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+ servings

Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Mega soft and chewy Gingerbread Whoopie Pies stuffed with luscious cream cheese frosting will be your new favorite way to devour gingerbread!  And bonus, you get two Christmas cookies in one!
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 26 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 1 minute
Servings 24 pies

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp EACH ground ginger, nutmeg, salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Filling

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
  • 6 oz. cream cheese, cut into 6-8 pieces, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Garnish (a must!)

  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  • Whisk brown sugar, melted butter, molasses and crystallized ginger in separate large bowl until combined. Whisk in egg, buttermilk and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture and stir with rubber spatula just until dough comes together. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour up to 24.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick mat. Roll dough into balls using 1 scant tablespoon. Space balls evenly on prepared sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until puffed and just set, 11-13 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  • Using stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. With mixer running, add cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, and continue to beat until smooth, about 30 seconds. Beat in vanilla extract and pinch of salt as needed.
  • *Spoon or pipe 1 tablespoon frosting evenly onto bottoms (flat sides) of 24 cookies. Top with remaining 24 cookies, bottom sides down. Dust with powdered sugar. (Note, these cookies need the dusting of powdered sugar or they won’t taste sweet enough).
  • Store cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Notes

*If frosting is very soft, refrigerate for 15 minutes before filling cookies (I didn’t have to do this).

MAKE AHEAD: 

You can prepare the batter, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to three days.  You can also make the cookies a day ahead of filling and keep in an airtight container until ready to fill.

STORAGE:

Store Whoopie Pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.  I like to microwave mine for 10 seconds or so. 

HOW TO FREEZE WHOOPIE PIE DOUGH:

  • Roll balls per instructions and fit as many as you can on a parchment/nonstick lined baking sheet without touching.
  • Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze the balls until  outsides are hard (about 1-2 hours).
  • Transfer to a freezer size plastic bag and freeze.
  • Dough should freeze well for up to 3 months.
  • To BAKE:  Place frozen cookie dough balls on a lined baking sheet and bake according to instructions, adding a couple extra minutes to cook time.

HOW TO FREEZE BAKED WHOOPIE PIES WITHOUT FILLING

  • Fit as many COOLED baked whoopie pies on a parchment/nonstick mat lined baking sheet without touching.
  • Place the baking sheet(s) in the freezer and freeze until  solid (about 1 hour).
  • Transfer to a freezer size plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • When ready to use, let whoopie pies defrost on the counter before filling.

HOW TO FREEZE ASSEMBLED WHOOPIE PIES

  • Fit as many whoopie pies on a parchment/nonstick mat lined baking sheet without touching.
  • Place the baking sheet(s) in the freezer and freeze until  solid (about 1 hour).
  • You can now freeze individual whoopie pies by placing them each in individual sandwich bags, OR to freeze a batch of pies:
  • Top frozen whoopie pies on baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper and layer with another layer of frozen pies (that you have frozen on a separate sheet).  Continue to layer and stack as needed.
  • Wrap entire baking sheet securely in layers of plastic wrap.
  • To THAW TRAY:  Take baking sheet out of refrigerator and unwrap so that the condensation doesn’t form and make the whoopie pies soggy.  Let sit at room temperature for several hours.
  • TO THAW INDIVIDUAL WHOOPIE PIES:  Take whoopie pie out of the sandwich bag and let sit at room temperature overnight OR if you're in a hurry,  warm whoopie pie in the microwave at 10 second intervals until defrosted.