Amish Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Filling
Soft, cakey pumpkin whoopie pies stuffed with fluffy cream cheese filling are ready in minutes with simple pantry ingredients and are guaranteed to be one of your favorite Fall treats.
Amish Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
I love meeting new people and sharing food with them, especially when it means trying something new and swapping a recipe or two.
That's exactly how I was blessed with this Pumpkin Whoopie Pie recipe. My new friend Mary Beth is Amish, and I've gotten to spend a little time with her while our Cowboys chase horses around.
She brought these little desserts, and I left without the recipe. So I had to ask a mutual friend to track it down for me.
As soon as I got the recipe, I made a beeline to the kitchen to whip up these little fall treasures. Y'all, even if you don't like pumpkin, you're going to like these little dessert sandwiches. And that filling… Lawdy!
The Ingredients (And Why They Matter)
- Canned Pumpkin: The backbone of these cakes. It brings moisture and that earthy fall flavor, and it keeps the cakes soft instead of dry. Grab plain pumpkin, not pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and it throws off the balance of the recipe.
- Vegetable Oil: Oil keeps cakes tender and moist longer than butter would. It's why these stay pillowy even after a night in the fridge.
- Sugars: Sweetens the cakes and helps the tops set with that soft, bakery-style finish.
- Eggs: The binder that holds the cakes together and gives them a light, springy lift.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: The two-part rise. Together they give you puffy, dome-topped cakes.
- Vanilla: Vanilla rounds out the pumpkin.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is the warm, cozy note that says "fall" the second you smell the oven. I will tell you, Mary Beth had 1 ½ Tablespoons in her original recipe, but I scaled it back for my preference.
- All-Purpose Flour: The structure. Added last and gradually so the cakes stay tender, not tough.
- Cream Cheese (Softened): That tangy backbone in the filling. It cuts through the sweetness of the cakes. Softened is non-negotiable if you want a smooth, lump-free filling.
- Powdered Sugar: Dissolves instantly into the cream cheese for a silky filling with no gritty bite.
- Cool Whip: This is what makes the filling fluffy and stable. It keeps the filling light, and it holds its shape in the fridge instead of weeping out the sides.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Amish Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Prep the Oven and Pans: Heat the oven to 350°F and have your cookie sheets ready. A hot oven at the start sets the cake tops quickly, so they puff instead of spreading.
- Build the Batter: Mix everything except the flour first: sugar, oil, pumpkin, eggs, leaveners, vanilla, and cinnamon. Getting the wet base fully combined first means the flour only has to be stirred in, and less stirring means a more tender cake.
- Add the Flour Gradually: Stir the flour in a little at a time, just until it's well combined. Adding it gradually keeps the batter smooth and prevents dry pockets.
- Scoop and Bake: Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the sheets. Even-sized scoops matter here, because you'll be pairing the cakes into sandwiches. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. The time shifts with the size of your cakes, so start checking early.
- Cool Completely: Let the cakes cool all the way on a wire rack. Warm cakes will melt the filling and slide the sandwiches apart, so this step can't be rushed.
- Whip Up the Filling: Beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar until it's smooth, then fold in the Cool Whip. Folding, not stirring, keeps all that airiness you want.
- Sandwich and Chill: Spread filling on the flat side of one cake and top with a second. Wrap each pie individually and refrigerate. Chilling firms the filling so every bite holds together.
Creative Variations
Mini Whoopie Pies: Smaller scoops for party platters. Bake time will shorten.
Maple Cream Filling: Fold a touch of maple flavor into the cream cheese filling for a cozy, sweeter-edged sandwich.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin: Fold mini chocolate chips into the batter for pumpkin-chocolate lovers.
Spice Boost: Add pumpkin pie spice alongside the cinnamon for a deeper spiced cake.
Storage & Reheating
The Fridge Life: Keep them refrigerated at all times because of the cream cheese filling. They keep for several days in the fridge.
Can You Freeze It? Cream cheese and whipped topping fillings generally freeze well. Wrap the filled pies individually, then bag them. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
The Container Matters: Wrap each pie individually first, then store them in an airtight container. Stacking unwrapped pies means the filling smears and the cakes stick.
FAQ
Usually it's one of three things. The oven wasn't fully preheated, the flour was under-measured, or the cookie sheet was still warm from a previous batch. Let sheets cool between rounds and spoon-and-level the flour.
Most often the cakes weren't completely cool when you filled them. The other usual culprit is overmixing after the Cool Whip goes in. Fold gently and chill the filling briefly if it feels loose.
No. Pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced, so it changes the sugar balance and the flavor of the cakes. Plain canned pumpkin is what the recipe is built for.
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Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except the flour. Mix well.
- Gradually add the flour until well combined.
- Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Makes 24 cakes.
- Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Baking time depends on the size of your whoppie pies.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack while making the filling.
- In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until well blended.
- Fold in Cool Whip.
- Spread some filling on the bottom of one whoppie pie, then top with another pie to make a sandwich. Repeat until all whoppie pies are made.
- Wrap whoppie pies individually with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
These are easy, delicious and perfect for Fall (or anytime you want a pumpkin sweet treat).