Introduction

Gingerbread whoopie pies are a delightful twist on the classic holiday treat, featuring soft, spiced cookies sandwiched with a creamy cinnamon frosting. Perfect for sharing, these festive bites combine warm gingerbread flavors with a rich cream cheese filling.

The image shows eight pumpkin whoopie pies arranged neatly in two columns and four rows inside a white tray lined with parchment paper. Each whoopie pie has two round soft brown pumpkin cake layers with a slightly rough texture, sandwiching a thick, smooth, creamy white filling in the middle. The cakes look moist and fluffy, and the creamy layer is evenly spread, slightly thicker than the cake layers, making the pies look soft and rich. The tray is placed on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

½ cup neutral oil
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup molasses
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup buttermilk (room temperature)
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon all spice
4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
3 tablespoons salted butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the neutral oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Mix together well.
Step 2: Add in the molasses, egg, vanilla, and buttermilk. Stir until the mixture is fully combined.
Step 3: Gradually add the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and all spice. Mix gently until just combined — avoid over mixing.
Step 4: Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up and develop flavor.
Step 5: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 6: Scoop the dough into balls about 1½ tablespoons each and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets.
Step 7: Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until set. Remove from oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Step 8: For the frosting, beat together cream cheese and salted butter until smooth and creamy.
Step 9: Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and cinnamon to the cream cheese mixture. Mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
Step 10: To assemble the whoopie pies, scoop about 1½ tablespoons of frosting onto the bottom of one cookie. Gently press a second cookie on top to create a sandwich.

Tips & Variations

For extra flavor, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dough for a subtle spicy kick.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute with regular milk mixed with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
Chill the dough longer if it feels too soft to scoop easily; this helps maintain their shape while baking.
Use a cookie scoop to ensure all cookies are the same size for even baking.

Storage

Store the assembled gingerbread whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor. You can freeze the unfrosted cookies for up to 1 month and frost them once thawed.

How to Serve

The image shows three sandwich cookies stacked on a white marbled surface. Each cookie has two round, soft, brown layers with a slightly textured surface, sandwiching a thick layer of smooth, creamy off-white filling. Two cookies lie side by side on the surface while a third one is placed on top, leaning slightly. The background is plain and light, emphasizing the warm tones of the cookies. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be made and chilled for up to 24 hours before baking. This helps the flavors to develop and makes the dough easier to handle.

What can I substitute for cream cheese in the frosting?

You can use mascarpone or a thick Greek yogurt, but keep in mind this might change the frosting’s texture and sweetness slightly.

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 80 reviews

These Gingerbread Whoopie Pies are soft, spiced cookies sandwiched with a creamy cinnamon-vanilla cream cheese frosting. Perfectly balanced with warm ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, these festive treats are ideal for holiday gatherings or anytime you crave a cozy, sweet snack.

Author: Ruby
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Yield: About 16 whoopie pies (32 cookies) 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

½ cup neutral oil
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup molasses
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup buttermilk (room temperature)
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Frosting Ingredients

4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
3 tablespoons salted butter (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Prepare wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the neutral oil with granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix until they are well combined. Add molasses, the egg, vanilla extract, and buttermilk, then mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
Mix dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring carefully and gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter. Once combined, cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up and enhance flavors.
Preheat the oven: Set the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
Portion the dough: Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, form the dough into balls about 1½ tablespoons each. Place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the cookies: Bake the dough balls for 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are set and slightly firm to the touch but still soft. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Prepare the frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and salted butter together until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and ground cinnamon, then mix until the frosting is fluffy and well combined.
Assemble the whoopie pies: Spread or scoop about 1½ tablespoons of the cream cheese frosting onto the bottom side of one cookie, then sandwich it with another cookie on top, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat until all cookies are paired.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients ensure better mixing and a smoother batter and frosting.
Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading during baking and enhances the flavor.
Do not overmix the batter, which can result in dense, tough cookies.
Store assembled whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can freeze baked cookies without frosting for up to one month; thaw before frosting and assembling.

Keywords: Gingerbread,Whoopie Pies,Holiday Dessert,Spiced Cookies,Cream Cheese Frosting