Apple Whoopie Pies with Cookie Butter Filling

The fluffiest and most addictive cookie butter filling sandwiched between two soft and cakey apple-spiced cookies!

Despite the unusually warm days we’ve been experiencing here in the Pacific NW, you can still smell the crispness of fall in the air. I may have been on this earth for a while now, but every year I’m always in awe of the beautiful leaves changing on the trees. By the way, have any of you ever wondered why leaves look their prettiest when they’re dying? I doubt I’ll look that beautiful when I’m on my deathbed…

Before I get too morbid on you guys, let’s talk about one of my favorite fall flavors. Although if I’m being honest, ALL fall flavors are my favorite. Whether it’s Caramel Apples, Apple Cider, Apple Pie, or Apple Crisp, I could never tire of apples. That is of course, as long as they’re soaked, covered, enrobed, or infused with an abundance of sugar. Remember guys, sugar ENHANCES the flavor of fruit. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself…

Besides, fruit is healthy enough on its own. And in my book, healthy equals boring. But you know what isn’t boring? 

THIS.

I’m not quite sure where the term “Whoopie Pie” came from. These don’t even look like pies. To me, they’re more like cake sandwiches. However, “cake sandwiches” isn’t nearly as fun to say as “Whoopie Pie.”

And you definitely can’t go wrong with this sugar-and-spice version to satisfy your fall cravings. Because not only does this treat have the comforting flavors of apple and cinnamon, but it also has the divinely sweet n’ spicy, buttery deliciousness of cookie butter in every single bite.

Yes, ladies and gents…COOKIE BUTTER.

But before we get to the almost lethal cookie butter filling, let’s first discuss the perfectly moist and fluffy apple-spiced cake cookies. Made with both applesauce AND apple cider, they’re packed with just the right amount of apple essence to make you feel semi-healthy for devouring one whole. I love adding apple cider mix to apple treats because it’s the best ingredient for infusing a more concentrated apple flavor. It also contains all of the spices you need–cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

It should come as absolutely no surprise that apple and cookie butter taste beyond heavenly together. Don’t ask me why it took so gosh-darn long for me to discover this. But really, guys…what DOESN’T taste heavenly with cookie butter?

Nada! Zilch! Diddly-Squat! That’s what!!

That’s why I knew I was in BIG trouble when I snuck a “tiny” taste of the cookie butter filling.

Holy. Moly. Cannoli.

Now I know why I don’t experiment with cookie butter very often. It’s literally edible crack. Everything it touches turns to pure, unadulterated gold. From that point on, I had no doubt that these Whoopie Pies would be nothing but stellar.

I take that back.

These Apple Whoopie Pies are also PHENOMENAL.

Apple Whoopie Pies with Cookie Butter Filling

The fluffiest and most addictive cookie butter filling sandwiched between two soft and cakey apple-spiced cookies!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 13 minutes mins

Chilling Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 58 minutes mins

Servings 20 Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

  

Apple Cake Cookies:

• ¼ cup hot water
• 1 (.74 oz) packet Apple Cider mix*
• 1 (15.25 oz) box spice cake mix
• 1 (3.4 oz) box instant vanilla pudding mix
• ½ cup applesauce
• ¼ cup milk
• 3 large eggs

Cookie Butter Filling:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• ¾ cup cookie butter
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

 

Make the Apple Cake Cookies:

• Preheat oven to 350°F; line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together the hot water and cider mix until fully dissolved; set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together cake mix, pudding mix, applesauce, milk, and eggs until combined. Chill batter for at least 30 minutes.
• Using two spoons or a small cookie scoop**, drop batter onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake 11-13 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies spring back when you touch them. Allow cookies to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Cookie Butter Filling:

• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a separate bowl, then return bowl to mixer. Switch to the paddle attachment.
• To the bowl, add the cream cheese, cookie butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Beat on high until smooth. Add a third of the whipped cream to the bowl and continue beating until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the rest of the whipped cream.
• Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, or a gallon size zip-top bag with the corner cut off.

To Assemble:

• Pipe filling onto the bottom side of one cookie, then top with another unfrosted cookie, squishing them together slightly to form a sandwich. If not eating immediately, store whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes

*I used Alpine Spiced Original Apple Cider mix.

**My cookie scoop is 1 and 1/2 inches in diameter.