Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling
Two soft pumpkin cakes and a tangy center
Pumpkin whoopie pies are individual cake sandwiches. The rounds should be soft and springy, with enough body to pick up without breaking. A cream cheese filling balances the brown sugar and spices. The batter holds its shape well enough to bake on a sheet pan, so you do not need a special mold.
Ingredients
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground ginger
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 240 g plain pumpkin purée
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 80 g neutral oil
- 50 g large egg, without shell (1 egg)
- 170 g full-fat block cream cheese, softened
- 45 g unsalted butter, softened
- 145 g powdered sugar
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Use plain pumpkin purée rather than sweetened pie filling. If your purée is watery, choose a thicker batch so the mounds do not flatten before the oven sets them. Neutral oil keeps the cake rounds soft after chilling. Use a light oil such as canola or sunflower rather than a strongly flavored one.
Block cream cheese makes a thicker filling than the spreadable kind sold in tubs. Let the butter and cream cheese soften so they mix without lumps, then stop once the filling is smooth. If needed, swap the individual spices for the same total weight of pumpkin pie spice.
How to make pumpkin whoopie pies
1. Mix the pumpkin batter
Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line two trays with parchment. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In another bowl, whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, oil and egg. Fold the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just until no dry patches remain.
2. Scoop, bake and cool the rounds
Scoop 24 equal mounds, about 32 g each, leaving space between them. Bake one tray at a time for 11–12 minutes until the tops spring back and a skewer comes out without wet batter. Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then move the rounds to a rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes more.
3. Make the filling and sandwich the rounds
Beat cream cheese and butter just until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar on low, then mix briefly on medium until spreadable. Pair rounds by size and divide the filling among the flat sides of 12 rounds. Top with their partners and refrigerate until serving.
Troubleshooting and assembly
Use the same scoop for every mound and keep the batches on cool baking sheets. If the rounds come out uneven, match partners by size rather than trimming them. If the centers sink, the cakes probably needed a little more time in the oven; use the skewer check before taking out the second tray.
Cool the rounds completely before sandwiching. Warm cake softens the filling and makes it squeeze out. If the filling is loose even when the cakes are cool, refrigerate the bowl briefly until it holds a spoon mark. Spread it almost to the edges, leaving a small margin for the top round to press it outward.
Serving and safe storage
Serve these slightly chilled. Place the sandwiches in paper liners if you are packing them for a gathering. Keep them covered at 4°C (40°F) or below and use within three days. Refrigerate within two hours, or within one hour if the room is above 32°C (90°F). For the best texture when making them ahead, freeze the unfilled rounds and thaw them before adding fresh filling.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make smaller ones? Yes. Use a smaller scoop and start checking sooner. The recipe timings and nutrition are for 12 finished sandwiches.
Can I make the rounds ahead? Yes. Cool them first, then layer with parchment in an airtight container so their tops do not stick.
Why is the filling runny? The cream cheese may be too warm or the spreadable variety. Brief chilling can help firm it up.
See FoodSafety.gov storage and reheating guidance.
More Platewiser recipes
A portable pumpkin dessert for the holiday table
These pumpkin whoopie pies with cream cheese filling work well when you want individual desserts without slicing a cake. Make the rounds even, cool them fully and keep the finished sandwiches chilled until serving.
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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line two trays with parchment. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In another bowl, whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, oil and egg. Fold the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just until no dry patches remain.
- Scoop 24 equal mounds, about 32 g each, leaving space between them. Bake one tray at a time for 11–12 minutes until the tops spring back and a skewer comes out without wet batter. Cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then move the rounds to a rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes more.
- Beat cream cheese and butter just until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar on low, then mix briefly on medium until spreadable. Pair rounds by size and divide the filling among the flat sides of 12 rounds. Top with their partners and refrigerate until serving.
Notes
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