Gluten Free Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Gluten Free Gingerbread Whoopie Pies are two perfectly spiced, soft gingerbread cookies sandwiched together with a luscious brown sugar frosting. The cake-like cookies are full of warm winter spices with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

This fun twist on traditional Whoopie Pies is a delicious addition to any Holiday Cookie tray. The cake-like gingerbread cookies are gluten-free and dairy-free. To keep them completely dairy free I recommend sandwiching them with Marshmallow Fluff! (Or my Marshmallow Cream Filling which can be made dairy free by using all shortening)

If you love cake-like cookies, make sure to check out my Gluten Free Banana Bread Cookies or Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I tested this recipe with my own Gluten Free Multipurpose Flour Blend as well as King Arthur Measure for Measure. Both flours worked very well in this recipe.

Molasses: Molasses is a key ingredient in this recipe. It is a thick, dark syrup, high in minerals and lower in sugar than other syrups. This ingredient can be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store. I recommend using unsulphured light molasses such as Grandma’s Molasses. Please be aware when using Blackstrap Molasses your cookies will have a slightly bitter flavor.

Oil: I use grapeseed oil in my baking but a neutral oil such as vegetable oil will work just fine. I tested this recipe with butter but the texture of the cake was on the drier side.

Cream Cheese: I have only tested the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting with full-fat cream cheese.

What is a Whoopie Pie?

Whoopie Pies are a classic treat across New England and Pennsylvania (where apparently they also originated). Two soft chocolate cookies filled with vanilla frosting and marshmallow fluff make up for this handheld snack. The original flavor was chocolate but these days many variations can be found including my delicious recipe for Gluten Free Gingerbread Whoopie Pies.

There are many stories about how a whoopie pie got its name. Pennsylvania claims that whoopie pies go back centuries in their state, originating in Amish kitchens. Amish women would create little pies/cakes for their families, who would find them in their lunch boxes and shout out “Whoopie!”

(I expect for you to shout out "whoopie" when you taste your first homemade Gluten Free Gingerbread Whoopie Pie)

The dough for the Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies is very straightforward. It can be made in just one bowl without even using a stand mixer/hand mixer. Chilling is mandatory for this dough. Skipping chilling will result in very thin and spread-out cookies.

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl sift together gluten free flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.

Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl mix together warm water and molasses. Whisk in the sugars, vanilla, oil, whole egg, and egg yolk. Make sure this is whisked together well.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. You can combine everything with a whisk or a spatula. A flexible spatula works better for this task than a whisk. Make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

The dough will look kinda greasy and almost too thin to scoop. Transfer the dough to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2hrs (up to 3 days)

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Line sheet trays with parchment paper.

With a medium-sized cookie scoop, portion out the cookies (around 1.5 tablespoons). Don't be surprised if the dough looks like "blobs". It does spread when baking but I was able to fit 10 cookies (2x5) on my sheet trays. This recipe should give you 20-22 cookies.

Bake the cookies, one tray at a time, at 350F for 11-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the middle still looks a bit underbaked.

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely. If you want to move them to a cooling rack after 5-10 minutes I recommend using an offset knife or butter knife to remove them from the parchment. The cookies can stick to the parchment.

In the picture below you can see the difference between a "just perfect baked" gluten free whoopie pie (Left) and overbaked whoopie pies (right). While the cookies on the right appear tall and beautiful they are very dry and the outside is overdone.

How to make Cream Cheese Frosting

I decided to use a Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting for the filling for my Gingerbread Whoopie Pies. The brown sugar gives them a slight molasses touch and the tanginess of the cream cheese balances out the spices used in the gluten free gingerbread cookies.

Make sure the cream cheese and butter are at room temperature so they can be whipped together easily. No one likes a chunky cream cheese frosting. If your powdered sugar appears to be lumpy, please make sure to sift it.

Since the Gingerbread cookies are already very flavorful, I am only adding a pinch of ground ginger and ground cinnamon to the frosting. Clearly, you can add as much as you would like to add.

• In the bowl of your stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine room-temperature cream cheese, unsalted butter, brown sugar, salt, spices and vanilla until smooth and slightly fluffy.
• Turn off the mixer and make sure to scrape down the sides and the paddle.
• Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and until the frosting appears to light and fluffy.
• Cream Cheese Frosting can sit at room temperature for up to two hours but if you are making this ahead of time, make sure to refrigerate it until you are ready to fill your whoopie pies.

Store any leftover cream cheese filling in your fridge for up to 7 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow for it to come to room temperature before using (you may need to rewhip it)

Some fun recipes to use up any leftover Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Use as a filling for my Gluten Free Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
• It makes a delicious topping for my Gluten Free Applesauce Cake
• Instead of the caramel buttercream, use it as a frosting for my Gluten Free Banana Snack Cake

How to assemble and store Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

To assemble the Gluten Free Gingerbread Whoopie Pies, use a medium-sized cookie scoop and place the filling in the middle of one cookie. Top with a second cookie and gently press them together. The filling may squish out on the sides but who said Whoopie pies can't be messy.

Whoopie Pies are the best when eaten fresh. If you would like to make them in advance of time, fill them as directed and place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

To freeze Whoopie pies, freeze them on a sheet tray first and then wrap each individual pie in plastic wrap before transferring them to a ziplock bag or airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in your refrigerator.

You may also just freeze the unfilled gluten-free gingerbread cookies for up to 3 months and fill them as directed when thawed.

FAQ about Gluten Free Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Can I make this recipe vegan?
While the Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies are dairy-free and gluten free, I have not tried to replace the eggs with an egg substitute. If you do, please share your experience.

What is Molasses and is Molasses Gluten Free?
Molasses is the liquid that is left after white sugar is processed from sugar cane juice. It is a thick, dark syrup, high in minerals and lower in sugar than other syrups. You can find it in the baking aisle of your grocery store. Molasses is naturally gluten free. Always make sure to check the product you use for any notes regarding gluten and processing.

I can’t find Molasses where I live
Molasses can be sometimes difficult to find outside the US. In Austria and Germany we call it “Zuckerruebensyrup” or “Melsasse” and is available in organic food stores (Reformhaus)

I don’t have celiac – can I make this recipe?
Yes! Please use 300 grams of “Regular” All Purpose Flour instead of the gluten free flour.