Description
Delight in these classic Gingerbread Whoopie Pies featuring spiced, moist gingerbread cookies sandwiched with a creamy and subtly spiced cream cheese filling. Perfectly balanced with warming spices and rich molasses, these festive treats are ideal for holiday gatherings or anytime you crave a cozy, comforting dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (281g, spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons unsulphured or dark molasses (90ml)
- 1/4 cup hot water (60ml)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (130g)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (120ml)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Spiced Cream Cheese Filling
- 6 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese, softened (170g)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (4 Tbsp; 56g)
- 1 and 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (180g)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Small pinch of ground ginger
- Small pinch of ground cinnamon
- Small pinch of ground nutmeg
- Small pinch of ground cloves
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients. In another bowl, whisk molasses with hot water and let cool slightly. Then whisk in granulated sugar and vegetable oil until blended. Finally, whisk in the room temperature egg until smooth.
- Make the Dough. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold gently with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, or mix on medium speed with a mixer until combined. Expect a heavy, slightly oily batter.
- Chill Dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days to allow flavors to meld and dough to firm.
- Prepare for Baking. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Portion Dough. Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop scant 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons scoops of batter onto prepared sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart.
- Bake Cookies. Bake for 14 minutes or until edges are set. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before filling.
- Make Filling. Beat softened cream cheese on high speed until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add softened butter and continue beating until combined. Gradually add sifted confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and small pinches of the four spices; beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Adjust spices to taste.
- Assemble Whoopie Pies. Pair cookies by size. Spread or pipe filling onto the flat side of one cookie and sandwich with the other. Repeat with remaining cookies.
- Store. Cover leftover whoopie pies and refrigerate for up to 1 week. For freezing, wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving.
Notes
- The filling can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator.
- The cookie batter can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking without needing to warm to room temperature first.
- For freezing, wrap baked and filled whoopie pies individually and store up to 3 months; thaw overnight refrigerated or at room temperature.
- To double the recipe, double all ingredients except reduce oil to 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup to avoid greasiness.
- For smaller whoopie pies, use 1 scant Tablespoon batter per cookie, bake about 1 minute less, and expect about 18 smaller sandwiches.
- Use unsulphured or dark molasses (such as Grandma’s original) for best flavor; avoid bitter blackstrap molasses.
- In the filling, use very small pinches (about 1/16 teaspoon) of each spice; adjust to taste after mixing for balanced flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
