Soft and lightly spiced pumpkin cookies sandwiched together with a decadent, yet easy to make, browned butter maple cinnamon frosting!
 These cookies are super easy to make, yet look fabulous, so they’re perfect for Fall entertaining!  The pumpkin flavor is strong, but not overpowering, and perfectly paired with the sweet and slightly nutty browned butter maple cinnamon frosting.
Here we go, my first pumpkin recipe of the season… are you psyched?  Did I really just say psyched?  Lol.  These cookies are pretty much amazing… although I can’t take full credit for them.  I found them in an issue of Better Homes and Gardens (Fall Baking edition), and made a few little tweaks (as I always do lol).  These cookies are no ordinary cookies… they’re whoopie pies, which is just about the most fun type of dessert.  Just saying it leaves you with a smile on your face!
The cookie part of these is really straightforward and simple… the hardest part is not eating the soft cookies when they come out of the oven lol.
Once the pumpkin cookies are cooling, you can go ahead and get started on the frosting. Â Don’t let the browned butter scare you. Â I know when I was first cooking and baking the idea of browned butter was just overwhelming. Â But when you break it down and really think about it, you’re just gently heating butter until it melts and then continue gently heating the butter until it turns a beautiful golden brown color. Â The only trick is not to let it go too far… dark brown/black is burnt and will taste realllllly gross!
This frosting. Â Ohhhhh this frosting. Â It’s so delicious! Â The slight nuttiness from the browned butter, silky richness from the cream cheese and amazing seasonings that echo the seasonings from the cookies… it’s a perfect combination!
These spiced pumpkin whoopie pies are for both the adults and kids alike… fancy enough to bring to a party, yet casual enough for an afternoon snack with the kids. Â My daughter devoured about 3 of these while I was taking the pictures lol.
I’ve made these multiple times already this season, and anticipate making them many more!  I hope you all try these and love them… they’re such a fun way to enjoy the spiced pumpkin flavor 🙂
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
PUMPKIN COOKIES
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 2 cups brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup butter melted and cooled
- 2 eggs
- 2 3/4 cup canned pumpkin NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
BROWNED BUTTER FROSTING
- 5 Tbsp butter
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- pinch of ground cloves
- 3 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the first 8 ingredients (through nutmeg) and set aside.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add melted butter, oil, and brown sugar and beat until combined.
- Add in eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla and beat for about 1 minute.
- Add in the flour mixture, a little at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Batter will look like thick cake batter at this point.
- Use a small cookie scoop or Tbsp measuring spoon and scoop batter onto baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. Tops of cookies should spring back when touched lightly.
- Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting.
- In a small saucepan, over MED-LOW heat, melt the butter. Continue heating the butter until it turns a light golden brown color. Set aside and let it cool for 15 minutes.
- In a stand mixer, beat the cooled browned butter and softened cream cheese on MED speed, until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Add in maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ground cloves and mix on LOW until just combined.
- Slowly and gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
- To one of the cooled cookies, spread about 2 tsp of the frosting, then top with another cookie. Place on a wax paper lined baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.
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Video
Lyne says
Making these for Christmas. Can they be frozen completed or should I just defrost and add the filling day of. Thanks
The Chunky Chef says
I would freeze without the filling and add that the day of 🙂
TONI says
My cookies are paler thean your picture. Did you use dark brown sugar?
The Chunky Chef says
I always use light brown, as it’s what I have on hand. It could be due to my camera and/or monitor differences. As long as they’re cooked through, they’re perfectly good to eat 🙂
Michelle says
These are the easiest most delicious fall cookies ever, I could eat the entire batch. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe
Mae says
Hi, I am dropping some treats off to local friends as the first day of fall – my favorite season- officially starts next week. I am curious to know, the recipe says it makes 36 whoppie pies but I wanted to clarify. Does it make 36 full whoopie pie or 36 halfs? Trying to figure it out before I decided to half the recipe or move forward with the original or maybe even double it?
Let me know your thoughts! Also what are your thoughts on adding a spiced bourbon or whiskey to the frosting or cookie?
The Chunky Chef says
I usually get between 30-36 full whoopie pies, but they’re not super big. If you use the tablespoon cookie scoop you should get about that many 🙂 I think adding some spiced bourbon would be FABULOUS! I’d probably add it to the frosting, and you may have to add a bit more powdered sugar to account for any extra liquid that’s added 🙂 Let me know if you do it, I’d love to know how you like them!
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
The Chunky Chef says
Not in our house! We eat them pretty quickly lol. But they should keep well (refrigerated and covered so they don’t dry out), for 3 days or so. The powdered sugar will absorb into the top cookie, so you’ll want to give them a fresh dusting when you’re ready to eat them again.
Suzanne says
These look so good! Do you use the filling for any other recipes?
Carrie says
These are SOOOOO good! I’ve made them so many times and people always love them! The icing recipe I’ve used by itself with other cookies too.  The icing is to die for…I always double it too ha.Â
Thanks for sharing this recipe!Â
Winnie says
These whoopie pies are delicious. When I saw all those spices and flavors I knew they’d be awesome. My kids loved them too. Now we’re ready to make another batch! The first batch was obviously just a test run!
LINDIE says
I made them and the next day the cake part was too soggy to eat??
The Chunky Chef says
Hi Lindie, did you dust them with powdered sugar and then let them sit overnight? That can definitely make the baked goods soggy. As with most baked goods, they’re the best the day you make them.