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These Snickerdoodle Whoopie Pies are a delicious treat of a soft and moist cinnamon-flavored cookie filled with a velvety whipped cinnamon buttercream. This delicious recipe combines the flavors of the classic cookie with the texture of decadent, cake-like whoopie pies. Make this snickerdoodle whoopie pie recipe on a cozy day in for the ultimate treat!
If you love cinnamon sugar desserts then you have to try my Snickerdoodle Cheesecake with Cookie Whipped Cream, Apple Cider Whoopie Pies, or these Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars!
Table of Contents
If you love snickerdoodle cookies and whoopie pies, then you’ll be obsessed with these snickerdoodle whoopie pies recipe! This fusion of two popular treats is a finger-licking good dessert that’s a step up from your standard snack. Typically found at state fairs and carnivals, now you can enjoy them at home whenever you want!
The ultra-soft, almost cake-like texture are like a hybrid of cookie and cake. Soft cookies with a creamy almost marshmallow filling filled with cinnamon sugar (for extra flavor) – you really can’t go wrong. This is why I HAD to post these holiday cookies for this year’s 12 days of cookies.
Once you know how to make whoopie pies from scratch, you’ll be whipping them up all the time. Use this whoopie pie recipe during the holiday season at cookie exchanges or Christmas parties. They are a delicious treat, no matter the time of year!
Take one bite and I guarantee you’ll want to devour the whole batch!
What are whoopie pies?
Traditional Whoopie pies are two soft, round cakes filled with frosting or creamy filling. They’re like little sweet sandwiches cookies with a cake-like texture. Although it is the official state treat of Maine, it originated in Pennsylvania (my home state, woop woop!).
Traditionally, the cookie sandwich is made with a chocolate base and vanilla frosting. Today, whoopie pies are a popular dessert made all over the country with lots of delicious variations. Hence my snickerdoodle whoopie pies!
Are whoopie pies a cake, a cookie, or a pie?
Whoopie pies are definitely not pies. They’re cake-like cookies filled with cream. How about we settle this debate and just call them delicious?
Ingredient Notes
Snickerdoodle Cookies
- All Purpose Flour – Measure your flour properly. This is one of the make or break factors when baking. It makes a huge difference in the texture of the cookie. See how to measure flour here.
- Baking powder & baking soda – These leaveners lift and lighten the cookies.
- Cinnamon – The main flavor for snickerdoodle cookies.
- Salt – To balance out the other flavors.
- Unsalted Butter – Make sure it’s room temperature butter so it’s easier to mix.
- Vegetable oil – For added moisture.
- Sugar – Use both brown and granulated white sugar.
- Eggs – To bind together all of the ingredients
- Vanilla extract – This boosts the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Sour cream – This is my secret to the best snickerdoodle whoopie pies! This ensure they bake soft and stay soft for a good while.
- Milk – Make sure it’s room temperature for easier mixing.
- Simple syrup – This is an optional inclusion.
Cinnamon Buttercream
- Butter – use unsalted butter at room temperature.
- Powdered sugar – this is used to thicken the buttercream and give it sweetness.
- Ground cinnamon – for that warm and cozy cinnamon flavor.
- Heavy cream –
- Salt –
- Vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
Tips
- To ensure the cookies are the same size, use a cookie scoop to place the batter onto the baking sheet. This also makes it easier to handle the dough because it can get a bit sticky.
- If you’d like to save a few minutes of preparation, make the cinnamon buttercream ahead of time. Just store it in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the snickerdoodle whoopie pies.
- If the buttercream is too thick for your liking, add more heavy cream.
- You do not need a stand mixer for this recipe, you can also use a hand mixer, just be sure to use a separate bowl for the dry and wet ingredients.
Variations
- Frosting Filling – Swap out the cinnamon buttercream for another yummy frosting. Some ideas include nutella, cookie butter, caramel, or vanilla buttercream.
- Ice Cream Sandwiches – Making this in the summertime? Use your favorite ice cream to make ice cream whoopie pies.
- Sugar and Spice – Swap out the cinnamon for pumpkin spice to make this the perfect fall treat! You can also add cinnamon chips for cinnamon taste of every bite.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Whoopie Pies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Make the cinnamon sugar. Mix together cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, oil, brown sugar, and sugar. Cream for 3 minutes, then add eggs, one at a time, ensuring that the first egg is incorporated prior to adding the next. (scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed) Then add vanilla extract and continue to mix.
- Add sour cream and then add half of the flour mixture. Then add milk and add the remainder of the flour and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
- Use a 1 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop out the batter and place onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the whoopie pies with simple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. If you don’t have simple syrup, you can simply dunk the cookies into the cinnamon sugar.
- Make the buttercream – add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, then begin adding powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
- Then add cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix on high for 20 seconds. Reduce the speed to medium and add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time. Once all heavy cream is added, beat the icing on high speed again for 20 seconds.
- Once the whoopie pies have completely cooled, add frosting to a piping bag and pipe buttercream onto the one whoopie pie and then top with another whoopie to make a cookie sandwich. Repeat for remaining pies.
Storing
Once everyone has had their fill, store leftover snickerdoodle whoopie pies in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 3 days. After that, they may dry out a bit.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Traditional fillings for whoopie pie are usually vanilla buttercream or marshmallow cream. Vanilla buttercream contains milk, butter, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Marshmallow typically contains marshmallow fluff, butter, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Of course, you can get creative and add whatever filling you’d like!
If the cookies for your whoopie pie are flat, your batter was probably too thin or runny. Be sure to accurately measure each ingredient.
Although most snickerdoodle recipes use cream of tartar, you don’t have. I used baking soda instead.
Classic Snickerdoodles are sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar. It’s a classic cookie full of warm spices and nostalgia. They tend to have a cracked surface and can be either hard or soft, depending on the recipe.
More Dessert Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
- Sprinkle Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Marshmallow Cream Pies
- Matcha Cookies
- Snowflake Cookies
- Salted Caramel Macarons
- Buttermilk Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar
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Snickerdoodle Whoopie Pies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Mixer
- Cookie Sheets
- Piping Bag
- Pastry Brush (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 cups + 2 tbsp Flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Butter, room temperature
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- ¾ cup Brown sugar
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1½ tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ cup Sour cream
- ½ cup Milk
- 3 tbsp Simple syrup, optional
Cinnamon Buttercream
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups Powdered sugar
- 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp Heavy cream
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1½ tbsp Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Make the cinnamon sugar. Mix together cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, oil, brown sugar, and sugar. Cream for 3 minutes, then add eggs, one at a time, ensuring that the first egg is incorporated prior to adding the next. (scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed) Then add vanilla extract and continue to mix.
- Add sour cream and then add half of the flour mixture. Then add milk and add the remainder of the flour and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
- Use a 1 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop out the batter and place onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the buttercream – add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, then begin adding powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
- Then add cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix on high for 20 seconds. Reduce the speed to medium and add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time. Once all heavy cream is added, beat the icing on high speed again for 20 seconds.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the whoopie pies with simple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. If you don't have simple syrup, you can simply dunk the cookies into the cinnamon sugar.
- Once the whoopie pies have completely cooled, add frosting to a piping bag and pipe buttercream onto the one whoopie pie and then top with another whoopie to make a cookie sandwich. Repeat for remaining pies.
Notes
- To ensure the cookies are the same size, use a cookie scoop to place the batter onto the baking sheet. This also makes it easier to handle the dough because it can get a bit sticky.
- If you’d like to save a few minutes of preparation, make the cinnamon buttercream ahead of time. Just store it in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the snickerdoodle whoopie pies.
- If the buttercream is too thick for your liking, add more heavy cream.
- You do not need a stand mixer for this recipe, you can also use a hand mixer, just be sure to use a separate bowl for the dry and wet ingredients.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The flavour is excellent but the batter was a bit thin for a whoopie pie and and didn’t puff up very much.
Hi Alison! I’m glad that you enjoyed the flavor! This is a very thick batter and should puff up nicely while baking, you may have added too much liquid. I recommend measuring your ingredients in grams for best results! I hope that this helps!