My love for all things pumpkin is no secret. But it’s about time I gave apples their autumnal spotlight! These Apple Cider Whoopie Pies combine two of my favorite things – whoopie pies and apple cider donuts – to make an absolutely wonderful fall dessert.
If you’ve never had a whoopie pie before, they are just two cake-like cookies with a creamy frosting sandwiched in between. These Apple Cider Whoopie Pies have two spiced apple cider flavored cookies, coated in a cinnamon sugar, and then filled with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients (makes 10 whoopie pies):
Cookies:
- 1 1/4 cups apple cider
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 oz powdered sugar
To start, add 1 1/4 cups apple cider to a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and let simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
When ready to make the apple cider whoopie pies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add 6 tablespoons butter and the brown sugar to a separate bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until well combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add in the egg, apple butter, and reduced apple cider, mixing to combine.
Slowly add in the dry mixture in batches to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
Using a medium cookie scroop (paid link), scoop out the dough into parchment-lined (or silicone mat-lined – paid link) cookie sheets, spread about 3 inches apart (they will spread out).
Add to the preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees 11 to 14 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through.
Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, or until the cookies are cool enough to handle.
In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to a separate a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted.
Brush (paid link) the tops of the cookies with the melted butter, then dip the tops of the cookies into the sugar mixture.
Add them to a rack to cool completely.
When the cookies are completely cool, add the cream cheese and butter to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
Stir in the vanilla extract and cinnamon. Slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, beating to combine.
The easiest way to add the filling to the apple cider whoopie pies is by using a pastry bag or zip top bag with one of the corners cut off. Fill the bag with the frosting and squeeze some of the filling onto the that side of half of the cookies.
Top each frosted cooking with another cookie, pressing down lightly.
Dig in!
If you like apple cider donuts, these Apple Cider Whoopie Pies are for you!
The flavor of apple cider comes through, and the cinnamon sugar on top mimics the texture of apple cider donuts.
The cinnamon cream cheese filling is the perfect addition to the apple cider flavor!
Apple Cider Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 1/4 cups apple cider
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1/2 vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 oz powdered sugar
Instructions
- Add 1 1/4 cups apple cider to a small pot over medium-high heat.
- Bring to a boil and let simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- When ready to make the whoopie pies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to a medium bowl.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add 6 tablespoons butter and the brown sugar to a separate bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat until well combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add in the egg, apple butter, and reduced apple cider, mixing to combine.
- Slowly add in the dry mixture in batches to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Using a medium cookie scroop, scoop out the dough into parchment-lined (or silicone mat-lined) cookie sheets, spread about 3 inches apart (they will spread out).
- Add to the preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees 11 to 14 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through.
- Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes, or until the cookies are cool enough to handle.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to a separate a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted.
- Brush the tops of the cookies with the melted butter, then dip the tops of the cookies into the sugar mixture.
- Add them to a rack to cool completely.
- When the cookies are completely cool, add the cream cheese and butter to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and cinnamon. Slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, beating to combine.
- The easiest way to add the filling to the whoopie pies is by using a pastry bag or zip top bag with one of the corners cut off. Fill the bag with the frosting and squeeze some of the filling onto the that side of half of the cookies.
- Top each frosted cooking with another cookie, pressing down lightly.
