite flavor combos in fall!
Yum! These look amazing. I love to do lots of baking with pumpkin this time of year. I’ll have to give these a try!
Great recipe! Another adaptation with a ginger filling was posted at the King Arthur Flour’s Baking Banter last week…
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2010/10/01/pumpkin-whoopie-pies-–-make-’em-mini/
Thank you for sharing the link Sarah! That ginger filling sounds great! And King Arthur Flour rocks!
Hi Michelle!
I just made these tonite for my book club meeting tomorrow. They turned out AWESOME! I am not a huge pumpkin fan but I always see the gobs at Giant Eagle and they look good. This recipe game me the push to try to do them myself. I am SO glad that I did. They were simple to make & I can’t wait to make them again! YEAH!
Hi Michele! So happy to hear you loved these! I actually just saw the gobs at GetGo the other day, but I didn’t think they looked as good as the homemade version ;-)
These were fabulous! I will be making these again and again. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. Everything looks great! In particular, I’m looking at the pumpkin scone recipe…
Thanks Jane, I’m so happy to enjoyed them! The pumpkin scones are fabulous too, I’m sure you would love them!
I sent this recipe to my sister and she made them the other day! They were DELICIOUS! Definitely one of the best treats I’ve ever had =) And I’ve eaten more than my share!
Yay! And bravo for getting your sister to make them so you can just enjoy eating them :)
I made similar whoopie pies this weekend. You’re right, smelled like fall. I love the maple cream cheese filling on these again. Everyone will be so disappointed I’m re-making them ;)
pretty sure I meant “for when I make them again”
I’ve also used this recipe and it’s very good. Except for the addition of the maple syrup in the filling, it is exactly like the recipe from Matt Lewis’ cookbook “Baked – New Frontiers in Baking” – readers might like to know that in case they’re interested in his excellent book.
oh my heavens…just made these last night. so so good!
Aren’t they fabulous Lindsay? So perfect for fall! So happy that you loved them!
pumpkin whoopie pies are my favorite :)
Hi Michelle,
I have wanted to make a whoopie pie for a long time and I found the occassion the other night. We had alot of young people over to ease the death on one of their grandparents. So, I thought what is better than to bake and talk and comfort the bereaving one. What a nice evening we had and everyone loved the gobs. It is a new comfort food for our friends. I will post the image of them soon on my facebook page at alicakescupcakes.
Hi Andrea, I’m so glad this recipe was used to heal some hearts. Thank you for sharing and condolences to your young friend.
Holy night, I made this last night and they were so amazing. Like…perfection. Thank you! :)
Woo! So glad you loved these Kate!
I made these tonight…one word….AWESOME! Sharing with my running club after our 9 mile run. Lord knows I’m going to NEED that run to work these off! :)
Now I feel guilty about not running 9 miles after eating these. Run a couple for me? :)
I just want to add a little “amen” to what Amber said. Anyhoo…
Michelle, these are GORGEOUS! And I’d pay about $25 dollars for ONE at this very second!
I’m new here…so far, I love what I see! I think getting one’s “panties in a wad” over copyrighted recipes, etc. is ridiculous. I am always willing to share recipes and always flattered when someone asks. Several good points have already been made, so I won’t repeat the same ideas. If we were all paying you money to read this blog–my opinion may be a little bit different.
My question–the important thing!–can this recipe be halved successfully?? Try as I might–there are only two of us this weekend–and I don’t think I could finish ’em myself! Wonder if they would freeze if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap individually??
Ideas? Thought?
Hi Nancy, You can definitely halve this recipe. All of the quantities are easily cut in half, so you shouldn’t have any trouble. Alternately, you could also freeze them as you described (individually wrapped) – thaw in the refrigerator. Enjoy! :)
Perfect! I am going to add little extra cardamom to them…i am a cardamom fan!
It looks absolutely amazing, I can feel its taste!
Thanks for sharing!!! So good for the autumn! Must try it!
YUM…these look delicious! I’ve been on a pumpkin kick for the past 2 weeks and I don’t see it fading anytime soon. Can’t wait to make these!
A fabulous twist on the whoopie pie! I’m pretty sure the whoopie pie/gob line is drawn somewhere around Altoona. A coworker born & bred in Johnstown calls them gobs, but we in the State College area know them as whoopie pies!
I just have too many things I bookmark from you! These may need to skip their way into the queue. They looks so puffy and scrumptious – love how fat they are!
Pumpkin is most definitely my downfall during these months! I can’t get enough of it and even though it’s 100* still in California I am baking up cozy pumpkin flavored treats! Mmmmm I love fall!
I think I will bake these in my new ovens:) I can’t wait. They are perfect for fall!
Hands down my favorite kind of whoopie pies! Love the maple in the filling too!
I am DYING of delight. I can’t tell you how happy all the pumpkin recipes out there are making me. I will be making these for sure this season, so expect a review ;)
Whoopie pies are already awesome, to to make them with pumpkin? Yum!
These look so good! Just in time for the pumpkin harvest. :)
UM WOW these look like heaven on earth. you are simply a baking genius.
These are definitely the perfect start to autumn! I’ve had my eye on a similar recipe for a while now, and I’ve been waiting for pumpkin season just so I can make these. Your maple cream cheese frosting is such a brilliant idea! Yum!
Um, yum!!! I absolutely love cream cheese frosting of any kind so I’d be scarfing these down w/ a big ‘ol glass of milk.
This is a wonderful fall recipe! I have a pumpkin spice cookie recipe, but it’s just cookies, no filling. I want to make these whoopie pies, even the name is fun!
I just hope I am strong enough after running 20 miles on Saturday that I can make these. I can’t wait to make these!
No matter if they are called whoopie pies or gobs I want one right now, OMG my mouth is watering
These look fantastic. Just got a couple of questions – I’m living in New Zealand and we can’t get pumpkin puree in a can … can I just cook some pumpkin and stick it in my blender until it’s smooth, or are there spices etc added to the can too? Also, is it ok to substitute the dark brown sugar with light/golden brown sugar and Tbs of Molasses? I don’t think there’s anywhere standard over here where I can get dark brown sugar…it’s not available in supermarkets at least.
Hi Pip, For the pumpkin question, you don’t need to add spices, but you can definitely make your own. Here is a how-to on making your own pumpkin puree:
http://penniesonaplatter.com/2009/10/11/pumpkin-puree/
As for the sugar – you can substitute light brown sugar, no problem.
Hello, fall! Wonderful way to celebrate both whoopie pies and the fall!
Yum Yum Yum! heaven indeed (: These look wonderful and so soft and comforting. I adore your site, thanks for everything!
-Amalia
I love it. We need to eat these whoopie pies to preserve Halloween and fall. Sort of the Grease 2 “do it for your country” approach! Lol. I wouldn’t need any special sort of initiative to dive into these. They look great!
I have yet to have awhoopie pie. Yours looks so good.
good heavens! Those look so outstanding!!
Yum! I don’t care what you call them, they look delicious! :) I think my son’s parents day out class may need to get sugared up by these for their Halloween party this year, lol.
What a fun snack! Stunning photos!
This recipe is almost word for word the recipe someone above mentioned. I personally believe that even if it was given to you by someone else, it is STILL someone else’s recipe. And the way you have placed it here makes it seem like you are claiming it as your own. As you have been blogging for quite some time, I am sure you know this, but it is copyright infringement when you do not place the source.
Please people, there are sooo many recipes that have been around for years, that are so similar ,my Mom had a recipe for a Plum cake she made for 60 years I’ve been seeing it all over the blog world ,so is that my Moms recipe and should I tell everyone my Mom should get credit for it ?! Relax people!!!!
Susan, copyright infringement is very different when it comes to recipes. The recipe itself (i.e. ingredients) cannot be copyrighted. It can be patented, but the patent office almost never gives out a patent, and it costs a lot of money.
So long as you change the wording of the directions, the recipe can be posted by you.
Regardless of all that, if you’re a regular reader of Michelle’s blog, you would know that she DOES always credit the source if it is from somewhere trackable: be it blog, book, or person. This was passed down from a friend of a friend of a friend, so how on earth would she credit it?
I’m pretty sure we all make chocolate chip cookies roughly the same way, with roughly the same ingredients. But I use my grandma’s recipe. For all I know, she got it from the chocolate chip bag. But if I post that recipe, I’m crediting my Nanny, not anyone else.
Wow. I think this recipe was made for me ;) There is just one word. YUM! And Whoopie Pies are so in right now!
Yum!! That’s all I can say. These look amazing and I wish I had one right now. They are everything I adore about fall baking…pumpkin and maple. Yum!
P.S. I’m a huge lover of Charlie Brown’s Halloween special…the best!
Yum, yum, yum, I think that pretty much covers it! I could devour one right now!
I definitely agree with you about starting in October with pumpkin – I’m usually phased to Christmas goodies by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, too!
Would the filling be ok if I DON’T add the syrup? I’m not the biggest fan of that flavor.
Hi Tania, Definitely! A plain cream cheese frosting will be just as good!
Yum…..Pumpkin Gobs!!!!! I also get into the pumpkin thing come October. We are going to the Bloomsburg Fair Fri. and I hope to buy pure Maple syrup there ,then I can make these for the Steelers game Sun!! Thanks for another great recipe !
Yay for gobs!! And Go Steelers! :)
These look HEAVENLY! I totally empathize with seasonal baking that coorelates to seasonal tv specials. It’s been a long-standing tradition in my house that we watch Christmas Vacation while baking Christmas cookies… even if we loop it all day and bake 500 cookies :D
Whoopie for these Whoopie pies. I’ve never had one but now I want to get my Whoopie on!
pumpkin, cream cheese, and maple…mmmm such a great flavor combo! these look absolutely delightful!
Can’t wait to try these. Only problem is I have a “Maple Hater” at home. I can get away with it — If he doesn’t know it is in there.
Mary Lynn:
I was thinking a plain cream cheese filling would be delish as well.
You had me at maple…no wait, maple and cream cheese! I have got to stop looking at blog posts before breakfast, now my bowl of Cheerios pale seriously in comparison…I want one of these please?
I’m so with you on the seasonal; been big on the apple desserts lately too since I have a tree in my yard but the cooler it gets, the more I start gravitating towards the warmth of dishes with pumpkin. Seriously…mouth is watering!
Yum this is the best recipe for pumpkin whoopie pies. I made these ones last fall and I think I am gonna make them again this week. Just a reminder you might want to post the source from where you got the recipe. I believe the original source is from Peabody’s blog or the book Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. :)
Hi Lindsey, This recipe was actually passed along to me years ago by a friend I worked with who thought I would like it, as she had received it from someone else (friend or mom, I can’t remember). Where the original person in the chain got the recipe, I am not certain. When I make or adapt a recipe that I got from another blog or cookbook I always attribute credit.
My great aunt was Pennsylvania Dutch (German) and died in her 90’s. I was always told it was a family recipe. She used to make them and so did her mother. Who knows where it actually originated.
Who cares? What a negative comment.
Um, wow. I’m all over these! Plus, I know I’ll get them all to myself because hubby doesn’t like anything maple (I suppose I could be nice, and make a regular cream cheese filling for some of them…I’ll think about it). ;-)
I might just leave work and make these right now! I love anything pumpkin in a baked good, so delicious. So pretty too!
Whoa. I love you.
Its the big OU/Texas game this weekend…. these might have to part of the watch-party menu. Thanks for the recipe; I haven’t had a recipe of your’s fail me yet!
I so want one of these for breakfast. Is that wrong? :)
Yum! I am a big October pumpkin girls too, and like you, need to bake with it before Thanksgiving! Isn’t holiday programming just the best?!
This looks amazing, I am going to cook this on Friday, I’ll report back and let you know if they looked as good as yours do.
when you make whoopie pies, how do you store them? does the cake come out sticky?
Hi Lauren, since these have cream cheese frosting, if you won’t be eating them all at one time, I would store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let them come to room temperature before serving. The cake is not sticky.
I made these and they were AMAZING…but they cake/cookie was very sticky. I was wondering if I cooked them longer if they would be less sticky. They were definately cooked through, but maybe I didnt keep them in the oven long enough?
Mine also came out very sticky – every surface I put the Whoopie Pies on would rip pieces of the cookie off. Any way to trouble-shoot?
I pureed my own pumpkins since I couldn’t find canned pumpkin in Denmark (and tried to address the moisture issue through straining), and also substituted fresh ginger, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly.
P.S. Super delicious recipe – thanks for posting!
Hi Gloria, There is definitely more moisture in fresh pumpkins than in canned, so that certainly could have been the issue.
Gloria see my comment under vicvan, I think it might answer your question.
I have been searching for your comment on how to rectify the stickiness that has been reported to be a problem…but I can’t find your comment..Please reply..thanks..
I used fresh pumpkin as well but I made sure to drain thoroughly. Some people have suggested using a fine mesh strainer but that doesn’t get it dry enough for me. I put my cooked and pureed pumpkin in cheesecloth (specifically butter muslin, which is really fine cheese cloth) and squeezed until the pumpkin was very, very dry. For reference; from a 4.5lb pumpkin after straining I got exactly 1 1/2 cups, with about 2 cups of water draining out. For me the cake came out perfectly!
Hi.I’m a kid and I’m 12 and I have a passion for baking.i was just wondering
1 stick of butter ?
1 cup of butter ?
Coz in asia,1 stick is 227 or 250 grams but I heard American butter is 113 per stick.Could you help me?And also,could you post carrot whoopie pies?Oh and how do you make frosting form peaks because my frosting always melts.
I stick of butter is about 113 grams and 1 cup of butter is about 240 grams
I made these whoopie pies and they were AMAZING!!! Everyone raved about them. They are pretty big so I cut them in half when serving. In most cases my guests would ask for the other half.
Lauren see my comments under vicvan below. I think I can answer your question. Sorry, I’m new at this…
Lauren see my comments under vicvan, I think I may answer your question.