Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Salted Maple Mascarpone Filling
This recipe was originally published on September 10, 2022. It has been updated as of September 15, 2023.
Have you heard of whoopie pies before? I had not had one until we moved to Iowa years ago! They are sweet little treat made with two pieces of cake-like cookie halves sandwiched together with frosting in between. They come in all sorts of flavors, but the most common I see for sale in little bakeries where I live are chocolate with white cream filling.
These delectable Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Salted Maple Mascarpone Cream Filling capture the essence of autumn with every bite. The soft and cakey pumpkin cookies sandwich a luxurious filling that balances the warmth of maple and the richness of mascarpone cheese, all with a hint of salt to enhance the sweetness. Whether for gatherings or personal indulgence, our recipe offers the perfect blend of comfort and elegance. Elevate your fall baking with these irresistible whoopie pies.
what are whoopie pies?
As legend tells it, the Amish invented whoopie pies years ago. Being frugal, the women wanted to find a way to save leftover cake batter and frosting, so they made these mini cake sandwiches. When the men or children would open their lunch pails and find a pie inside, they would shout, “Whoopie!”
I have no idea if this is true, but it’s a bit of a funny story. Either way, you will most certainly shout whoopie after trying one of these. This recipe is incredible, if I do say so myself. The cakes are moist and fluffy and full of pumpkin flavor. This is accompanied by a delightfully maple mascarpone frosting with big flaky sea salt. Oof, they are good.
the method:
STEP ONE: Begin by making the little cake-like cookies. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Then, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Vanilla extract and pumpkin are mixed in for a delightful autumn flavor. Buttermilk helps the cakes to rise, and the final dough will be puffy and almost a bit foam-like.
STEP TWO: Scoop mounds of the cake onto a prepared baking sheet and bake for 14 minutes or until the cakes are deep orange in color and no longer doughy through the middle. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack. They will firm up more while cooling.
STEP THREE: While the cakes are baking, you will want to make the Salted Maple Mascarpone Cream. The filling is made with butter and mascarpone mixed with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and flaky sea salt. It’s an autumn-lover’s dream!
STEP FOUR: The filling is piped onto the bottom side of one of the cake, and sandwiched together with another soft pumpkin cookie.
If this sounds like too many whoopie pies for you to enjoy, you can always freeze them for later. I like to make up a batch of these to pack in my son’s school lunch, and he certainly is happy when I do so! Wrap each individual whoopie pie in plastic wrap and then place into a freezer ziplock bag to prevent freezer burn. Pull one out when you are ready to eat and let it thaw on the counter. I stick a pie into his lunchbox frozen and it’s ready to eat by the time he has lunch!
Wishing you a wonderful fall day of baking these pumpkin spice treats. Enjoy this seasonal indulgence!
xoxo Kayla
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Salted Maple Mascarpone Cream Filling
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 4 oz mascarpone
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2-3 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tsp flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (177° C). Prepare 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set these aside for now.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Add in the granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating until the butter has become light yellow and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix into the butter. Add the vanilla and mix. Finally, mix in the pumpkin purée until just combined, about 5 minutes total.
- Alternately begin adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. The final dough will be puffy and almost a bit foam-like.
- With a 2 tablespoon (30 ml) cookie scoop, scoop out mounds of dough onto the baking sheet about 3-inches (8-cm) apart. Bake for 14 minutes or until the cakes are deep orange in color and no longer doughy through the middle. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack. They will firm up more while cooling.
- While the cakes cool, make the filling. In a large bowl, whip together the butter and mascarpone until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and maple syrup and stir in as much as possible.
- Begin adding the heavy cream to smooth out the frosting, until it has reached a desired consistency. I prefer mine to be rather thick, the same consistency for piping, so the pies stand on their own without spreading.
- Once the cakes are fully cooled, place a tablespoon or two of frosting onto the flat side of one cake. Place another cake on top. Finish all of the cakes, and you should end up with about 16 whoopie pies.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve at room temperature. To store, wrap the cakes in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store in your fridge for about 4 to 5 days.
