Spice Up Your Autumn with Homemade Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies

 

Who is ready for pumpkin spice whoopie pies? Well, the answer is clear—everyone!

As we transition from “BBQ-flavored-everything-time” to “peppermint-flavored-everything-time,” we find ourselves in my personal favorite season: “pumpkin-spice-flavored-everything-time”! In this blog post, I’m excited to share a delightful dessert that overflows with the nectar of the pumpkin spice gods.

 

The Whoopie Pie Experience:

Remember Whoopie Pies? If a cake, a cookie, frosting, and a sandwich somehow managed to have a baby, it’d be a whoopie pie. Imagine two round, pillowy cakelike cookies with a creamy cloudlike filling sandwiched in between them. So soft and dreamy, they’re bound to please even the most discerning sweet tooth.

 

Traditionally, whoopie pies are chocolate cakes with vanilla filling, but today, we’re breaking the mold! We’re diving headfirst into the autumn spirit with our Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies, featuring several irresistible fillings to choose from. We have marshmallow pumpkin spice, maple vanilla, salted caramel, and, for the caffeine enthusiasts, coffee latte filling. How to choose? Well, you might just have to make these more than once! I certainly did.

 

The Recipe:

This pumpkin spice cookie recipe has been cherished for generations and is incredibly easy to prepare. To keep things both convenient and budget-friendly, I’ve opted for a boxed cake mix as one of the ingredients. It not only simplifies the process but also reduces the overall cost. Pro tip: Look out for cake mix sales to maximize your savings.

 

PUMPKIN SPICE WHOOPIE PIES

Yield – 15 decadent whoopie pies

 

What You’ll Need:

 

1 cup canned pumpkin

⅓ cup butter, softened

1 (15.25 ounce) package spice cake mix

2 eggs

½ cup milk

Filling

1/2 cup butter

1 (8 ounce) brick cream cheese, at room temperature\Additional flavoring ingredients – see recipes below

 

Here’s How:

 

Preheat your oven to 375°F degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or greased foil.

In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the pumpkin and butter until smooth.

Add the cake mix, eggs, and milk, then mix until well combined. Chill the batter for 15 minutes to firm it up slightly.

Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons, leaving 3 inches of space between each cookie. Aim for a total of 30 cookies. Smooth the tops of the cookie batter with moist fingertips.

Bake for 15 minutes. You can do two sheets at once, just remember to rotate the pans halfway through.

Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely before assembling whoopie pies. Seriously, let them cool; otherwise, it’s a big mess. If you plan to store them before assembling, place them in single layers in a storage container with wax paper between layers to prevent sticking. These soft cookies will stick together like glue!

Assembly:

To assemble, prepare the filling of your choice (recipes below) and chill it for an hour. Pipe or spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the flat side of one cookie and top it with a second cookie. Repeat this process 14 more times. Serve immediately or store them in the refrigerator.

 

Filling Recipes:

 

Marshmallow Pumpkin Spice: Cream together ½ cup softened butter with an 8-ounce brick of softened cream cheese until smooth. Then add 2 cups powdered sugar, about half of a 7-ounce container of marshmallow cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt.

Maple Vanilla: Cream together ½ cup softened butter with an 8-ounce brick of softened cream cheese until smooth. Then add 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 3 tablespoons maple syrup.

Salted Caramel: Cream together ½ cup softened butter with an 8-ounce brick of softened cream cheese until smooth. Then add ½ teaspoon each of almond and vanilla extracts, ½ cup salted caramel sauce, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar.

Coffee Latte: Cream together ½ cup softened butter with an 8-ounce brick of softened cream cheese until smooth. Dissolve 1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee or instant espresso granules into 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, then add to the mixture. Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar.

Diva Tip:

Only serve these treats to people you really like because they are amazing, and people will follow you home. Truth.

 

Serving Suggestions:

For a touch of fun, here are some creative ideas on how to serve these pumpkin spice whoopie pies:

 

Arrange them on a rustic wooden platter for a cozy autumn gathering.

Wrap them individually in colorful, autumn-themed cellophane for party favors or gifts.

Pair them with a steaming cup of spiced tea or coffee for the perfect autumn afternoon.

You may also enjoy – Two Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins and Pumpkin Apple Cider Soup