Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Delicious Gingerbread Whoopie Pies are moist, soft gingerbread cookies made into perfect sandwiches with a rich and fluffy cream cheese filling.

These cookies are wonderful for the holidays, and much easier to make than you might think!

Add this easy recipe for Gingerbread Whoopie Pies to your holiday baking list this year!

When it comes to Christmas baking, gingerbread is one flavor that I always like to include in my baking plans.

I’ve made gingerbread cake, gingerbread cut-out cookies, and even gingerbread granola in the past, but this year, I’m making these amazing Gingerbread Whoopie Pies!

They are moist and soft with the perfect texture, a decadent cream cheese filling, and all the robust gingerbread flavor you could want. These might just be the perfect Christmas dessert!

Are Whoopie Pies Cake or Cookies?

This is an interesting question that comes up often. I call these cookies, but actually, they are made more like small cakes.

A whoopie pie isn’t a cake, and it isn’t really a cookie, because it’s a dessert category all on its own. These are hand-held miniature gingerbread cake sandwiches filled with fluffy, cream cheese frosting.

If you love all things pumpkin spice, be sure to try my Pumpkin Whoopie Pies too. Or, make a more classic vanilla whoopie pie recipe that you can tint with food coloring to match any occasion.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

1. A Holiday Twist on a Classic – The classic recipe for whoopie pies involves chocolate cakes and a creamy marshmallow filling. Here, we’re making whoopie pies that are perfect for Christmas by flavoring the cakes with molasses, ginger, and vanilla, and making the filling more decadent with cream cheese.
2. Easy Ingredients – You don’t need anything fancy to make this recipe! The only slightly out-of-the-ordinary ingredient is molasses, so pick some up on your next trip to the store. You’ll find it in the baking aisle, near the sugar.
3. Step By Step Recipe – Whoopie pies might look a bit intimidating, but I promise that this recipe is easy! I’ve included step-by-step instructions, photos, and tips to help you along.

Key Ingredients

Here are the most important things to note about the ingredients for the best gingerbread whoopie pies:

• Eggs: It’s best to let your eggs come to room temperature before mixing them into your dough and batter recipes. This simple step will ensure that your whoopie pie dough is perfectly smooth.
• Molasses: This is a key flavor ingredient in gingerbread! It’s a byproduct of sugar refining and has a distinct, rich flavor. Be sure to buy unsulphered molasses for this recipe. If given a choice between light and dark molasses, I recommend using the light or original version. Blackstrap molasses is not to be used in baking recipes like this one.
• Spices: The rest of the signature gingerbread flavor comes from ground spices including ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Using both will give your whoopie pies the right amount of lift and fluffy texture.
• For the Filling: Unsalted butter and cream cheese blended with powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla extract make the most delicious and creamy filling! Be sure to let the butter and cream cheese soften at room temperature before mixing.

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, stir together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. Mix the Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, mix the molasses with hot water. Allow the mixture to cool slightly before stirring in the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
3. Combine to Make the Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.

4. Bake: Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough on your baking sheets. Leave about 2 inches between each scoop. Bake the gingerbread whoopie pies for 9-10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

6. Make the Filling: Using your stand mixer or a hand mixer, whip together the softened butter and cream cheese. Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract and continue to mix until the frosting is light and fluffy.

7. Create Sandwiches: Scoop the filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies. You can also pipe it on, or spread it with a spatula. Then add the other cookies on top to create the whoopie pies.

Recipe Tips

• Make the cookies the same size so that your whoopie pie sandwiches are even. A cookie scoop will help you portion the dough perfectly. 
• Avoid overbaking these. Remove them from the oven when they are puffed up and just cooked in the middle.
• To decorate, sprinkle the whoopie pies with powdered sugar just before serving.
• Enjoy with a beverage. Serve gingerbread whoopie pies with a glass of cold milk, or a delicious mug of hot chocolate!

Storing Tips

Storage: Keep your whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because the filling is made with cream cheese, these should not be stored at room temperature.

I do like to let them sit out for a bit before serving though, so that the filling can soften up a bit.

Freezing: Wrap each whoopie pie individually with plastic wrap, and place in a ziptop bag or freezer container. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw on the counter for 30 minutes before enjoying. 

Can I Make Whoopie Pies Ahead of Time?

Yes! You can make these and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 6 months!

Do I Need a Special Pan To Make Whoopie Pies?

You can buy a “whoopie pie” baking pan which has shallow cavities to bake the batter in. This type of pan could be helpful for this recipe, but I have never tried using one myself.

The dough/batter for these gingerbread whoopie pies should be thick enough that it will stay in place on a flat cookie sheet, no need to buy a new piece of kitchen equipment!

Perfect for the season, these soft, moist Gingerbread Whoopie Pies are going to be a hit at all of your holiday gatherings! Don’t forget to save the recipe – Pin it to your Christmas Baking board so it’s easy to find later.