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    Home » Recipes

    The ultimate whoopie pie recipe

    Originally Published: Dated: October 29, 2017 Last Updated: Dec 14, 2020 By: Christina

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Sweet, screaming with chocolate, crowd-pleasing treats! This whoopie pie recipe is not for old-school lightweight cake-style pies, but for rich, dense and fudge-like desserts. And forget a flavorless, full of corn syrup marshmallow fluff filling. Read on for three easy fillings: pumpkin, cream cheese or homemade marshmallow buttercream.

    Whoopie pie recipe.

    Chef meets whoopie pie

    My childhood did not include whoopie pies. But during my first foray into the food world at SusieCakes Bakery, I met the treat I will still drive out of my way to procure.  The chocolate halves are dense with a wonderful crackle, and the vanilla buttercream filling is smooth and not too sweet.

    The making of this original chocolate whoopie pies recipe

    As I moved on from SusieCake's and out of California, I decided to experiment at home for this to-die-for treat I could no longer outsource with a quick trip to the bakery. I'm not a fan of fancy and expensive specialty kitchen tools, so these can be made with just a cookie sheet (no need for a whoopie pan pan). 

    Chocolate whoopie pie with filling on plate.

    In an effort to replicate the rich, brownie-like halves of my professional past, this whoopie pie recipe calls for real chocolate, brown sugar and a lower ratio of flour than a typical cake-style pie.

    The method for chocolate whoopie pies

    Similar to many brownie recipes, for this one you melt the chocolate and "wet" ingredients together, then mix in sifted dry ingredients. Once mixed, I like to chill the batter a bit for easy scooping. 

    Scooping whoopie pie batter on plate.

    If you have a ice cream scoop with a release, it helps portion the pie halves evenly for same-size pies (your welcome, Paul Hollywood!). If not, simply use two large spoons and a careful eye, rolling the batter into balls, then flattening them on the pan.

    Many a delicious whoopie pie filling

    Baking these in autumn? I add pumpkin purée to cream cheese frosting. Love the classic marshmallow filling? Take my homemade marshmallow fluff and add it to classic American buttercream (buttercream recipe below). No matter how you fill these, you truly can't go wrong.

    Chocolate whoopie pie with pumpkin filling, on table with Halloween candy.

    Why not just bake brownies, you say, and schmear some buttercream on top?  Because this whoopie pie recipe will make you say Whoopie!  100% cliché, I know. But don't knock 'em 'till you taste 'em.

    Yours in makin' whoopies,

    Christina Bailey digital signature on Edible Times
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    Whoopie pie with pumpkin cream cheese filling on plate

    Chocolate Whoopie Pies + Three Buttercream Fillings

    ★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
    • Author: Christina
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
    • Total Time: 50 minute
    • Yield: 1 hr, 20 minutes (1 hour inactive) 1x
    • Category: Desserts
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Whoopie!! That is all.


    Ingredients

    Scale

    Whoopie Pies

    • 3 ounces unsalted butter (6 tablespoons)
    • ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
    • 6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, Ghirardelli 60% recommended
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

    Cream Cheese Buttercream

    • 4 ounces cream cheese
    • 1-2 cups powdered sugar
    • ½ – ¾ cup pumpkin purée (as much or little as you like)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • pinch of salt
    • 2 teaspoons heavy cream

    Vanilla-Marshmallow Buttercream

    • 2 sticks unsalted butter
    • 1-2 cups powdered sugar (depending on sweetness level preference)
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste
    • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
    • ½ cup store-bought or better yet homemade marshmallow fluff

    Instructions

    Whoopie Pies

    1. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt together butter, chocolate chips and brown sugar. Let cool for five minutes.
    2. In a large bowl beat eggs with vanilla. Whisk in chocolate mixture.
    3. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. In several additions, whisk dry ingredients into batter. Chill for two hours until very cold, or overnight.
    4. Preheat oven to 325° F.
    5. Scoop batter using a 1-2-inch ice cream scoop (or two large spoons). Space cookies two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking pan. Use hot water to keep the scoop clean.
    6. Using the inside of your hand, flatten the mounds of dough about halfway.
    7. Bake cookies about 10 minutes for two-inch cookies (adjust baking time for size), just until they begin to rise and loose their sheen.
    8. Cool completely on the pan set over a rack, then fill with buttercream.
    9. Store chilled, but serve room temperature.

    For Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

    1. With a hand mixer (or stand mixer with a paddle), beat cream cheese on medium-low speed until smooth, then slowly add one cup powdered sugar.
    2. Beat in pumpkin to taste, then add vanilla, salt and heavy cream.
    3. Beat in remaining powdered sugar a little at a time, stopping when you reach your desired sweetness level.

    Vanilla-Marshmallow Butterceam

    1. Beat butter with a hand mixer (or stand mixer with a paddle) on medium-high speed until lightened in color, about five minutes.
    2. Beat in powdered sugar on low speed a little at a time, scraping down the bowl often. 
    3. Beat in vanilla, salt and heavy cream. Beat in marshmallow fluff.

    Keywords: whoopie pies, whoopie pie recipe

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    Filed Under: Desserts, Recipes Tagged With: chocolate whoopie pies recipe, pumpkin desserts, pumpkin recipes, whoopie pie filling without fluff, whoopie pies

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christina

      February 07, 2021 at 6:38 pm

      So glad you enjoyed them! We actually eat mostly GF, but I've never made these that way. Thanks for sharing! ????

    2. Whitney

      February 07, 2021 at 5:12 pm

      These are delicious!!! I used GF cup for cup mix and they worked beautifully. I also made a peanut butter cream (think pb pie) for the filling. Amazing!!

      ★★★★★

    3. edibletimes

      January 14, 2014 at 12:52 pm

      Thanks! It's hard to be chocolate on both sides of buttercream!

    4. Dina

      November 05, 2013 at 6:18 am

      they look amazing!

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