Description
Warm apple cider donut whoopie pies bring fall’s favorite flavors right to your kitchen table. Pillowy cake-like cookies sandwiched with creamy filling will make your taste buds dance with seasonal comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter
Supporting Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–4 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, creating a clean surface for your whoopie pies.
- Cream ½ cup softened butter with 1 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and airy.
- Add 2 large room temperature eggs to the butter mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition to ensure smooth integration.
- Pour 1 cup fresh apple cider into the wet ingredients, mixing until completely combined and fragrant.
- Sift 2 cups all-purpose flour into a separate bowl, then whisk in 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until a smooth batter forms without overmixing.
- Drop rounded spoonfuls of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing each dollop 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven until the edges turn light golden and the centers spring back when gently touched.
- Remove from the oven and transfer the whoopie pies to a wire rack, allowing them to cool completely for about 30 minutes.
- Beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 2 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until the frosting becomes smooth and creamy.
- Add 2-4 tablespoons milk gradually to achieve your desired frosting consistency, stopping when the texture feels spreadable.
- Spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting on the flat side of one whoopie pie, then sandwich with another pie.
- Roll the edges of the assembled whoopie pies in a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon for an extra flavor boost and decorative touch.
Notes
- Test the donut pie doneness by gently pressing the center, which should spring back when fully baked.
- Chill the cream cheese frosting for 15-20 minutes before spreading to help it hold its shape better.
- For a gluten-free version, swap wheat flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend and add an extra pinch of xanthan gum.
- Use fresh apple cider from a local orchard for the most robust fall flavor in your whoopie pies.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Pies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 312 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg