These apple spice whoopie pies combine apple cider, applesauce, and cinnamon with creamy spiced buttercream to make an irresistible cookie cake sandwich. Reducing the apple cider and using lots of cinnamon spice are both key to the incredible flavor.
Apple cinnamon spice whoopie pies! What started as an attempt to make them taste apple cider-y turned into a cinnamon spice dream. We’ll definitely use apple cider in the recipe to add flavor, but these taste more like cinnamon spice than anything else.
And that’s a good thing. Snickerdoodles as whoopie pies!
Talk to Me About These Whoopie Pies
I will gladly do so!
Fun fact: Did you know that in western PA, where my MIL is from, whoopie pies are called gobs? I can’t decide which name I like better. They’re both fun!
Reduce the Apple Cider… Trust Me
Today’s whoopie pies are flavored with apple cider, applesauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and brown sugar. All our favorite things, right? Don’t use regular apple cider, though. Instead, reduce the apple cider down on the stove. We’ll start with 2 cups of apple cider, then let it reduce down to 1/2 cup. In about 25-30 minutes, you’ll have 1/2 cup of super concentrated apple cider liquid. Without reducing, we won’t get as much flavor and you’d definitely notice a difference. While you wait, get the other ingredients ready.
To save time, you can reduce the apple cider down the day before!
PS: If you have leftover apple cider, try my baked apple cider French toast for breakfast and my skillet apple cider chicken for dinner. Or in a batch of honeycrisp apple sangria for a festive fall drink!
I first saw this recipe on King Arthur Flour. I put my own spin on it by adding brown sugar, vanilla, and apple cider reduction, then played around with the leaveners as well as the dry to wet ingredients ratio until I was satisfied with the texture, flavor, and overall spread.
How to Make Apple Spice Whoopie Pies
Like banana bread and pumpkin bread, I find they’re even better on day 2 because all the flavors have settled together. The buttercream also slightly softens the apple spice cake/cookie, so it’s truly like eating an individual apple spice cake!
Spiced Buttercream Filling
You need the following:
- Butter
- Confectioners’ Sugar
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, & Ginger
- Apple Cider (no need to reduce)
- Salt
Traditional whoopie pie filling includes shortening, but I wanted a buttercream filling here. Beat the ingredients together until creamy and combined. You can spread the filling onto the flat side of the cookie with a knife or you can use a piping tip. I used Wilton 1A.
These Apple Cinnamon Spice Whoopie Pies Are…
- Like apple cider donuts with frosting
- Soft and cakey
- Perfectly spiced
- Even better on day 2
- Worth the effort
- A no-chill cookies recipe. Woohoo!!
Apple Cinnamon Spice Whoopie Pies Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Instructions
- Stirring occasionally, boil the apple cider in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until you’re left with 1/2 cup. Start checking at 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes, etc until you have 1/2 cup (120ml). Mine takes about 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before using in step 4. You can even reduce the apple cider the day ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature before using.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together in a large bowl. In another large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until creamed, about 1 minute. Add the oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until combined, about 1-2 minutes. The mixture will look curdled as a result of the varying textures trying to combine. This is OK and it will come together when you add the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, pour in the 1/2 cup of reduced apple cider, then mix on low until completely combined. Batter will be thick and creamy.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop mounds of batter, about 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons each, onto prepared baking sheets about 3 inches apart. If desired, sprinkle each with cinnamon sugar. See recipe note.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Mine usually take 13 minutes. 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.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, apple cider, and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed until combined. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if desired (I always do). Add another Tablespoon of apple cider if needed to thin out or more spices if desired for extra flavor.
- Pair the cookies up based on their size. Spread or pipe (I used Wilton 1A piping tip) the frosting onto the flat side of one cookie and sandwich with the other. Repeat with remaining cookies. Serve.
- Cover leftover whoopie pies and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They are EXCELLENT on day 2 because the flavor intensifies overnight.
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