Gingerbread whoopie pies bring all the cozy vibes of the holiday season in one sweet, handheld treat! Believe me, these soft gingerbread cookies with luscious butter and cream cheese filling spread holiday cheer like no other. This holiday dessert is guaranteed to make everyone merry with every tasty bite!
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Christmas isn’t really Christmas without the sweet scent of baked goodies! From making festive Christmas cookies to crafting irresistibly cute marshmallow pops, there’s nothing quite like infusing the season with sweetness, one delectable treat at a time.
And what better captures the delicious aroma of the holidays than spiced gingerbread? Just imagine the coziness of this quintessential seasonal dessert baking in the oven. Pairing it with a dreamy cream cheese filling makes it even more amazing – it’s like pure holiday magic in cookie sandwich form!
So grab your bowl and apron, and let’s start making my favorite gingerbread whoopie pies with cream cheese filling from scratch!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients Needed For Ginger Whoopie Pies Recipe
Gingerbread Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 8 tbsp butter, unsalted
- ¼ cup molasses or sorghum
- 3 tbsp crystallized ginger, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients
- 6 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted will both work fine), at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
Step-by-Step Instructions With Pictures
1. Melt a stick of butter, then let it cool slightly in the pan.
2. Whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, crystallized ginger, and molasses.
4. Add egg, buttermilk, and vanilla to the mixture and whisk it until combined.
5. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
6. Stir everything together using a rubber spatula until dough forms.
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 48 hours.
8. Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F, then line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
9. Roll the gingerbread dough into 24 small balls, roughly one tablespoon each. Each ball should be around 35 grams (you can measure them using a kitchen scale.) Space the gingerbread balls evenly on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
10. Bake them until they’re just set, taking about 12-14 minutes. Watch the cookies closely; they should puff and start to brown around the edges.
11. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to the cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
12. Using a hand mixer (or stand mixer) with a paddle attachment, beat butter for about 2 minutes or until it turns fluffy. Cut the softened cream cheese into 6-8 cubes and add a cube at a time, blending thoroughly after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter).
13. Spoon or pipe a generous amount of filling on the flat side of 12 cookies, then top with the remaining 12 cookies until they form a sandwich.
14. Dust the whoopie pies with powdered sugar.
TIP! Are you out of powdered sugar? Here is how to make powdered sugar at home.
15. Serve and enjoy!
Make This Gingerbread Dessert Like A Pro
- Soften Them Up: Using softened or at room temperature butter, eggs, and cream cheese will help make mixing them easier and give the dough and filling a smoother texture.
- Just Chill: Chilling the gingerbread dough for at least 1 hour will make handling it easier, as it can be very sticky after forming.
- Scoop As You Go: Using an ice cream or cookie scoop will ensure that your cookies will be the same size, which is important since they’ll be sandwiched together. This leads to even baking and a more impressive presentation.
- Spread Them Apart: Since the rolled dough will spread as it bakes, don’t forget to leave enough space between each on the baking sheet.
- Cool Is Good: Don’t fill in while the cookies are hot – you don’t want the cream cheese to melt!
- When In Doubt, Refrigerate: If the filling is too soft, refrigerate it for 15-30 minutes before filling the cookies.
Presentation Ideas For Gingerbread Whoopie Pie Cookies
Looking to make your gingerbread whoopie pies the center of any holiday spread? Try these suggestions:
- Drizzled With Love: Drizzle the tops with melted white or dark chocolate for extra decadence.
- Half With Chocolate: Alternatively, dip half of the whoopie pie in chocolate to make a two-toned treat.
- Sprinkles Galore: Roll the edges of each whoopie pie in red and green sprinkles for a fun, Christmas-y look.
- Dollop Them Up: Top each whoopie pie with a dollop of whipped cream and a candied ginger slice or edible cupcake topper.
- Wrapped For the Holidays: Wrap each whoopie pie in red or green wax paper for a holiday-themed appearance.
Whoopie Pie Recipe Variations
Make this gingerbread molasses whoopie pie recipe more special with a few twists:
- Citrus Notes: Add some orange zest into the filling to infuse it with a light citrusy flavor.
- Mint All The Way: Crush some candy canes and add them to the filling to give it a minty taste and a crunchy texture.
- Make It Chocolate: Add cocoa powder or mini-chocolate chips to the gingerbread batter.
- Fall In Love: If serving for Thanksgiving, add pumpkin puree and/or pumpkin spice to the gingerbread dough for delicious fall flavors.
- Nutty and Nice: Add finely chopped nuts to the dough or the filling for a crunchy surprise.
Storage
Store: Baked and filled gingerbread whoopie pies should be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. To prevent smudging, add parchment or wax paper between the cookies.
Make Ahead: You can make the cookie dough and filling ahead of time; keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking and assembling the cookies.
Freeze: If you’re wondering, “Can you freeze whoopie pies?” The answer is yes! Place them in a large, freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll be good for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the fridge and let them come to room temperature before serving for the best result.
One More Thing
If you’re searching for ways to make the upcoming holidays even more merry and bright, then gingerbread whoopie pies are a surefire way to lift spirits this season!
They’re so flavorful and delicious, plus the whole process of making them is pretty straightforward. You can even add your creative spin to the dessert to make it a holiday treat to remember!
Have fun baking!
Your Turn
If you make these gingerbread whoopie pies, please take a moment to let me know how you liked them by leaving a rating and a comment below on the recipe card.
More Holiday Recipes To Try:
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies: The Ultimate Holiday Sandwich
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- hand mixer
Ingredients
Gingerbread Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 8 tbsp butter unsalted
- ¼ cup molasses or sorghum
- 3 tbsp crystallized ginger finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients
- 6 tbsp butter salted or unsalted will both work fine, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
Instructions
- Melt a stick of butter, then let it cool slightly in the pan.8 tbsp butter
- Whisk together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¾ tsp baking soda
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, crystallized ginger, and molasses.¾ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup molasses or sorghum, 3 tbsp crystallized ginger
- Add egg, buttermilk, and vanilla to the mixture and whisk it until combined.1 large egg, ¼ cup buttermilk, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
- Stir everything together using a rubber spatula until dough forms.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 48 hours.
- Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F, then line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the gingerbread dough into 24 small balls, roughly one tablespoon each. Each ball should be around 35 grams (you can measure them using a kitchen scale.) Space the gingerbread balls evenly on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake them until they’re just set, taking about 12-14 minutes. Watch the cookies closely; they should puff and start to brown around the edges.
- Then, transfer them to the cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
- Using a hand mixer (or stand mixer) with a paddle attachment, beat butter for about 2 minutes or until it turns fluffy. Cut the softened cream cheese into 6-8 cubes and add 1 cube at a time, blending completely after each addition. Beat in vanilla and a pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter).6 tbsp butter, 6 ounces cream cheese, ½ tsp vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
- Spoon or pipe a generous amount of filling on the flat side of 12 cookies, then top with the remaining 12 cookies until they form a sandwich.
- Dust the whoopie pies with powdered sugar.1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Soften Them Up: Using softened or at room temperature butter, eggs, and cream cheese will help make mixing them easier, giving you a smoother texture for both the dough and filling.
- Just Chill: Chilling the gingerbread dough for at least 1 hour will make handling it easier, as it can be very sticky after forming.
- Scoop As You Go: Using an ice cream or cookie scoop will ensure that your cookies will be the same size, which is important since they’ll be sandwiched together. This leads to even baking and a more impressive presentation.
- Spread Them Apart: Since the rolled dough will spread as it bakes, don’t forget to leave enough space between each on the baking sheet.
- Cool Is Good: Don’t put your filling in while the cookies are hot – you don’t want the cream cheese to melt!
- When In Doubt, Refrigerate: If the filling is too soft, refrigerate it for about 15-30 minutes before filling the cookies.
Nutrition
Tamara Tsaturyan is the owner and writer of Thriving In Parenting, a website focused on providing simple tips for busy parents — easy and healthy recipes, home decor and organization ideas and all things P A R E N T I N G.
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