Gingerbread season is officially one of my favorite times of year to bake. The second the weather cools off, I want everything warm and spiced, and these gingerbread whoopie pies hit that craving in the best way.
Soft, pillowy gingerbread cookies made with molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of cloves get sandwiched around a thick, fluffy cream cheese filling. They’re like a gingerbread cookie and a mini spice cake rolled into one, and they’re perfect for holiday cookie trays, gifting, or keeping in the fridge for yourself (no judgment here).
Why You’ll Love These
- Soft and cakey, not crunchy. Buttermilk and melted butter keep the cookies tender and pillowy.
- Classic gingerbread flavor. Molasses, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves give them that cozy holiday spice.
- Tangy cream cheese filling balances all those warm spices perfectly.
- About 15 whoopie pies per batch, which is just right for a party platter or cookie exchange.
- No mixer needed for the cookies — just two bowls and a whisk.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Gingerbread Cookies
- All-purpose flour – the base of the cookies
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, and ground cloves – the classic gingerbread spice blend
- Baking soda – helps the cookies puff up soft and domed
- Light brown sugar and molasses – for that deep, rich gingerbread flavor
- Unsalted butter – melted, for moist, tender cookies
- Egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract – bind everything together and keep the texture cakey
- Salt – balances the sweetness
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- Unsalted butter and cream cheese – both softened to room temperature
- Powdered sugar – sweetens the filling and keeps it thick enough to pipe
- Vanilla extract and a pinch of salt – round out the flavor
You’ll find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
1. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, cloves, and baking soda. Set aside.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, and molasses. Add the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla, and whisk until just combined.
3. Combine. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. The dough will be thick and soft.
4. Chill the dough. Pop the bowl in the refrigerator for 2 hours. This firms up the dough so it’s much easier to roll.
5. Roll and bake. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into about 1 tablespoon-sized balls, place them on the sheet, and bake for 11 to 13 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Make the filling. Once the cookies are cool, mix together the softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until smooth and well combined.
7. Pipe the filling. Add the filling to a piping bag and snip off the tip. Pipe a good-sized dollop onto the flat side of half of the cookies.
8. Sandwich and enjoy. Gently press the remaining cookies on top, flat side down. Dust with a little powdered sugar if you want that snowy, festive look.
Tips for the Best Results
- Don’t skip the chill. The dough is very soft right after mixing, and two hours in the fridge makes it easy to roll into balls.
- Let the cookies cool completely before adding the filling, or it will melt and slide right off.
- Use softened, not melted, butter and cream cheese for the filling so it comes together smooth with no lumps.
- Pair up your cookies by size before piping so every whoopie pie sits nice and even.
- Storage: Because of the cream cheese filling, keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Make the Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, cloves, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, and molasses. Add the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla, and whisk until just combined.
- Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into about 1 tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Filling and Assemble
- Once the cookies have cooled, mix together the softened butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
- Add the filling to a piping bag and snip off the tip.
- Pipe a good-sized dollop of filling onto the flat side of half of the cookies.
- Gently press the remaining cookies on top, flat side down. Enjoy!
Notes
- Chilling the dough for 2 hours makes it much easier to roll into balls, so don’t skip it.
- Let the cookies cool completely before adding the filling.
- Optional: dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
