Save to Pinterest Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies are my answer to cozy fall cravings and a showstopper for Halloween gatherings. These soft pumpkin cookies get sandwiched around a tangy cream cheese filling, then dressed up with playful monster faces. Whether you bring them to a party or bake with your kids on a chilly weekend, they are guaranteed crowd-pleasers.
Every fall when pumpkins take over my local market I bake these on repeat. Seeing the kids laugh while decorating the monster faces is genuinely the highlight of my October.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Brings structure and a soft crumb look for unbleached flour for the best results
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help the cookies puff up so each bite is light and cakey check that your baking powder is fresh
- Salt: Accentuates the sweetness and spices go for fine sea salt
- Pumpkin pie spice: Delivers autumnal warmth seek out fresh or grind your own for extra punch
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and keeps things pillowy soft European-style butter gives a creamier taste
- Light brown sugar: Deepens flavor with caramel undertones opt for fresh moist sugar
- Eggs: Bind everything together go for large room-temperature eggs for smoother mixing
- Canned pumpkin purée: Brings that classic fall flavor use pure pumpkin not pie filling
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavors high-quality pure vanilla makes a difference
- Cream cheese for filling: Gives tang and heft go for full-fat blocks for a thick texture
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and stabilizes sift for lump-free filling
- Assorted candies: Create monster faces let your creativity shine check labels for allergy-friendly options
Instructions
- Prepare to Bake:
- Preheat your oven to three hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Place parchment paper on two baking sheets for easy release and quick cleanup. Let your butter and cream cheese sit out to soften fully
- Mix the Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl whisk together your flour baking powder baking soda salt and pumpkin pie spice. Whisking aerates the mix and ensures the leaveners distribute evenly for even rise
- Cream the Butter and Sugar:
- In a large bowl use an electric mixer to blend the softened butter with brown sugar. Beat on medium until the mix is fluffy and pale about three minutes. This step traps air for a lighter cookie
- Add Eggs Pumpkin and Vanilla:
- Blend in eggs one at a time then add pumpkin purée and vanilla. Mix well until completely smooth. Scrape the bowl to ensure even incorporation. This liquid mixture guarantees moist cookies
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients:
- Gradually add your flour mixture to the wet mixture. Use the mixer on low speed or switch to a spatula. Stir just until no flour streaks remain to avoid tough cookies. The batter should be thick and scoopable
- Shape the Cookies:
- Using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop drop even amounts of dough on baking sheets stashing them two inches apart. They spread a bit but hold shape so focus on round mounds for sandwiching
- Bake and Cool:
- Slip trays into the oven and bake for twelve to fifteen minutes. The cookies should spring back when lightly touched. Let them cool on the pan five minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Patience here prevents melting your filling
- Make the Filling:
- While cookies cool beat butter and cream cheese in a clean bowl until perfectly creamy. Add powdered sugar vanilla and pinch of salt then whip until the filling is thick and fluffy. Divide and color as desired using food gels for bright monster hues
- Assemble Whoopie Pies:
- Pipe or spread a generous layer of filling on the flat side of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies pressing gently to seal but not squish out the filling
- Decorate Monster Faces:
- Use candy eyes mini chocolate chips licorice sprinkles and colored filling to create funny spooky or sweet monster faces. Attach candies with small dabs of filling as edible glue. This step is pure fun. Get creative
- Set and Serve:
- Chill the finished pies in the refrigerator fifteen minutes or until decorations set. Serve on a platter and watch them disappear
Save to Pinterest These pies just shine with cream cheese filling that balances all the sweetness. One Halloween my niece challenged me to create the silliest monster face and we laughed the whole afternoon. It is proof that baking creates memories in little ways.
Storage Tips
Keep your whoopie pies in an airtight container in the fridge. They will hold up for about three days. For best texture separate layers with parchment and store candies separately if using wet decorations so colors do not bleed.
Ingredient Substitutions
Use gluten-free all-purpose flour for a wheat-free version just be sure your mix contains xanthan gum for binding. Plant-based butter and vegan cream cheese bring the recipe into dairy-free territory. Decor toppings are flexible use whatever fits dietary needs or allergies.
Serving Suggestions
Display pies on a platter with extra candies sprinkled around for a festive centerpiece. For parties assemble a decoration bar and let guests or kids design their own monsters. Pies make excellent lunchbox treats or after-school snacks on chilly afternoons.
Cultural Context
Whoopie pies have roots in American baking especially in Pennsylvania Amish country. Pumpkin spice flavoring is a celebration of autumn traditions growing more popular every year. Combining them makes this dessert a seasonally iconic treat.
Seasonal Adaptations
Swap pumpkin for mashed sweet potato for a twist Use chai or gingerbread spice for winter holidays Decorate with spring motifs in pastel icing for Easter
Success Stories
Every year friends text asking for the monster pie recipe. I have watched shy kids go from frosting beginners to confident decorators. Bringing these to a bake sale almost always means returning home with an empty tray and happy memories.
Freezer Meal Conversion
Unfilled cookies freeze beautifully for up to six weeks. Stack in airtight bags and thaw overnight whenever a craving strikes. For easier prep make the filling fresh before assembling as it freezes less well due to the cream cheese.
Save to Pinterest Make these pumpkin spice whoopie pies for a fall gathering or family treat. Their playful monster faces will spark laughter and a seasonal spirit you will remember.
Common Recipe Questions
- → Can I substitute fresh pumpkin for canned purée?
Yes, use an equal amount of fresh pumpkin purée, but drain excess moisture for best consistency.
- → How do I achieve neat and even cookies?
Use a small ice cream scoop and space evenly on parchment to achieve uniform round cookies.
- → Is the filling stable enough for piping designs?
Yes, the cream cheese filling works well for piping. Chill slightly if it feels too soft before decorating.
- → Can I make these desserts ahead of time?
They can be assembled and stored in the fridge for up to three days. Decorate just before serving for best appearance.
- → What other candies can I use for decorations?
Try licorice strings, mini chocolate chips, colored sprinkles, or any candy for creative monster faces.
- → Are these suitable for vegetarians?
Yes, all ingredients are vegetarian-friendly, but always check candy decorations for animal gelatine.