Gingerbread whoopie pies with eggnog frosting
Your new favorite holiday cookie awaits you. These gingerbread whoopie pies with eggnog frosting are soft, delicious treat filled with holiday flavors so they're perfect to share this time of year with family and friends. It even makes an amazing gift, and most definitely deserves a spot in your Christmas cookie box.
As soon as Thanksgiving was over I started to make my creamy homemade eggnog and brainstorming ways to use it. Eggnog frosting immediately came to mind and I'm certain you'll see it pop on several recipes on the blog because it's flavor is unmatched. And when you pair it's creamy richness with the warm spices of gingerbread?
Far easier than gingerbread houses, and no cookie cutters required. This may become your new favorite gingerbread recipe, and the whole family will love it! This gingerbread whoopie pie recipe was adapted from Sally's baking addiction. The cookie recipe is just slightly adapted from hers, while the eggnog frosting is my own!
What is a whoopie pie?
Traditional whoopie pies are two soft chocolate rounds of cake filled with buttercream frosting and marshmallow fluff. While the marshmallow fluff is a great idea, it's not used here. In this recipe, we will use two small gingerbread cookies and fill them with homemade eggnog buttercream. In my opinion, this homemade version is far tastier than the store bought versions!
Ingredients in gingerbread Whoopie pie
- all-purpose flour
- gingerbread spice
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- unsulphured dark molasses
- warm milk
- granulated sugar
- vegetable oil
- egg
Ingredients in eggnog buttercream:
- butter softened to room temperature
- powdered sugar
- eggnog - try my creamy homemade eggnog recipe with generous amounts of ground ginger!
- ground nutmeg
- vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
How to make gingerbread whoopie pies
- Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
- Whisk the molasses and warm milk together. Give it a minute to slightly cool down, then whisk in the sugar and oil. Finally, whisk in the egg. Pour these wet ingredients into the flour mixture. Fold everything together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until combined– or use a mixer on medium speed. (It’s a bit too heavy for a whisk.) Dough/batter is heavy and looks a bit oily.
- Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Scoop mounds of batter, a scant 1 and ½ Tablespoons each, onto prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 13-14 minutes or until the edges appear set. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies should not look oily and should soft and fluffy if they are fully baked.
- Make the filling as they cool.
How to make eggnog buttercream frosting for the filling:
Don't forget, you can use this amazing buttercream on cakes, cupcakes, sugar cookies, and anywhere else you see fit!
- Make the filling: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter, eggnog, vanilla and salt on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar butter and beat until smooth and combined. Then beat on medium speed until combined. Taste. Add a pinch more of the spices if desired.
How to make the whoopie pies:
- Pair the cookies up based on their size. Spread or pipe the frosting onto the flat side of one cookie and sandwich with the other. Repeat with remaining cookies.
- Cover leftover whoopie pies and store in the refrigerator.
How to serve and store whoopie pies:
- Whoopie pies will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- If you want to freeze them, bake the cookies and freeze them in a zip log bag, and make the frosting fresh while you after you thaw and bake them. They will not freeze well once they're fully assembled.
- If you want to make them ahead, make the cookie dough and frosting up to two days in advance of your bake time. Bake and assemble within three days of the date you need them by.
Looking for more tasty recipes for your next holiday gathering?
Get into the spirit with one of these other amazing recipes!
white chocolate peppermint cheesecake, eggnog pound cake, oatmeal cookies with eggnog frosting, eggnog cookies, eggnog cheesecake, hot chocolate cheesecake with oreo crust, cannoli with chocolate chips, spiced gingerbread bundt with cream cheese frosting, chewy gingerbread cookies, gingerbread blondies
Gingerbread whoopie pies with eggnog frosting
Ingredients
- The whoopie pies:
- 2 and ¼ cups 281g all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons 90ml unsulphured dark molasses
- ¼ cup 60ml hot water
- ⅔ cup 130g granulated sugar
- ½ cup 120ml vegetable oil
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons eggnog - try my creamy homemade eggnog recipe with generous amounts of ground ginger!
- ½ ground nutmeg
- ¼ vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.
Whisk the molasses and hot water together. Give it a minute to slightly cool down, then whisk in the sugar and oil. Finally, whisk in the egg. Pour these wet ingredients into the flour mixture.- Fold everything together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until combined– or use a mixer on medium speed. (It’s a bit too heavy for a whisk.)
- Dough/batter is heavy and looks a bit oily.
Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Spoon or scoop mounds of batter, a scant 1 and ½ Tablespoons each, onto prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart.
Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes or until the edges appear set. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Make the filling as they cool.
To make the filling:
- In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat butter until light.
Add powdered sugar and mix on low speed. Drizzle in eggnog or cream, along with the nutmeg and rum extract, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and creamy. Add additional eggnog or cream as needed to get a smooth buttercream consistency.
Notes
If you want to freeze them, bake the cookies and freeze them in a zip log bag, and make the frosting fresh while you after you thaw and bake them. They will not freeze well once they're fully assembled.
If you want to make them ahead, make the cookie dough and frosting up to two days in advance of your bake time. Bake and assemble within three days of the date you need them by.
