Chocolate Whoopie Pies

These Whoopie Pies are so rich and decadent that I make them about once a year.  But, it's such a treat to have them!  

The recipe yields 24 of these bad boys - so sometimes I even half the recipe to only get 12.  They are easy enough to make that it would be a great for a school's bake sale (and a way for you to not be tempted to eat them all yourself!). 

Sour milk is a substitution for buttermilk - to make it, measure out the 1 cup of milk and add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar.  Mix and let sit for 5 minutes.  I do this every time a recipe calls for buttermilk.  A little trick I learned from Paula Deen!

Makes 24 

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour milk
4 cup sifted flour
1 cup cocoa
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon baking soda

For the filling
4 cup confectioner's sugar
4 tablespoon flour
4 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 cup butter, room temp
2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the vegetable oil and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Add milk.  In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.  Add flour mixture to liquid ingredients and mix until just combined.

Spray a sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray and drop by rounded spoonfuls on the sheet (or use a cookie scoop).  Bake for about 12 minutes until they are springy to the touch.  Let cool completely.

To make the filling, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix with an electric mixer.  Spread on one side of the cookies after they are completely cool, then top with another cookie.

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

How cute are these? I love, love, love pumpkin! And cream cheese, what a combination. These also will make 6-9 large whoopie pies, but I just thought these were so adorable.

Makes 12-14

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, 1 stick melted, 1/2 stick room temp
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus 2 pinches
1 2/3 cups flour
4 ounces cream cheese
1 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the eggs, pumpkin, 1 teaspoon vanilla, baking soda and powder, and salt. Whisk until combined. Fold in the flour. Using a tablespoon size ice cream scoop, drop mounds of batter onto baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool completely.

Mix the cream cheese with the softened butter. Add the confectioners sugar and the remaining 2 pinches of salt and vanilla. Mix on low speed until blended, then medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Spread the cream cheese frosting on the flat side of half of the cakes, then top each with another cake.