Come on, y’all — it’s time for pumpkin spice whoopie cookies! These soft, flavorful cookies capture everything we love about pumpkin spice and are surprisingly easy to make.
All members of my “Bring on Pumpkin Spice” fan club have sampled these, and they passed with flying colors. Expect a full blast of pumpkin spice in each bite. My son-in-law even said the plain cookies without filling were dangerously addictive — which surprised me since they aren’t overly sweet. Consider yourself warned.
Full disclosure: after dinner my husband jokingly blamed the cookie he ate earlier for feeling bloated and having a tight belt—despite a big plate of BBQ, baked potato, beans and a huge roll on top of that cookie. So, you’ve been playfully warned by Mr. Loaves and Dishes.
The Recipe for Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Cookies
Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Cookies
A simple, crowd-pleasing pumpkin-spice whoopie cookie — soft cake-like cookies sandwiched with a cinnamon-nutmeg cream cheese filling.
Ingredients
For the Cookie
- 1 can canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1/3 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 box spice cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup whole milk
For the Filling
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 6 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. In a large mixing bowl (stand or hand mixer), beat the pumpkin and butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the cake mix, eggs and milk and mix on low until combined, then increase to medium speed and beat 1 minute.
- Scoop even heaping tablespoons of batter onto the prepared cookie sheets. A small scoop helps make uniform cookies.
- Bake 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Use the second sheet while the first cools.
- To make the filling, combine powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat on medium-low until smooth and fluffy. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling onto the bottom of one cookie and sandwich with another cookie. Serve with napkins — the filling can be sticky.
Notes
These are classic pumpkin-spice whoopie cookies. Adjust spice levels to taste. If cookies appear soft after baking, they will set as they cool — avoid overbaking.
Nutrition
Tips and Tricks for Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Cookies
- Use two cookie sheets so one can cool while you bake on the other. Putting batter on a hot sheet can affect results.
- Bake about 15 minutes; ovens vary. Cookies should no longer be jiggly. They can burn easily, so set a timer.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for a minute before transferring to a rack.
- If parchment sticks, replace it before the next batch.
- The filling is sticky — serve with napkins.
- Give plain cookies to kids if you want to avoid a sugar rush; the cookie itself is not overly sweet.
- Keep an eye on pets — these are tempting to counter-surf.
- A small kitchen scoop makes portioning quick and consistent.
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Photo Process for Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Cookies
Credit for the Recipe
The cookie recipe came from a magazine clipping found at an estate sale; I don’t know the original source. The filling is my own recipe, adapted from the icing I used on my son’s wedding cupcakes.
A Verse to Share
When worry creeps in, I find comfort in Jesus’ words in Matthew 6. Trusting God relieves the burden of anxious thoughts about tomorrow.
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.