Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Frosted pumpkin whoopie pies in a stack on a burgandy backdrop, with mini pumpkins around.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

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!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Halloween Dessert, Pumpkin Dessert, Pumpkin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 12

Total Time 42

Servings whoopie pies

Calories 517kcal

Author Stephanie Simmons

Ingredients

For the Whoopie Pies

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

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp salted butter 127 grams
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

Instructions

Brown the Butter for the Frosting. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Turn the heat to medium-low and continue cooking the butter - stirring lazily. The butter will get foamy, then turn golden, then start to turn brown and develop a nutty/caramely sort of aroma. Once it reaches a deep golden color, pour into a heat safe container and pop into the fridge to cool down to room temperature.
Make-Ahead Tip: This can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to use.
Prep: Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a few large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make the Whoopie Pies: Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the oil, then the sugars. Add eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla and whisk until well combined and smooth. Add the dry ingredients and fold in with a silicone spatula until just incorporated. The batter will be a tad lumpy and slightly thick. Don't over mix!
Bake: Drop 2 tablespoons of batter onto the prepared baking sheet for each whoopie pie. Try to keep the batter in a little mound.
Bake for 12-13 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center will pull out some moist crumbs when done.
Let them cool on the baking sheet placed on a wire rack for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting & assembling.
Make the Frosting: Once the butter has cooled, beat it together with the softened cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. It will seem lumpy at first but just keep mixing until it smooths out. Mix in the powdered sugar in two additions. Add the maple syrup, milk, and cinnamon and mix until well combined. Taste and adjust as desired.
Assemble: Use an offset spatula or a piping bag fitted with a 1A round tip (or ziploc bag with the tip snipped off) to frost your pies. Frost one whoopie pie piece and add a second one on top to assemble your whoopie pies! Dust with a little powdered sugar before serving, if desired.
Tip: Don't try to use a piping tip in a plastic bag - no matter what, the pressure of squeezing the bag will always make the tip shoot out.
Serve & Store: Enjoy immediately once frosted! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

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