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Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Soft gingerbread whoopie pies with a lemony cream cheese filling - a wonderful holiday treat!
Prep Time1 hr 15 mins
Cook Time11 mins
Total Time1 hr 26 mins
Course: Cookie, Dessert
Servings: 26 sandwich cookies
Author: Tricia

Ingredients

For the gingerbread:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground all-spice
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
  • 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, chopped fine
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup buttermilk

For the filling:

  • 6 ounces cream cheese, cut into 6-8 pieces, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted plus extra for garnish (measure, then sift)
  • zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a separate large bowl, combine the brown sugar, melted butter, molasses and crystallized ginger. Whisk until combined. Add the egg and buttermilk and continue to whisk until blended.
  • Add the flour mixture and fold together using a rubber spatula. Do not over mix.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, roll the dough into a ball and place 2-inches apart on the cold baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are puffy, about 11-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool in the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
  • Repeat with the remaining dough using a cold baking sheet each time.
  • To prepare the filling, beat together the 6 tablespoons butter with 1 cup of powdered sugar. Once smooth and blended, add the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. With the mixer running on medium, add the cream cheese one piece at a time then add the vanilla and lemon zest. Pipe onto half the cookies and top with a matching size cookie, bottom side down.
  • Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Notes

Refrigerate leftover cookies in an airtight container.
Cookie recipe adapted from December/January 2016 Cook's Country Magazine