Apple cider whoopie pies are two soft, cakey cinnamon spice cookies sandwiched around apple cider buttercream and a drizzle of caramel. This recipe makes 12 whoopie pies in about 45 minutes, plus cooling time.
What gives them real apple flavor is reduced cider. Plain cider is too thin to taste of much in a batter, so you simmer it down until it is concentrated and syrupy, then use it in both the cakes and the filling. It is the difference between a spice cookie and a cookie that tastes like a cup of hot cider.
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- Makes: 12 whoopie pies (24 cake halves, 2 tablespoons of batter each)
- Time: 30 minutes prep, 10 to 12 minutes baking, about 45 minutes total plus cooling
- Oven: 350°F (175°C), parchment-lined baking sheets
- Cider: ¼ cup reduced cider in the batter and ¼ cup in the buttercream
- Filling: butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, reduced cider, vanilla, and ½ cup caramel sauce
- Keeps: 3 days in the fridge; unfilled cakes freeze for 1 month
Reducing the Cider (Do Not Skip This)
The recipe uses ¼ cup of reduced cider in the batter and another ¼ cup in the buttercream, and each ¼ cup comes from boiling down 1 cup of cider. So the easy way is to pour 2 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan and simmer it over medium heat until only ½ cup is left. Expect 10 to 15 minutes for each cup you reduce, a little longer for a double amount. The cider darkens and turns slightly syrupy.
Let it cool completely before it goes near butter. Warm reduction melts the butter in both the batter and the filling, and you end up with flat cakes and soupy frosting. Use real cider rather than clear apple juice; it has more body and tang. My homemade apple cider works perfectly here if you have some in the fridge.
What Goes Into the Cakes
Brown sugar keeps the cakes moist, softened butter gives them a tender crumb, and an egg at room temperature holds everything together. The spice mix is gentle on purpose: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon cloves support the cider rather than drown it.
For the liquid, I use whole milk. I have tested the batter with buttermilk and with almond milk, and whole milk gives the best rise. Buttermilk adds a second sour note on top of the cider and pushes the flavor too far. Baking soda and baking powder together give the cakes their domed, pillowy shape.
How to Make Apple Cider Whoopie Pies
Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Mix in the cooled cider reduction.
Add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the milk, and start and end with the dry mix. Stop as soon as no flour streaks remain. Overmixing makes the cakes tough and flat on top.
Scoop 2 tablespoon rounds of batter onto the sheets, about 2 inches apart. A cookie scoop keeps them the same size, which makes pairing them much easier later. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched and a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool them completely on a wire rack.
Apple Cider Buttercream and Caramel
Beat the softened butter until creamy, then add the 3 cups of powdered sugar gradually. Beat in the cooled ¼ cup cider reduction, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth and fluffy. It should be soft enough to pipe but firm enough to hold a swirl.
For the caramel, store-bought sauce is fine, and a batch of my homemade caramel sauce is even better. That caramel layer is what turns these into caramel apple whoopie pies, so do not leave it out.
Filling and Sandwiching
Pair the cakes by size. Pipe or spoon a generous mound of buttercream onto the flat side of one half, drizzle a spoonful of caramel over it, and add a pinch of flaky sea salt if you like a salty crunch. Press the second half on top just until the filling reaches the edges.
They are ready to eat right away, but 20 minutes in the fridge helps the buttercream set, which makes them neater to pack and carry. I actually like them best the next day, once the caramel has settled into the buttercream.
Flat, Dry, or Sticky? Easy Fixes
- Cakes spread flat: the cider reduction or butter was warm, or the batter was overmixed. Cool the reduction fully and mix only until combined.
- Cakes taste dry: they baked too long. Pull them as soon as the tops spring back.
- Weak apple flavor: the cider was not reduced enough. Each cup should cook down to ¼ cup.
- Runny buttercream: the reduction was still warm. Chill the filling 15 minutes and beat again.
- Tops stick to the container: the cakes are naturally tacky. Layer them with parchment.
Storing and Making Them Ahead
Keep filled whoopie pies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, with parchment between layers. Serve them slightly chilled for a firm filling, or let them sit out a few minutes for a softer bite.
For a bake sale, a harvest party, or Thanksgiving, bake the cakes ahead and freeze them unfilled for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature, then fill on the day you serve.
More Fall Bakes to Try
If you love a sandwich cookie, try the classic chocolate whoopie pies or red velvet whoopie pies. For more apple and caramel, there are apple pie cookies, apple cider donut ice cream sandwiches, caramel apple skillet brownies, and salted caramel apple cupcakes. Leftover cider buttercream is lovely on apple cinnamon muffins.
Readers Ask About Whoopie Pies
Can I use apple juice instead of apple cider?
You can, but the flavor is lighter and sweeter. Cider, reduced to a quarter of its volume, gives a much stronger apple taste.
Are whoopie pies a cookie or a cake?
Both, really. The halves are baked like cookies on a sheet, but the batter and texture are soft and cakey.
Can I make these without caramel?
Yes. Use only the apple cider buttercream and fill each pie a little more generously.
Do apple cider whoopie pies need to be refrigerated?
Yes, because of the butter-based filling and caramel. Store them in the fridge and eat them within 3 days.
Is this an Amish whoopie pie recipe?
It follows the same idea as the Amish classic, soft cake rounds with a creamy filling, but with brown sugar, warm spices, and reduced cider for fall.
Pin these apple cider whoopie pies to your fall baking board so you have them ready for cider season. If you bake a batch, tell me in the comments how they turned out.
Apple Cider Whoopie Pies
These apple cider whoopie pies are soft, cakey spice cookies made with reduced apple cider, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, sandwiched with apple cider buttercream and caramel sauce. The recipe makes 12 whoopie pies in about 45 minutes, with pillowy cake halves and a fluffy, sweet filling. Simmering the cider down to a quarter of its volume concentrates the flavor so the cakes and the buttercream both taste of real apple. Serve these caramel apple whoopie pies at fall bake sales, harvest parties, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, or pack them as apple cider sandwich cookies for lunchboxes. Store them in the fridge for 3 days or freeze the unfilled cakes for 1 month.
Ingredients
- For the Whoopie Pies:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup apple cider, reduced to ¼ cup (boil down 1 cup until it reduces)
- ½ cup whole milk
- For the Apple Cider Buttercream:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup reduced apple cider (see note above)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- For the Caramel Filling:
- ½ cup store-bought caramel sauce (or homemade if you prefer)
- Pinch of flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Step: Reduce the Apple Cider
Start by making the apple cider reduction. Pour 1 cup of apple cider into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until it reduces to ¼ cup. This should take about 10-15 minutes. Once done, let it cool while you prepare the whoopie pie batter. - Step: Make the Whoopie Pies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until combined.
Gradually mix in the cooled apple cider reduction.
Add the dry ingredients in thirds, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop 2-tablespoon-sized rounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cakes are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Transfer the whoopie pie halves to a wire rack to cool completely. - Step: Prepare the Buttercream
In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy.
Gradually add in the powdered sugar, followed by the cooled apple cider reduction, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy. - Step: Assemble the Whoopie Pies
Pair up the whoopie pie halves by size. Pipe or spoon a generous amount of apple cider buttercream onto the flat side of one whoopie pie half.
Drizzle a spoonful of caramel sauce over the buttercream. If you like a bit of crunch, sprinkle some flaky sea salt over the caramel.
Top with the second half of the whoopie pie, pressing gently to create a sandwich.
Repeat with the remaining pies.
Notes
You need ½ cup of reduced cider in total: ¼ cup for the batter and ¼ cup for the buttercream. The simplest way is to simmer 2 cups of apple cider down to ½ cup. Let the reduction cool completely before adding it to the batter or the buttercream. Use a cookie scoop so the halves bake to the same size. Store filled whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days with parchment between layers. Unfilled cakes can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw and fill before serving.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 462Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 57mgSodium 342mgCarbohydrates 76gFiber 1gSugar 55gProtein 4g
Ummm, it’s not very clear to me regarding the amounts of reduced AC for the batter and the icing. Are we supposed to split the 1/4c AC between the two or reduce 2c of AC?
Lesley,
You’ll need two separate ¼-cup portions of reduced apple cider—one goes into the batter and the other into the buttercream. I usually start with 2 cups of cider in the pan, let it simmer down to about ½ cup, then measure out the two ¼-cup portions. Any extra keeps in the fridge for tea or oatmeal 🍎
If I were to use these at a bakestand- how long is their shelf-life? And are they better to freeze before the buttercream is added or do they thaw well assembled? Thanks so much! These look amazing!
Hi Erin! Great questions 😊 If you’re planning to use these at a bakestand, here’s what I’ve found works best:
Once fully assembled with the buttercream and caramel, they’re at their freshest for about 2 days at room temperature (in a cool, dry spot, ideally in a bakery box or airtight container). After that, they’ll still taste good but might lose some of that soft texture.
If you’re prepping ahead, I recommend freezing the whoopie pie halves without any filling. They freeze beautifully for up to a month. Just let them cool completely, then store them between layers of parchment in a sealed container or freezer bag. When you’re ready, thaw them at room temp and fill them the day of (or night before) your sale. The buttercream holds up well when piped fresh and won’t make the cakes soggy.
Let me know if you want tips on scaling the recipe or packaging too!
Thank you so much!! I would love to know how to package them! What do you suggest for packaging individually and together in a pack of 4? And last question lol! Would you think for their size, $4 for one or $12 for 4 would be a decent price? Most of my ingredients come from Aldi so I don’t feel like its going to be expensive to make them.
Is there a way to figure out the nutritional value?
Hi Stella, here’s a nutrition estimate for these cookies::
Nutrition (Per Whoopie Pie Sandwich, assuming 12 total)
• Calories: ~350 kcal
• Total Fat: 17g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Cholesterol: 50mg
• Sodium: 180mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 54g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 38g
• Protein: 2g
Cakes came out very flat. Used fresh ingredients, very disappointed.
I’m really sorry to hear that, Belinda. Understand the frustration when things don’t bake up the way you expect. especially when you’ve used fresh ingredients. If you’re open to it, I’d be happy to troubleshoot with you. A few things that can affect rise are how the cider was reduced or how long the batter rested before baking. I’d love to help if you decide to give it another shot.
Should I follow the recipe directions as is if I plan to increase it by half (so to make 1 & 1/2 recipe) since I may make the pies a bit larger?
If you’re scaling the recipe by 1½ and making the pies a bit larger, you can follow the directions as written. just increase all the ingredient amounts by 1½. Keep an eye on baking time, though. Larger pies might need an extra minute or two in the oven. Watch for light golden edges and a springy top when gently pressed. Let me know how they turn out!