The Best Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Pumpkin season is here, friends! And these mini pumpkin whoopie pies with Masala chai buttercream are fluffy, spiced, and taste like autumn in one bite-sized treat. Even better, they come together in less than an hour. (We love to see it.) They’re truly the best fall dessert for parties and holidays!
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies
- 240 grams all-purpose flour, sifted (2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 114 grams neutral oil (1/2 cup)
- 210 grams dark brown sugar (1 cup, packed)
- 300 grams canned pumpkin purée, not pie filling - I recommend Libby's (1 1/4 cup)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Masala Chai Buttercream
- 114 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup)
- 360 grams powdered sugar, sifted (3 cups)
- 60 milliliters whole milk, plus more as-needed (1/4 cup)
- 2 teaspoons loose-leaf Assam tea (or other strong black tea)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch of finely ground black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
Pumpkin Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the neutral oil, dark brown sugar, canned pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing just until the batter is combined and there are no more streaks of flour.
- Using a piping bag, pipe 2-teaspoon mounds 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. You should have about 72 cookies total. Bake, checking for doneness at 7-8 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched.
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the sheet pan. Then, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Masala Chai Buttercream
- While the cookies are baking, heat the milk and loose-leaf tea in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it comes to a simmer. Allow it to gently simmer for about 1 minute and then remove the mixture from the heat. Steep for 5 minutes. Then, strain the tea leaves through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the leaves with a wooden spoon to release all of the milk. Let it cool completely.
- Meanwhile, beat the butter, 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper until the frosting comes together, about 3 minutes. Add the milk tea to the frosting. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. If the frosting is runny, add the rest of the powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons at at time, until the frosting is stiff.
Assemble the Cookies
- Place half of the cookies bottom-side up on a sheet pan. Using a piping bag, pipe the Masala chai buttercream onto the bottoms of the cookies.
- Place the other half of the cookies on top of the frosted ones, gently sandwiching them together. Enjoy immediately or store the whoopie pies in a single layer in a parchment-lined airtight container for 2-3 days.
Notes
It's super important not to use too much flour or the cookies will come out dry & crumbly. I always bake with a kitchen scale for the most accurate results. If you don't have a kitchen scale, make sure to fluff the flour with a whisk. Then, scoop the fluffed flour into a measuring cup and level it off without packing it in.
Use fresh baking powder & baking soda. Using old ingredients can cause the cookies to deflate. Make sure to check those expiration labels going into baking season!
If you don't have a piping bag and tip, you can just cut the corner off a zipper bag and use it as a piping bag. Or, use a teaspoon to divide the batter.
I store these at room-temperature on the counter. Storing them in the fridge can dry out the cookies.
To make full-size cookies, scoop the batter with a #40 cookie scoop (2 Tablespoons). Space them at least 2 inches apart so they have time to spread. Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes, just until the tops spring back when you give them a gentle poke. You should get about 32 cookies (or 16 cookie sandwiches) total!
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 248kcal, Carbohydrates: 33.8g, Protein: 2.4g, Fat: 11.9g, Saturated Fat: 4.7g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 186mg, Potassium: 102mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 21.7g, Calcium: 35mg, Iron: 1mg
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