Gingerbread Whoopie Pies: The Ultimate Holiday Sandwich

A plate of gingerbread whoopie pies dusted with powdered sugar rests on a wooden board, next to a pink cloth and a glass of milk.

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Gingerbread Whoopie Pies: The Ultimate Holiday Sandwich

Gingerbread whoopie pies are the ultimate holiday cookie sandwiches, combining spiced cookies with a creamy filling. This festive treat is easily one of the best Christmas desserts, perfect for celebrating the season!

Prep Time35

Cook Time12

Chilling Time1

Total Time1 47

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Gingerbread whoopie pies

Servings:

Calories: 373kcal

Equipment

Mixing bowl
hand mixer
piping bag

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

Get Recipe Ingredients

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