Whether you’re excited for Halloween or just looking for a fall festive treat, these whoopie pies are the perfect way to get into the spooky spirit. My family has these pumpkin whoopie pies every year for Thanksgiving and they are a fan-favorite! Yields about 24 servings.

For the Whoopie Pies

• 2 cups of packed brown sugar

• 1 cup of vegetable oil

• 1 ½ cups solid packed pumpkin puree

• 2 large eggs- whisked

• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

• 3 cups of all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1 teaspoon of baking soda

• 1 teaspoon of baking powder

• 1 ½ tablespoons of ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

For the Filling

• 2 cups of confectioners sugar

• ¼ cup of unsalted butter

• 8 oz of cream cheese

• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon of salt

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit and grease two baking sheets.

2. Drain the pumpkin puree by dumping it into a clean cloth and squeezing out the excess moisture

3. In a mixing bowl, mix brown sugar and oil until combined. 

4. Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and the eggs to the mixing bowl.

5. In a separate container, mix the rest of the dry ingredients- flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice. 

6. Add the dry ingredients in two parts- add half of the dry ingredients, mix, and then add the other half. It is really important to not overmix in this step, mix just until combined. 

7. Using a four tablespoon scoop, or spoon, drop batter onto baking sheets- be sure to move fast, because the cakes will start to rise!

8. Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes

9. To make the filling, combine cream cheese and butter until smooth.

10. Add the confectioners sugar. Be careful - start slowly, so that the sugar does not spill out of the bowl! Then, increase the speed.

11. Add the vanilla and salt.

12. When the whoopie pies are out of the oven, let them cool for at least 20 minutes before piping on a spread of filling onto the bottom of the cookie. Then, after filling, place another cookie on top of the filling. Repeat this for all of the other cakes.

13. Finally, enjoy your whoopie pies!