Name: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1½ hours
Yield: Makes 16 sandwich cookies
Ingredients: 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; ½ tsp. baking powder; ½ tsp. baking soda; ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; ½ tsp. ground ginger; ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg; ¼ tsp. ground cloves; 1 large egg; 1 15-oz. can pumpkin purée; 1 cup (packed; 200 g) light brown sugar; ½ cup vegetable oil; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 2 Tbsp. (packed) light brown sugar; Pinch of kosher salt; ½ cup raw pecans; 6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature; 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature; Pinch of salt; 1½ cups (165 g) powdered sugar; 1 Tbsp. bourbon or 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Pumpkin whoopie pies with candied pecans in the filling.

Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine

Pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread are rightfully iconic, but sometimes you crave that telltale pumpkin flavor in a different fall-ready form. [This pumpkin whoopie pie recipe has entered the chat.] The batter gets a waft of flavor from the usual array of pumpkin pie spices (ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) combined with canned pumpkin purée—not pumpkin pie filling–to create a cookie with a moist, cake-like crumb. Now’s the time to use a cookie scoop if you have one; for a clean look the cookies must be uniform. If you don’t have a scoop, be sure to match up the cookies by size and shape before you start sandwiching them.

We’ve paired the pumpkin cookies with a fluffy cream cheese filling, but you can swap in maple buttercream or any frosting you like. Whatever you choose, you must let the cookies cool before you start assembly—otherwise the filling could melt and cause a mess. For crunch you’ll roll the edges of the assembled whoopie pies in candied nuts, calling to mind the flavors of another autumnal icon, pecan pie.

Not a pumpkin person? Try chocolate whoopie pies with whipped marshmallow filling.

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What you’ll need

Small Rimmed Baking Sheet
$22 At Amazon
Sheet Pan
$28 At Amazon
Medium Cookie Scoop
$10 $9 At Amazon
Mixing Bowls
$40 At Target
Parchment Paper
$20 $16 At Amazon
Canned Pumpkin
$15 At Amazon

Recipe information

Total Time
1½ hours
Yield
Makes 16 sandwich cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

½ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cloves

1 large egg

1 15-oz. can pumpkin purée

1 cup (packed; 200 g) light brown sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Candied Pecans

2 Tbsp. (packed) light brown sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

½ cup raw pecans

Filling and Assembly

6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

Pinch of salt

1½ cups (165 g) powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. bourbon or 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation

Cookies
Step 1
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
Whisk together 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, ½ tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. ground ginger, ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, and ¼ tsp. ground cloves in a medium bowl.
Step 3
Whisk together 1 large egg, one 15-oz. can pumpkin purée, 1 cup (packed; 200 g) light brown sugar, ½ cup vegetable oil, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract in another medium bowl to combine. Add to dry ingredients and mix to incorporate.
Step 4
Using a 1-oz. ice cream scoop (2 Tbsp.), portion out dough onto prepared baking sheets (16 cookies per baking sheet), spacing 2" apart.
Step 5
Bake until springy to the touch, 12 to 18 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack to cool.
Step 6
Bake cookies until centers spring back when gently pressed, 12–18 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. Keep oven on.
Do Ahead: Cookies can be baked 1 day ahead. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
Candied Pecans
Step 7
Line small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 8
Stir together 2 Tbsp. (packed) light brown sugar, a pinch of kosher salt, and 1½ tsp. water in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, swirling occasionally to dissolve sugar. Immediately add ½ cup raw pecans and stir with a heatproof rubber spatula to coat. Scrape pecans onto prepared baking sheet and spread out into a single layer.
Step 9
Bake pecans until bubbling and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack and let candied pecans cool. Coarsely chop, then transfer to a shallow bowl.
Do Ahead: Pecans can be candied 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Filling and Assembly
Step 10
Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-low speed, beat 6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Stop mixer and add 1½ cups (165 g) powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp. bourbon or 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until smooth. Chill until pie filling is firm but spreadable, 30–60 minutes.
Step 11
Turn half of cookies bottom side up; spread 1 heaping Tbsp. filling over the flat sides. Top with remaining cookies to form whoopie pies. Chill just long enough to firm up pie filling again if needed, about 30 minutes.
Step 12
Working one at a time, dip sides of whoopie pies into candied pecans, pressing gently with your hands so they stick to filling.
Do Ahead: Filling can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed on gourmet.com and first appeared on Epicurious in November 2011. Head this way for more of our best pumpkin desserts →