What is a whoopie pie?
A whoopie pie is surprisingly not a pie, but a cake like cookie, classically chocolate, filled with a thick frosting that usually contains marshmallow fluff. The whoopie pie is a nostalgic treat that dates back to the 1900’s. There is a little bit of controversy surrounding the origins of this classical treat, but all parties can agree that it is a craveable dessert that will continue to delight generations to come.
A brief history of the whoopie pie
There are two loud claims on the origin of the whoopie pie. Some believe that the recipe originated in the Pennsylvania Amish community where the whoopie pies were made up of left-over cake batter, placed in the lunches of children and farmers, and upon finding these treats they would yell “whoopie!” The other claim comes from Maine, where the whoopie pie was famously made in Labadie’s Bakery in 1925, and from there continued to grow in popularity. The whoopie pie is now Maines official state treat (Tucker, 2020).
What are the components of a whoopie pie?
There are numerous recipes out there for whoopie pies: pumpkin, red velvet, oatmeal, snickerdoodle, gingerbread, and so on! The classic recipe for whoopie pies is a chocolate cookie (made with cocoa powder) and a filling made with vegetable shortening, marshmallow fluff, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. At Bake Eat Love, we wanted to focus on the classic recipe and add a holiday spin. Our recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies has the classic chocolate cookie, and the traditional white icing filling, but we replaced the vegetable shortening with butter and the vanilla extract with peppermint sugar. For that festive holiday finishing touch the cookies are rolled in crushed peppermint candy crunch!
Tips and tricks for making the best whoopie pies
- Use room temperature butter: If your butter comes straight from the refrigerator, don’t fret! There’s no need to let it sit out for an hour to acclimate. Instead, pop it in the microwave. Be sure to use a microwave safe bowl and cover with a paper towel. Heat on high for 10-15 second intervals checking between each. Don’t wait for a puddle of melted butter to form. When pressing the butter lightly leaves a soft indent, your butter is ready.
- Use a portion scoop: An easy way to make consistently sized cookies is to use a cookie dough or mini-ice cream scooper. Scoop a flat spoonful of batter then use the arm to release it onto your parchment paper lined sheet. If you don’t have a portion scoop you can use a measuring tablespoon.
- Refrigerate dough if you do not want to make them all at once: The cookie dough can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to a week. You may need to add a minute or two to the cook time if you bake the cookie dough when it is cold.
Baking from scratch is so rewarding, but it’s a lot of work. Bake Eat Love cuts out measuring and ingredient shopping so you can get right to the fun part! Making delicious holiday whoopie pies is easy with our Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies Box!
Sources:
Tucker, A. (2020, May 5). Homemade Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Fluff. New England Today Food.
