Whoopie Pies: Red Velvet Style

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Whoopie pies are potentially one of the best bite sized deserts that exists. They are a magical blend of cake, cookie and frosting all fitting in one perfect desert sandwich. Making a whoopie pie used to seem like it required a bit of magic as well. My first attempt was a fail, complete fail. I quickly learned the value of having parchment paper on hand (because no matter what people tell you, wax paper is NOT the same thing).

This time around I started with a Better Homes and Gardens recipe, with a few modifications. Below is everything you need to attempt your own magical whoopie pie.

Prep your baking area with the following:

• 2 Cups flour
• 2 T Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 t Baking Soda
• 1/4 t Salt
• 1/2 C Unsalted Butter, Softened
• 1 C Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 t Vanilla
• 1/2 C Buttermilk
• 1 1-oz. Bottle Red Food Coloring

Lets get a mixing:

1. Heat your oven to 375 degrees and get your baking sheet ready with parchment paper.
2. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt
3. Beat the wet ingredients in a bowl on high for 30 seconds. Start by blending the butter and add the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and the vanilla. Add in the dry mixture and butter milk alternating until fully combined
4. Last turn your chocolate cake red with all of the food coloring.
5. Using a piping bag, pipe 2-inch circles on the parchment paper at least an inch apart. Being careful to make them all as close the the same size as possible.
6. Bake for 9 minutes, or until the top of the cookie is set. Remove from the oven, transfer the parchment paper to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Once the cookies have completely cooled it is time to start the assembly of the whoopie pie. But first we need our creamy filling. Whip together 1/4 cup softened butter and 4 ounces of fat free cream cheese until smooth (free of all chunks). Stir in 7 ounces of marshmallow creme. You may need to double this recipe, as I find it is not enough to put a nice amount of filling between the cookies. Using a piping bag, pipe the filling onto the flat side of one of the red velvet cookies and then place another cookie on top.

Whoopie pies are best served fresh, but if you have the will power to keep them around be sure to refrigerate them in an air tight container.