These festive Cake Mix Whoopie Pies are perfect for fall and made with the goodness of pumpkin for a boost of delicious vitamins and fiber! With a sweet, creamy cheesecake filling and only a few ingredients, it's a dessert that can't get any simpler. Make these cute and irresistible pumpkin whoopie pies for birthdays, autumn festivities, or any time you want a quick and yummy treat!
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👩🏻🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe
I love everything pumpkin, and autumn is the perfect time to kick it into high gear!
Although, I will be honest, I make desserts with pumpkin in them all year long, because pumpkin is a great way to make those sweets just a little less unhealthy. It adds fiber to the dessert, and eliminates the need for oil. Gotta love it!
Making brownies with canned pumpkin or something like this Crock Pot Pumpkin Cake are great ways to incorporate more pumpkin into your desserts. It makes for such fudgy and soft textures, and the fact that it's slightly healthier is such a plus!
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- canned pumpkin - use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling!
- spice cake mix - mixed with the canned pumpkin, these are the only two ingredients you'll need for the cake part of your whoopie pies!
- butter - gives the filling a buttercream-like flavor.
- cream cheese - adds a creamy thickness to your whoopie pie filling and provides that classic cheesecake taste!
- confectioner's sugar - helps the butter and cream cheese form into a soft frosting consistency.
- vanilla - for additional flavor in the filling.
- sprinkles - optional, for decoration.
🔪 Instructions
- Mix together the cake mix and canned pumpkin. This batter will be very thick.
- Fill a whoopie pie pan with the batter and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Cool and transfer to a wire rack.
- To make the filling, start by beating the butter with a hand mixer until fluffy. Then add the cream cheese and mix until smooth, and follow up with the confectioner's sugar and vanilla.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons on half of the baked whoopie pie cakes.
- Place the other half on top of the filling.
- Roll the outside in the sprinkles or press them on.
👪 FAQs
Typically this is due to a batter that's too thin. If your cake mix whoopie pies are coming out flat, try slightly reducing the amount of canned pumpkin in the batter.
If your whoopie pies sit out for too long, this can cause them to get sticky. It's best to store them in an airtight container or even wrap them individually in plastic to prevent stickiness.
Because of the ingredients in the filling, it's best to store these whoopie pies in the refrigerator. They'll be good for over a week there. You can also freeze them for about 2 months. Just be sure to thaw in the fridge or even on the counter, as whoopie pies are best enjoyed at room temperature.
💭 Other Helpful Tips
- You can bake the whoopie pie halves ahead of time and assemble later. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
- The frosting can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Be sure to give it 20 minutes or so to soften before assembly.
Pumpkin whoopie pies are a quick and easy dessert that are perfect for fall! The flavors of pumpkin spice and cheesecake are delicious together, and these little handheld pies are perfect for lunchboxes or for a treat on the go!
📖 Variations
- If you love the combination of pumpkin and chocolate, try adding some chocolate chips to the whoopie pie batter, or using them instead of sprinkles to decorate the exposed filling.
- Other great ideas to decorate these pumpkin whoopie pies: candied pecans or walnuts, brown sugar, or cinnamon sugar.
- Store bought frosting can also be used to fill these whoopie pies, but the consistency might be slightly too thin.
🍰 Dessert Dishes
There's never too much dessert! (OK, maybe there is, but you didn't hear it from me).
If you're craving more sweets after these pumpkin whoopie pies, check out this recipe for Sesame Cookies with Pretzels, which are unique and tasty little cookies that melt in your mouth.
Or go for something more classic like Guinness Chocolate Cake, or a dessert you can eat for breakfast if you really wanted-- Pancake Mix Cake with Graham Crackers!
🎃 More Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Overnight Oats - Start your day with a hearty and filling breakfast!
- Pumpkin Cheddar Grilled Cheese - Makes a quick dinner or lunch, especially if you're looking for a new spin on grilled cheese.
- Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake - Pumpkin and dessert just work so well together!
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies Recipe
Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star ⭐ rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!
📋 Recipe Card
Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake Mix Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
For the whoopie pies:
- 1 box spice cake mix
- 1 can pure pumpkin
For the filling:
- ½ cup butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 package)
- 3 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla
- Fall-themed sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
For the whoopie pies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a large bowl, mix together the spice cake mix and pumpkin. The batter will be very thick.1 box spice cake mix, 1 can pure pumpkin
- Using a whoopie pie pan, fill each cup about ¾ of the way with batter.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and then remove the pies and transfer to a wire cooling rack.
For the filling:
- Using a hand mixer, beat the butter on high speed until fluffy. Combine the cream cheese and continue to mix until smooth and well-combined.½ cup butter, 8 ounces cream cheese
- Add the confectioner's sugar and vanilla and mix thoroughly. (For stiffer filling, use a more confectioner's sugar.)3 cups confectioner's sugar, 1.5 teaspoons vanilla
- Spread one half of each whoopie pie with about 2 tablespoons of filling (use more or less as desired).
- Place the other whoopie pie half on top of the filling.
- Sprinkle the fall-themed sprinkles around the outside of the filling (optional).Fall-themed sprinkles
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- You can make these ahead of time and assemble them right before serving. Store the whoopie pie halves in an airtight container at room temperature and the filling in the refrigerator. Remove the filling from the refrigerator about 15-20 minutes prior to assembly to soften a little.
Video
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in September 2015, but was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in September 2021.
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Happy cooking!
Alison
I love how easy this recipe is to make with a cake mix and pumpkin purée! Making this weekend with the kids!
Colleen
These are perfect for fall, and so convenient with the cake mix. I know they will be a hit!
Seema Sriram
By the looks of it, they will be gone the moment we put them out looks like perfect treats to an upcoming birthday of my niece.
Heather Perine
I can't believe these are made with just two ingredients! Adding this to my must bake Fall list!
Diana Reis
These spongy little cakes are so tasty and the cream is perfect.
Angelina
These look soooo yummy! Thanks for sharing with Thursday Favorite Things - I'll be featuring you tomorrow! Angelina at Petite Haus
Miz Helen
Hope you are having a great week and thank you so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen