Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Rating: 4.03 stars
35 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 20
  • 4 star values: 8
  • 3 star values: 1
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 6

These cookies are not a pie, and these pies aren't even cookies! They're really little cakes. Despite their confusing name, they are delicious and fun to make.

By Chef John
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Ingredients

12
Original recipe yields 12 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

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  • Combine flour, white sugar, molasses, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Mix in vegetable oil and egg until combined. Pour in boiling water and whisk until smooth.

  • Drop dough in balls onto prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart, using a 1-ounce cookie scoop.

  • Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden, about 12 minutes. Allow to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring onto a rack to cool completely.

  • Beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, butter, cream, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer on low until combined. Increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy.

  • Spread about 2 teaspoons of filling onto the bottom of a cookie; top with another similarly sized cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Chill for 30 minutes.

Cook's Note:

It is critical to weigh the flour for this recipe to work as seen in the video. Ten ounces by weight is about 2 cups by volume, but because flour can become quite compressed in the bag or canister, portioning by cup is not very accurate. If you are not going to weigh, only add about a cup and a half of flour, proceed as shown, and if the batter seems too thin after mixing, add more flour, little by little, until you have the thick batter seen in the video.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
423.1 calories; protein 4.4g 9% DV; carbohydrates 63.4g 20% DV; fat 17.5g 27% DV; cholesterol 47.3mg 16% DV; sodium 371.2mg 15% DV. Full Nutrition

Reviews (29)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

Frankifer
Rating: 5 stars
02/16/2013
Highly recommend following Chef John's advice of weighing your flour to be absolutely sure. Followed recipe exactly and the "pies" turned out fantastic and utterly delicious! Cookie stayed moist with a strong but very pleasant molasses flavor. Filling was perfect smooth and overall not too sweet. Chef John you are one of my absolute FAVORITES. Every one of your recipes I have made has turned out marvelous. Your personal style lends to the intuitiveness of your most helpful videos even to a neonatal-novice like myself. And I SO enjoy your charming humor! Thanks again Chef!! Read More
Helpful
(10)

Most helpful critical review

Mary Stoy
Rating: 1 stars
09/25/2018
Since I did not see the footnote until I was finished (It was not included in the printed copy. Next time use an asterisk!) my batter was too runny for cookies. I poured it into an 8 X 8 pan and baked it for 25 minutes and iced it with a 1/2 batch of frosting. It is fine this way but not what I expected. Read More
Helpful
(2)
35 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 20
  • 4 star values: 8
  • 3 star values: 1
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 6
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
Frankifer
Rating: 5 stars
02/15/2013
Highly recommend following Chef John's advice of weighing your flour to be absolutely sure. Followed recipe exactly and the "pies" turned out fantastic and utterly delicious! Cookie stayed moist with a strong but very pleasant molasses flavor. Filling was perfect smooth and overall not too sweet. Chef John you are one of my absolute FAVORITES. Every one of your recipes I have made has turned out marvelous. Your personal style lends to the intuitiveness of your most helpful videos even to a neonatal-novice like myself. And I SO enjoy your charming humor! Thanks again Chef!! Read More
Helpful
(10)
Brian S
Rating: 5 stars
12/28/2012
I watched chef John's video and followed his recipe exactly as written. Well almost exactly - I doubled the recipe for a class party. These were easy to put together with very little mess. The cakes baked up in the expected amount of time. The size came out very consistent using my cookie scoop! A stand mixer came in very handy for putting the filling together. I gave it some time on high speed to make sure it was properly fluffy (watch the video). I took the completed pies to a class of 5th graders for their holiday party and most of the kids finished them. After just one bite one boy exclaimed "I will have an order of 20!" He followed up with my daughter later to ensure they could be delivered after the holiday break:). At home we put the extras to good use. The gingerbread flavor was present but not overpowering. The combination of the gingerbread cake and the cream cheese filling was light and the textures perfect. Overall a great dessert! The doubled recipe made 28 complete whoopie pies. The cream however was probably 50% more than what was needed. No problem we will just make more whoopie(s)! We appreciated the video as it was instructive and a good length. Our 5th grader did not appreciate his quirky sense of humor but then that was not the intended audience. We will be looking for more of your recipes. Thanks Chef John! Read More
Helpful
(7)
Jacque Tanner Levine
Rating: 5 stars
12/22/2013
I had to make these twice I mistakenly used a measuring cup & measured out 10oz.of flour when I reread the directions I saw the footnote from the chef so thought I could just add the remainder of the flour to measure 2 cups the cake came out like a Pfeffernusse So I tried again using 1 1/2 cups of flour & they came out perfect! Read More
Helpful
(5)
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Crissy
Rating: 5 stars
12/15/2013
Stumbled upon this recipe and I'm glad I did! They are delicious. My son has requested more. He said they are "AMAZING"! Thank you for the recipe. Read More
Helpful
(2)
Mary Stoy
Rating: 1 stars
09/25/2018
Since I did not see the footnote until I was finished (It was not included in the printed copy. Next time use an asterisk!) my batter was too runny for cookies. I poured it into an 8 X 8 pan and baked it for 25 minutes and iced it with a 1/2 batch of frosting. It is fine this way but not what I expected. Read More
Helpful
(2)
Zach
Rating: 1 stars
12/04/2016
They tasted fine but they came out flat and the dough was liquid. Never making them again. Read More
Helpful
(1)
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Deb C
Rating: 4 stars
11/07/2014
There are many varieties of whoopie pies and I ve learned you judge whoopie pies on what you are used to. I m still a big fan of the chocolate whoopie pie but this was nice variation for the fall. The cake portion in wonderful especially if eaten the following day allowing the spices to meld. The cream center was way too sweet for me and I would substitute the filling I use on my regular whoopie pies. Other than that it was a nice treat. Read More
Helpful
(1)
Debbie
Rating: 4 stars
02/24/2013
Good but don't cook for 12 min learned the hard way on the first batch Read More
Helpful
(1)
Sheila
Rating: 5 stars
01/17/2014
I have made these 5 times and everyone loves them and asks for the recipe I followed the recipe and they come put perfect every time thanks Read More
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