Oreo Whoopie Pies are a fun restaurant copycat recipe! They feature soft, cake-like cookies filled with creamy frosting.
Oreo Whoopie Pies — A Fun Copycat Recipe!
Cubby’s is a local favorite here in Utah, known for its delicious sandwiches and salads. The sweet potato fries are a personal fave. My husband, who often grabs work lunches there, can’t get enough of their whoopie pies. They come in Oreo and Funfetti, and he’s a fan of both. The other day, he handed me one and was like, “You’ve got to figure out how to make me these!”
Challenge accepted! The whoopie pies are incredibly soft — like cake. So I figured I’d start with a cake mix cookie recipe (like these homemade Oreos) and my go-to cream cheese frosting.
To nail the texture of Cubby’s cookies, you have to let them rest with the frosting — best done overnight. These make a fantastic make-ahead dessert since they really need that time to soften up perfectly.
Ingredients:
- Betty Crocker Super Moist Vanilla Cake Mix: This is my go-to because it makes the best Oreo Whoopie Pies!
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Keeps the cookies soft and adds a sweet vanilla flavor. Be sure to use the instant (not cook and serve) kind.
- Eggs: Use room temperature eggs for better cookie texture.
- Unsalted Butter: Use unsalted to control the salt level in your cookies. It should be soft but not melted.
- Oreo Cookies: Use regular Oreos and chop them up (with the cream still inside).
Frosting:
- Unsalted Butter: Should be at room temperature, not melted.
- Full-fat Cream Cheese: Use brick-style for the best thickness and texture, and it should be soft, but not melted.
- Salt & Vanilla: A pinch of salt cuts the sweetness, and vanilla amps up the flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: Adjust the amount to your taste, less for tangier frosting, more for sweeter and thicker frosting.
How To Make Oreo Whoopie Pies
- Mix Dough: Mix the cake mix, pudding mix, butter, eggs, and vanilla until it’s thick. Stir in chopped Oreos.
- Chill Dough: Roll the dough into balls and put them in the fridge. This helps the cookies stay thick and puffy!
- Bake: Place the balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake. Leave them on the pan for 5 minutes after baking to finish setting.
- Make Frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter together, then add vanilla and a pinch of salt. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar.
- Assemble: Put frosting on one cookie and press another cookie on top to make a sandwich. Cover them and let them sit overnight. Enjoy your soft whoopie pies the next day!
Tips For Making Oreo Whoopie Pies
- Finely Chop Oreos: For Oreo flavor in every bite, chop finely. Alternatively, place Oreos in a large bag, seal tightly, and crush with a rolling pin.
- Chill the Dough: Refrigerate dough balls to ensure they bake evenly and stay thick.
- Cool Before Frosting: Allow cookies to cool completely before adding frosting to prevent it from melting.
- Adjust Frosting: If the frosting is too soft, refrigerate it briefly. If it’s too stiff, let it warm up at room temperature or add a little milk to soften.
- Rest Overnight: Cover and let assembled whoopie pies sit overnight. They’ll become softer and more flavorful. If cookies haven’t had a chance to thoroughly soften, the frosting squeezes out when you bite into them!
Helpful Tools
- Silicone Spatula: Ideal for scraping the sides of mixing bowls.
- Baking Tray and Liner: A liner, like a silicone baking mat, improves the texture of the cookie bottoms and makes cleanup easier.
- Metal Spatula: Use this to neaten the edges of the cookies while they’re still warm and malleable after baking.
- Piping Tips: Place a plastic liner and a wide piping tip in a tall cup. Fill with frosting and use to apply a generous swirl to the center of each cookie. This way is easier than spreading frosting with a butter knife, but you can use a knife if you like.
How to Make Even Oreo Whoopie Pies
For perfectly matched top and bottom cookies, it’s best to weigh the dough balls on a food scale. This makes sure every cookie is exactly the same size.
You can use measuring spoons or a cookie scoop, but weighing them gives the most precise results!
Storage
Store Oreo Whoopie Pies in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let them come to room temperature before eating. Freeze the unbaked cookie dough rather than the baked cookies. You can bake the dough straight from the freezer, just add 1-3 minutes to the baking time.
Use Leftover Oreos In These Desserts:
- Oreo Frosting Recipe perfect for frosting cupcakes, cookies, or cakes.
- Oreo Fluff dessert dip recipe.
- Chocolate Covered Oreo Fudge made in the microwave!
- Crumbl Oreo Cookies copycat recipe that’s even better than the original!
- Oreo Pie Crust my favorite chocolate pie crust.
Oreo Whoopie Pies
Equipment
- Sheet pan and parchment paper or liner
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 pkg. (14.25 oz) Betty Crocker Super Moist White (or Vanilla) Cake Mix (Note 1)
- 1 pkg. (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely chopped regular Oreo cookies (about 9 cookies)
Frosting:
- 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temp
- 1 pkg. (8 oz). full-fat, brick-style cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- COOKIES: In a stand mixer (or using a large bowl and electric mixers), combine cake mix, pudding mix, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until you have a very thick dough. Scrape the bowl as needed. Finely chop whole Oreos (with the creme) and fold into the dough.
- DOUGH BALLS: Roll 1-1/2 tablespoons of dough (30 grams each on a food scale) into balls. Chill balls for 30 minutes to an hour to keep them puffy during baking.
- BAKE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a liner. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on the sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes until bottoms are slightly browned. Don’t overbake. Let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
- FROSTING: Soften the cream cheese in the microwave on a safe plate using 15-20 second bursts until room temperature. In a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in vanilla and salt. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 1-2 minutes. For thicker frosting, add an extra 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. Chill the frosting for 20-30 minutes to firm up before frosting.
- ASSEMBLE: Once cookies are cool, transfer frosting to a piping bag with a wide tip. Pipe frosting on one cookie and gently sandwich with another. Repeat with all cookies.
- SOFTEN COOKIES: Cover whoopie pies with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to soften (Note 2). The next day, let them come to room temperature before serving. They are best enjoyed on that same day.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
