Whoopie Pie Recipes for Every Holiday: 11 Soft Cake Sandwiches, From Gingerbread to Peppermint Cocoa

These whoopie pie recipes turn the old-fashioned bake sale favorite into a holiday treat for every party on your calendar. A whoopie pie is two soft, cake-like rounds hugging a thick layer of fluffy filling, and families in Maine and Pennsylvania have argued for generations over who made it first. Right now home bakers are giving it a festive makeover: Google Trends shows searches for pumpkin whoopie pies climbing more than 4,000% over the past year, with gingerbread versions rising too. Most whoopie pie recipes are easier than frosted layer cakes, they travel well in a tin, and one batch makes a whole tray. Set them out next to your showstopper Christmas cookies and watch which plate empties first. Here are 11 soft cake sandwiches, from gingerbread to peppermint cocoa..

Whoopie Pie Recipes for the Holidays: The Classic Chocolate Stack

Every good collection of whoopie pie recipes starts with the chocolate original. The batter is closer to a cake than a cookie, so the rounds bake up tall, soft and a little springy. Maine liked the treat so much that it named the whoopie pie its official state treat in 2011, while Pennsylvania bakers still say the idea came from Amish kitchens, as the history of the whoopie pie explains. For the holidays, roll the filling edges in crushed peppermint and sprinkles and stack them high next to your homemade fudge and Christmas candy..

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup buttermilk. Filling: 1/2 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow cream.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment. 2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl. 3. Beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. 4. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk in turns, mixing just until smooth. 5. Scoop 2-tablespoon mounds 2 inches apart and bake 10 to 12 minutes until the tops spring back. 6. Beat the filling ingredients until fluffy, sandwich the cooled rounds and roll the edges in crushed candy.

Gingerbread Whoopie Pie Recipes With Cream Cheese Filling

Gingerbread whoopie pies taste like a soft gingerbread cookie that grew up into a cake. Molasses keeps the rounds moist for days, and a mix of ginger, cinnamon and cloves fills the kitchen with that holiday smell everyone waits for. Searches for gingerbread whoopie pies keep rising every December, and it is easy to see why. Of all the spiced whoopie pie recipes, this one has the deepest flavor, and a tangy cream cheese filling balances it. Bake a batch alongside your favorite gingerbread treats for Christmas and build a cozy cookie tray.

You will need: 2 1/4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup molasses, 1 egg, 1/2 cup milk. Filling: 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Whisk the flour, spices, baking soda and salt together. 3. Beat the butter, brown sugar and molasses, then add the egg. 4. Mix in the dry ingredients and milk until just combined. 5. Scoop mounds onto parchment and bake 10 to 12 minutes; cool completely. 6. Beat the filling until smooth and sandwich the rounds in pairs.

Pumpkin or Sweet Potato Whoopie Pies for Thanksgiving Week

Pumpkin whoopie pies are the breakout star of the season, with searches up more than 4,000% in a year, and sweet potato works the same way. The puree makes the rounds extra tender and gives them a warm orange color that looks right at home on a Thanksgiving dessert table. A fluffy marshmallow filling keeps things light, though cinnamon cream cheese is just as good. If your family loves a marbled pumpkin cheesecake, this is the batch to make the night before the big meal.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup oil, 1 cup pumpkin or sweet potato puree, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Filling: 1 cup marshmallow cream beaten with 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup powdered sugar.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Whisk the flour, spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 3. Whisk the brown sugar, oil, puree, eggs and vanilla in another bowl. 4. Stir the wet and dry mixtures together until smooth. 5. Scoop mounds onto parchment and bake 11 to 13 minutes. 6. Cool, then pipe the marshmallow filling between pairs.

Peppermint Chocolate Whoopie Pie Recipes Rolled in Candy Canes

This is the one people ask about at the cookie exchange. Dark cocoa rounds sandwich a pale pink peppermint buttercream, then the edges get rolled in crushed candy canes for a crunchy red and white border. A few drops of peppermint extract go a long way in holiday whoopie pie recipes, so taste as you go. The cocoa should be as dark as you can find for the best contrast. Crush extra candy canes and save them for these candy cane treats later in the week.

You will need: 1 batch chocolate whoopie pie rounds (see the first slide). Filling: 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, 1 drop red food coloring. Coating: 6 candy canes, finely crushed.

How to make it: 1. Bake and fully cool the chocolate rounds. 2. Beat the butter until creamy, then add the powdered sugar, milk and extract. 3. Tint the filling pale pink with a tiny drop of coloring. 4. Pipe a thick layer onto half the rounds and top with the rest. 5. Roll the edges in crushed candy canes and chill 15 minutes to set.

Chocolate Orange Whoopie Pies With Citrus Cream Cheese

Chocolate and orange is a classic holiday pairing, the same flavor that shows up in stockings every December. Here the rich cocoa rounds stay plain and the orange goes into the filling, with fresh zest and a splash of juice folded into cream cheese buttercream. The result tastes bright and not too sweet, a welcome change from heavier whoopie pie recipes. Zest the orange right before mixing so the oils stay fresh. Fans of an old-fashioned orange slice cake will want this one on repeat all winter long.

You will need: 1 batch chocolate whoopie pie rounds. Filling: 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1 tablespoon orange juice.

How to make it: 1. Bake and cool the chocolate rounds. 2. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. 3. Add the powdered sugar, zest and juice and beat until fluffy. 4. Spread a generous layer on half the rounds and top with the rest. 5. Chill 20 minutes before serving so the filling firms up.

Eggnog Spice Whoopie Pies (No Alcohol Needed)

These taste like a mug of eggnog in cake form, and they are completely family friendly. Store-bought eggnog replaces the buttermilk in a vanilla batter, and a pinch of fresh nutmeg on top makes them smell like the holidays. The filling is a silky buttercream whipped with more eggnog. Grate the nutmeg fresh if you can; it makes a real difference. Serve them at a holiday brunch next to these family-friendly eggnog recipes for a full eggnog spread.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3/4 cup eggnog. Filling: 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons eggnog, a pinch of nutmeg.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. 3. Beat the butter and sugar, then add the egg and vanilla. 4. Mix in the dry ingredients and eggnog in turns. 5. Bake mounds 10 to 12 minutes until pale golden; cool. 6. Beat the filling and sandwich the rounds, then dust the tops with nutmeg.

Snowball Coconut Whoopie Pies

Snowball whoopie pies look like they just rolled in from the yard after a fresh snowfall. Soft vanilla rounds get a fluffy white filling, and then the whole thing is pressed into shredded coconut until every edge is covered. Among winter whoopie pie recipes, they look the most stunning on a dark platter, and are a fun job for kids, who love doing the rolling. A drop of coconut extract in the batter doubles the flavor. Coconut lovers should also try these coconut cake recipes for the holiday table.

You will need: 1 batch vanilla whoopie pie rounds (2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract). Filling: 1 cup marshmallow cream, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar. Coating: 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut.

How to make it: 1. Bake the vanilla rounds at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes and cool. 2. Beat the filling until fluffy. 3. Sandwich the rounds with a thick layer of filling. 4. Brush a thin layer of filling over the tops. 5. Press each whoopie pie into the coconut until fully coated.

Maple Whoopie Pie Recipes With Fluffy Vanilla Filling

Maple is the flavor that ties the whoopie pie back to New England, where the treat has been sold in bakeries for about a century. Real maple syrup goes into both the cake and the filling, so every bite tastes like a cozy pancake breakfast. Bake a double batch and cool the rounds on a wire rack before filling so they hold their shape. These keep well in a cold kitchen for two days. Pair them with these cozy maple desserts for a sugar shack party.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, 1 egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk. Filling: 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Beat the butter, brown sugar and maple syrup, then add the egg. 3. Mix in the flour, baking soda and salt with the buttermilk. 4. Bake mounds 10 to 12 minutes and cool on a wire rack. 5. Beat the filling and sandwich the rounds in pairs.

Brown Sugar Spice Whoopie Pies

Brown sugar spice whoopie pies are the quiet favorite in this lineup. Dark brown sugar gives the rounds a caramel taste and a soft, moist crumb, and a little cinnamon and allspice make them feel like a holiday morning. Like most whoopie pie recipes, they are just as good with marshmallow filling as with cream cheese, so split the batch and try both. They pack well in lunchboxes, too. If you love that toasty flavor, try these brown butter desserts for your next family gathering.

You will need: 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3/4 cup buttermilk. Filling: 1 cup marshmallow cream, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Whisk the flour, spices, baking soda and salt. 3. Beat the butter and brown sugar, then add the egg and vanilla. 4. Mix in the dry ingredients and buttermilk in turns. 5. Bake mounds 10 to 12 minutes; cool. 6. Beat the filling and sandwich the rounds.

Christmas Sprinkle Whoopie Pie Recipes for Cookie Swaps

Sprinkle whoopie pies are pure joy, and they are the easiest way to make a batch look festive. Stir rainbow confetti sprinkles into a vanilla batter, then roll the filled edges in more sprinkles; for Christmas, swap in red and green. This is one of the most kid-friendly whoopie pie recipes, since kids can decorate them at the table while the grown-ups make coffee. Add the sprinkles at the very end so the colors do not bleed. They fit right in on a table of Christmas sprinkle cookies at your next cookie exchange.

You will need: 1 batch vanilla whoopie pie batter, 1/3 cup confetti sprinkles stirred in, 1 batch vanilla buttercream (1/2 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla), 1/2 cup red and green sprinkles for rolling.

How to make it: 1. Fold the sprinkles gently into the finished vanilla batter. 2. Bake mounds at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes and cool. 3. Beat the buttercream until fluffy. 4. Pipe the filling on half the rounds and top with the rest. 5. Roll the edges in red and green sprinkles.

Strawberry Milk Whoopie Pies, Plus Tips to Keep Them Soft

Strawberry milk whoopie pies end the lineup on a sweet pink note that works for Christmas parties and Valentine’s Day alike. A little strawberry milk powder or freeze-dried strawberries blended to dust turns the vanilla filling a pretty blush color. To keep the results of all these whoopie pie recipes soft, pipe even rounds with a bag or scoop, let them cool fully, then store them in a single layer, never stacked, in an airtight tin for up to three days. Serve them at brunch beside these sweet crepe recipes for a pretty pink spread.

You will need: 1 batch vanilla whoopie pie rounds. Filling: 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberries ground to powder, 2 tablespoons milk.

How to make it: 1. Bake the vanilla rounds and cool them completely. 2. Grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. 3. Beat the butter, powdered sugar, strawberry powder and milk until fluffy. 4. Pipe the filling onto half the rounds and top with the rest. 5. Store in a single layer in an airtight tin for up to 3 days.