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
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a whoopie pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until combined.
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.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture until incorporated and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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
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.
Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition, until combined.
Beat in the caramel sauce and salt until incorporated.
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.