Spiced Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel Frosting

The classic New England dessert gets a fall twist with pumpkin, spices, and caramel. Cake-like spiced pumpkin cookies are sandwiched together with a frosting-like cream cheese caramel filling for the ultimate fall dessert. The soft and tender cookies are full of seasonal flavors, and the creamy salted caramel filling puts this decadent treat over the top. They’re the perfect, irresistible, hand-held snack to celebrate pumpkin spice season for kids and adults alike.

Makes 24

Ingredients

Spiced Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Cookies

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1½ tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• 2¼ cups light brown sugar, packed

• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil

• 1 (29oz) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) (3 cups)

• 2 large eggs

• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Salted Caramel Frosting

• 8oz full-fat cream cheese, softened

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

• ½ cup salted caramel sauce

• ½ tsp salt

Directions

Spiced Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a whoopie pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until combined.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the brown sugar and oil until uniform. Then add the pumpkin puree, eggs, and vanilla and mix until combined and smooth.

4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture until incorporated and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

5. Spoon the batter into each cavity of the prepared pan, and evenly spread the batter to the edges of each cavity using an offset spatula. Each cavity should be about ⅔ full (about 2 tablespoons per cavity). Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the cakes spring back when touched. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for two minutes. Then transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before assembling.

Salted Caramel Frosting

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until completely smooth and creamy.

2. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition, until combined.

3. Beat in the caramel sauce and salt until incorporated.

4. Fill a pastry bag with the cream cheese filling and pipe it onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Place a second cookie on top to create a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Whoopie Pies are fun to say, make, and eat! Check out these other whoopie pie recipes!

S’mores Whoopie Pies

Red Velvet Nutella Whoopie Pies

Chocolate Stout Salted Caramel Whoopie Pies

Think beyond pie and celebrate fall with all things pumpkin! Check out this collection of other pumpkin recipes:

Pumpkin Gingerbread Toffee Crunch Trifle

Gluten-free Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Five Layer Caramel Pecan Pie Pumpkin Cheesecake

Maple Pumpkin Baked Brie en Croûte with Candied Pecans

Easy Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

Soft Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Jumbo Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Maple Pumpkin Puff Pastry Swirls

Maple Pecan Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Cake Roll

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Biscoff (Cookie Butter) Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies