May 31, 2011

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

 Whoopie Pies have become very popular over the past year or two and are quite the creation in my opinion.  Why?  Because cake and frosting are just about the best things ever invented and I love cupcakes, but lets face it, sometimes they are pretty hard to eat.  Someone must have wanted the convenience of a cookie, but the taste of a cupcake and decided to marry the two together and out came a whoopie pie - the best of both worlds.  

I have tried a few different red velvet whoopie pies and 
these chocolate ones and I can't wait to try a pumpkin variation.  I really like these chocolate ones.  The cookie is very rich and moist and I love them after they have been refrigerated!  I think these cookies would be incredible with a marshmallow type filling!!  That is what I am trying next.    

Chocolate Whoopie Pies
adapted from: Dessert First

3 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbl. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c. packed light brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 c. semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled 
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 
2 c. buttermilk, room temperature
cream cheese filling or favorite filling recipe

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.  Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.  With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 4 or 5 minutes.  Add your eggs, one at a time, mixing until completely incorporated before adding the other egg.  Mix in the chocolate and vanilla, making sure to combine really well.  Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, in 3 batches, starting and ending with the flour mixture.  Make sure to let it mix thoroughly.

Heap the batter onto the baking sheets with a 1-ounce ice cream scoop.  Bake until the tops crack, 12-15 minutes or so.  Cool on a rack.  Repeat with remaining batter.  Spread 2 heaping Tablespoons of cream cheese filling onto half of the cakes.  Sandwich together with the other cake halves.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week and allow to come to room temperature 1 hour before serving.  Yield: 25-30 pies.  

Cream Cheese Filling:
2 (8 oz.) blocks cream cheese, room temperature
3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. almond extract
5 c. powdered sugar

Cream the cream cheese, butter, salt and almond extract in a mixer on low speed with the whisk attachment.  Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl when necessary.  

Jenn's Notes: I cut both the cookie and the filling recipes in half.  I ended up with 26 cookies (13 sandwiches) and I had plenty of frosting to fill each cookie.  I used milk chocolate in the cookie instead of semisweet and I baked for exactly 12 minutes and they were perfect - very very soft.  Next time, I will try a different filling recipe.    

13 comments:

  1. It amazes me every time I see a post on whoopie pies that I have to admit that I'm a whoopie pie virgin...still! I can't for the life of me figure out why, especially when I see such delicious looking ones as you've made here. Some day I swear I'm going to make some...honest.

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  2. these look fabulous! Mmmm! I just love your blog! So many good recipes!
    -Nikki
    http://chef-n-training.blogspot.com/

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  3. I've got to start making whoopie pies. These looks delicious! Thanks for sharing on A Well-Seasoned Life's Sweet Indulgences Sunday.

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  4. Nice! We have a dessert party to attend soon, and whoopie pies are very new here in the UK, so I think this may help me win! You're welcome to link it up at my Manic Monday linky: www.sewhappygeek.co.uk :) so glad I stumbled on your blog!

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  5. Oooo.... those look REALLY tasty.

    P.S. If you're looking for some more tasty chocolate, I'm hosting a couple tasty giveaways on my blog!

    http://someonesgottapay.wordpress.com/category/giveaways/chocolate-giveaways/

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  6. Am I the only person who has never tried one of these? Well, you have inspired me! They look delicious!
    : )

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  7. Thank you for this recipe! I tried making whoopie pies a while back, but they didn’t end up as well as I would have liked. I’ll have to try this!

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  8. YUM! no really..YUM!

    I wanted to invite you to link up to *Made it on Monday* a weekly recipe link I host on my blog.

    http://larkscountryheart.blogspot.com/

    Link ups are open every WED.-SAT.

    I hope you will join in on the fun. :)

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  9. Steve's snacks whoops pies are great. I will have to try yours and save a little money. I am a new follower. Check me out at www.sciencesoftballandsomethingsweet.blogspot.com

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  10. Hmm.. These look delicious!
    Thank you so much for linking this up to {nifty thrifty things} last week!
    I hope to see you again tomorrow! ;)
    xoxo,
    Vanessa

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  11. I wanted to thank you for linking up a recipe on my site last week for Whisking Wednesdays. I wanted to let you know I featured you in my Top 3. I hope to see you back again this week!

    http://pinchofthisthatandtheother.blogspot.com/2011/06/whisking-wednesdays-6.html

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  12. Thanks for your compliments on my S'mores Cupcakes (http://ringr.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/smores-cupcakes/)! As I started thinking/looking - I realized that frosting you said looked so good would be AWESOME in these whoopie pies (I'll have to use this whoopie pie recipe with my frosting recipe for my other half who keeps bugging me to make him a batch)!

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