pumpkin whoopie pies with brown butter cream cheese frosting

Name: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup salted butter, melted (57 grams); 3/4 cup vegetable oil (166 mL); 2 cups brown sugar, packed (440 grams); 3 tbsp granulated sugar (39 grams); 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 2 and 3/4 cups canned pumpkin (Do not use canned pumpkin pie filling); 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled (260 grams); 1 cup white whole wheat flour, spooned & leveled (130 grams (can sub 1 cup all-purpose flour here)); 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 2 and 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 1 and 1/4 tsp ginger; 1 tsp nutmeg; 1/2 tsp ground cloves; 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp salted butter; 6 oz cream cheese (This only needs 5 mins or so at room temperature. ); 3 cups powdered sugar (360 grams); 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tsp vanilla extract

October 22, 2022 36 Comments

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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies are pillowy soft and made with a whole can of pumpkin and plenty of cozy pumpkin spice. They’re sandwiched around a silky brown butter cream cheese frosting and topped with a flurry of powdered sugar. Serve these pumpkin treats at a Halloween party or to switch things up at Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting - Delicious, pillowy soft whoopie pies flavored with real pumpkin and filled with a luscious brown butter cream cheese frosting - these are majorly addicting! #pumpkin #fall #fallbaking #fallrecipes #whoopiepies #pumpkinrecipes #dessert #halloween #creamcheese #bluebowlrecipes | bluebowlrecipes.com

Why you’ll love these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies:

Pillowy Soft Cakes – Pillowy soft whoopie pies are ultra moist and fluffy, and stay that way for days!
Packed with Pumpkin – This recipe uses a whole can of pumpkin, and plenty of pumpkin spice for tons of flavor!
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting – A luscious brown butter cream cheese frosting with a hint of cinnamon perfectly compliments these pillowy whoopie pies! Good luck not eating it by the spoonful, hehe.

Ingredient Overview:

As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found at the bottom of this post.

All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
Eggs – Use large eggs.
Pumpkin – Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. This also comes in a can but has other ingredients added.
Cream cheese – Use full fat cream cheese for best results.

Ingredient Substitutions:

Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this recipe. Let me know if you do.
Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted dairy-free butter and cream cheese to make this recipe dairy-free.

How to Make this Recipe Step-by-Step:

Step 1: Brown the Butter.

Step 2: Make Batter. Start by whisking together your wet ingredients – melted butter, oil, eggs, pumpkin, and the sugars. Fold in the dry ingredients – baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. The batter will be slightly thick and a bit lumpy.

Step 3: Dollop Batter onto Baking Sheet. Drop two tablespoon size dollops of batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 4: Bake. Bake as directed in the recipe card below for best results. A toothpick inserted into the center of the whoopie pies will pull out some moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Step 5: Make the Frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the cooled brown butter and cream cheese. The brown butter and cream cheese will look curdled at first but it will smooth out after a few minutes. Mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.

Step 6: Frost the Pies. Use a piping bag fitted with a round tip (I used a Wilton 1A) to pipe a swirl of frosting onto half the cakes, then pop the tops on. You can also use a ziploc bag with the tip snipped off.

Serving + Storing this Recipe:

Enjoy once frosted! Store these whoopie pies in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. They do need to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese in the frosting.

Expert Success Tips:

Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.

FAQs:

What is a Whoopie Pie?

A whoopie pie is essentially a fluffy, moist piece of cake baked in the shape of a cookie. Two are sandwiched together with frosting as the filling to make a whoopie pie. They may have been invented in Maine!

Can I double or halve this recipe?

Yes you can! A double batch will be quite large, so make sure to use a very large mixing bowl.

Can I make these pumpkin whoopie pies ahead?

Yes! Make the whoopie pies, and let them cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours before frosting and serving.

Recipe Variations:

Frosting – You can skip the brown butter in a pinch, although it is incredibly delicious!
Salted Caramel – These would be extra delicious with 1/4 cup of my salted caramel sauce recipe mixed into the frosting and/or with extra caramel sauce drizzled on top.

Special Tools:

Cookie Scoop – Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to dollop your batter. (This one says it technically holds 4 teaspoons, but it’s the one I always use.)
Mixing Bowls –

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