Soft Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Somewhere between a cookie and a cupcake sits the whoopie pie.

Two soft, cakey rounds, a thick swipe of filling in the middle, and no fork required.

Pumpkin ones are my favorite version by a mile.

The rounds bake up pillowy and spiced, and the cinnamon cream cheese center makes them feel like a little cake you can eat with one hand.

I started making these for our neighborhood porch nights every October.

They travel well, they disappear fast, and someone always asks how I got the filling so thick and tidy.

The secret there is keeping the cream cheese cool and not skimping on the powdered sugar.

What I love most is how forgiving the batter is.

You scoop or pipe it, it bakes into neat domes, and suddenly you look like you know what you're doing.

My kids line them up and eat the filling out of the middle first, which I pretend to disapprove of.

They come together in about 40 minutes plus a little cooling time.

Make a batch this weekend and see why they never last past Sunday.

Why You'll Love These Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

These are part cake, part cookie, all sandwich. Soft rounds, a tangy center, and a texture that feels like fall.

• Pillowy, cakey rounds. The pumpkin keeps them soft and tender, like a mini cake you hold in your hand.
• Cinnamon cream cheese filling. Tangy and thick, spiced to match the pumpkin instead of just plain sweet.
• Make-ahead friendly. They hold up in the fridge and even freeze well.
• Crowd-pleaser. This batch makes about 18 whoopie pies, ideal for a party or a bake sale.
• No fussy skills needed. Scoop or pipe the batter and it bakes into neat domes on its own.

Ingredients You'll Need

Two simple components: spiced pumpkin rounds and a cream cheese filling. A couple of choices keep them soft and tidy.

• All-purpose flour (1 ¾ cups). Gives the rounds structure while keeping them soft. Spoon and level it.
• Pumpkin pie spice (2 tsp) plus ground cinnamon (½ tsp). The warm spice that carries the whole flavor.
• Baking powder (1 tsp) and baking soda (¾ tsp). The pair gives the domes their soft, cakey lift.
• Salt (¾ tsp). Balances the sweetness.
• Canned pumpkin puree (1 cup). Pure pumpkin, NOT pie filling. It keeps the rounds moist and tender.
• Light brown sugar (¾ cup) and granulated sugar (¼ cup). Brown-forward for moisture and a deeper flavor.
• Vegetable oil (½ cup). Oil keeps the rounds moist for days, softer than butter alone.
• Eggs (2), room temperature. Bind the batter and add structure.
• Vanilla extract (1 ½ tsp). Warm background note.

For the cinnamon cream cheese filling:

• Block-style cream cheese (8 oz), softened but cool. Use the brick, not the tub. Cool cream cheese is non-negotiable for a thick filling.
• Unsalted butter (½ cup), softened. Smooths and enriches the filling.
• Vanilla extract (1 tsp) and ground cinnamon (1 tsp). The cinnamon ties the filling to the pumpkin.
• Pinch of salt. Keeps it from tasting flat.
• Confectioners' sugar (3 to 3 ½ cups), sifted. Sweetens and thickens so the filling holds its shape.

How to Make Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

The batter is thick and comes together in one bowl. No mixer needed for the rounds.

Step 1: Whisk the wet ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients

Whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.

Fold the dry into the wet just until no streaks remain. The batter will be thick.

Step 3: Pipe or scoop even rounds

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two sheets with parchment.

Pipe or scoop tablespoon-size mounds about 2 inches apart, keeping them the same size so they sandwich cleanly.

Step 4: Bake and cool

Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly pressed.

Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely before filling.

How to Make the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling

This filling is thick enough to hold its shape. The trick is cool cream cheese and enough powdered sugar.

Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 1 minute.

Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, then beat in the sifted confectioners' sugar a cup at a time.

Beat until thick and pipeable. If it feels soft, add a little more sugar or chill it briefly.

How to Assemble

Match the rounds up by size into pairs.

Pipe or spread a thick layer of filling onto the flat side of one round.

Top with its match, flat side down, and press gently until the filling reaches the edge.

Pro tip: chill the assembled pies for 20 minutes so the filling sets and they hold together.

Expert Tips

• Keep the batter thick. A thick batter bakes into domed rounds. Thin batter spreads flat and won't sandwich well.
• Pipe for uniform rounds. A piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped makes even circles that match up.
• Cool completely. Warm rounds melt the filling. Let them cool all the way.
• Keep the cream cheese COLD. Softened but still cool, or the filling turns runny and squishes out.
• Match by size. Pair similar rounds so every whoopie pie looks neat.

Variations

• Maple cream cheese filling. Swap a tablespoon of the sugar for maple syrup for a maple-pumpkin twist.
• Add chopped pecans. Press toasted pecans into the exposed filling edge for crunch.
• Marshmallow filling. Fold a little marshmallow creme into the filling for a classic whoopie-pie feel.
• Mini pies. Pipe smaller rounds for two-bite versions, perfect for a party tray.

Storage and Make-Ahead

• Refrigerator. Store filled whoopie pies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Let them sit out a few minutes before serving.
• Unfilled rounds. Keep baked rounds at room temperature up to 2 days, then fill when ready.
• Freezing. Freeze filled pies in a single layer, then bag them for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge.
• Filling ahead. Make the filling up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Rewhip before using.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe

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Soft Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 37 minutes minutes

Servings 18 whoopie pies

Ingredients

Whoopie Pie Rounds

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree not pie filling
• ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling

• 8 ounces block-style cream cheese softened but cool
• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar sifted, up to 3 ½ cups

Instructions

Make the Rounds

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
• In another bowl, whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold into the wet ingredients just until combined. The batter will be thick.
• Pipe or scoop tablespoon-size mounds about 2 inches apart, keeping them the same size.
• Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until the tops spring back. Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Make the Filling and Assemble

• Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, then beat in the confectioners' sugar a cup at a time until thick and pipeable.
• Match the cooled rounds into pairs by size. Pipe or spread a thick layer of filling on the flat side of one round and top with its match.
• Chill the assembled whoopie pies for 20 minutes so the filling sets.

Notes

• Keep the batter thick: Thick batter bakes into domes; thin batter spreads flat.
• Pipe for even rounds: Uniform rounds sandwich cleanly.
• Cool completely: Warm rounds melt the filling.
• Storage: Refrigerate filled pies in an airtight container up to 3 to 4 days.