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Gingerbread whoopie pies are made up of gingerbread cookies stuffed with cream cheese frosting. The gingerbread cookies are soft, chewy and walk the line between cake and cookie. They’re also rolled in sugar for a delightful crunch and sparkly exterior.
The cream cheese frosting is smooth, thick and not overly sweet. This is achieved with a slightly unorthodox method. A simple white chocolate ganache is mixed, then cream cheese is whipped with the ganache. White chocolate ganache thickens the frosting without mountains of powdered sugar, which makes this frosting a great texture and sweetness.
Biting into this cookie, you get a slight crunch from the sugar coating, chewiness from the cookies and creaminess from the frosting to balance out the spiced cookies.
Why you’ll love these cookies
- Simple to make. No crazy techniques here!
- Soft and perfectly spiced cookie.
- Ultra creamy cream cheese frosting that’s not too sweet.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: Butter makes these cookies tender and rich. I used unsalted butter, but since this cookie doesn’t contain added salt, salted butter can also be used.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar sweetens these cookies, but also helps give them their chewy yet cakey texture. The cookies are also rolled in sugar.
- Unsulphured molasses: Molasses adds moisture to the cookies, while giving them a gingerbread flavour. Makes sure to use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap molasses for this recipe. The two types have very different sugar contents, so they are not interchangeable!
- Water: Water helps make these cookies a bit more cakey rather than chewy.
- Egg: The egg helps bind the ingredients, while making the cookies more rich.
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour gives these cookies structure.
- Baking soda: Baking soda leavens these cookies.
- Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg: These spices give these cookies their gingerbread flavour. If you don’t have cloves or nutmeg, you can omit them, but I’d recommend making sure to have at least cinnamon and ginger when baking these.
- White chocolate: White chocolate forms the base of the ganache part of the frosting. It makes the frosting sweet and thick.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream thins out the ganache a bit.
- Cream cheese: Make sure to use blocks of cream cheese, not cream cheese spreads.
Equipment
Baking pan material can affect the cookies. If you use a dark coloured baking pan, the cookies will bake and brown faster than if using a lighter pan, so keep a close eye on the cookies.
Also, make sure you have a kitchen scale for this recipe since most of the measurements are in grams. Using a kitchen scale ensures you get the same results I have! Learn about why I use a kitchen scale here. If you’d like to use measuring spoons and cups, you can use an online recipe converter to change the units to whatever you’re using.
Storage
The filled gingerbread whoopie pies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple days. The baked unfilled cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple days. The cream cheese frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple days.
FAQ
Yes. Theoretically, you could freeze the filled whoopie pies on a baking sheet, then transfer them to an airtight container once frozen, but it may be messy to defrost the whoopie pies. I’d recommend freezing balls of cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, then transferring them to an airtight container once frozen and freezing again. Then once you’re ready to bake, roll the cookies in sugar and bake at 325F for 12-14 minutes. I would make the cream cheese frosting when you’re baking the cookies.
Let’s bake!
These gingerbread whoopie pies are so delicious! They’re perfect for the cooler weather and holiday baking.
When you make them, tag me on Instagram @bakewhenitrains so I can admire your cookies. Also, don’t forget to leave a comment and rating below. I’d love to hear your feedback!
With love,
Your baking friend Sherene ❤️
Gingerbread whoopie pies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 113 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 60 grams granulated sugar plus extra for rolling
- 106 grams unsulphured molasses
- 60 grams water
- 1 large egg
- 250 grams all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg
- 1 tsp each cloves, nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
Cream cheese frosting (makes approx. ¾ cup / 180 ml)
- 85 grams white chocolate chopped
- 30 grams heavy cream
- 113 grams cream cheese cold
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg.
- Mix in the molasses and water. It won't fully mix into a homogenous mixture, but that's okay.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, spices and baking soda.
- Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture, until just combined.
- Scoop the cookies in 2 tbsp (25 g) balls and roll in sugar. If the cookies aren't holding their shape, chill in the fridge until firm, then scoop and roll.
- Transfer cookies to the baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches (5cm) between each cookie.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until the tops look dry rather than wet and shiny. They won't be browned much when fully baked. Cool on the baking rack for a couple minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool fully.
Cream cheese frosting
- Combine the chocolate and heavy cream.
- Microwave at half power in 10 second intervals until the chocolate is looks partially melted.
- Whisk until fully smooth. You do not need to wait for the ganache to cool.
- Whip the ganache, mixing tablespoon sized pieces of cream cheese in one at a time, waiting until one is fully mixed before adding another.
- Continue whipping after all the cream cheese is fully combined for a couple minutes, or until fluffy and completely smooth.
Assembly
- Once the cookies are fully cooled, place around 1 tablespoon of frosting to one cookie and sandwich another cookie on top. Repeat with the rest of the cookies.
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