The December Daring Bakers’ Challenge had us all cheering – the lovely and talented Bourbonnatrix of Bourbonnatrix Bakes was our hostess and challenged us to make fun, delicious and creative whoopie pies! Delicious little cake-like cookies sandwiching luscious filling in any flavors we chose… What else is there to say but “Whoopie!”
This is my first post for The Daring Baker’s, which s part of the Daring Kitchen (remember the cabbage rolls? nom nom nom). The challenge this month was to make some sort of whoopie pie from scratch with a filling of your choice. I decided that I should try to include these on my holiday cookie trays so why not go with red velvet to add some beautiful color? Red velvet demands cream cheese frosting but whoopie pies demand marshmallow filling so why not make a hybrid? I couldn’t seem to find anything like that in the recipes I perused online, so I messed around with cream cheese, marshmallow filling, confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice and vanilla until I got a consistency and flavor I liked: sweet with some brightness from the lemon and thick enough to hold it’s shape when sandwiched between two red velvet “cookies”. The texture and consistency of these red velvet cookies is somewhere between cake and cookie. Firm enough to hold it’s shape well and be a nice hand-held treat but more tender than your traditional cookie. These are delicious. I made a double batch of the following recipe for my holiday cookie trays and they were a big hit! I would recommend refrigerating these if you plan on storing them for a longer period of time than a day or so. There is some cream cheese in the filling so I tend to err on the side of caution and store them chilled. Plus, I like chilled cake-like things… 🙂
***PRINTABLE RECIPE (RED VELVET WHOOPIE PIES PDF)***
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Cream Cheese Filling
(Cake adapted from
Ingredients for Cakes:
- 1 ½ ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for the Filling:
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 4 ounce package softened cream cheese
- 3 ½ ounce marshmallow crème
- 1 ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
- Pinch of fine salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- ½ tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Directions:
- Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 50 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth.
- Whisk the melted butter, sour cream, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring in a bowl until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in four equal batches, whisking each batch completely before adding the next. Stir in the melted chocolate.
- Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets and smooth the tops with a damp finger.
- Bake until the cookies spring back when lightly pressed, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheets, and then transfer to racks to cool completely.
- In a medium mixing bowl beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in vanilla and lemon juice. Fold in marshmallow creme
- To sandwich the cookies, spoon or pipe a little frosting on the flat side of one cookie. Top with another one.
Mmmm, they look so good Jess. Wish I could get back in the kitchen, but right now I’ll just have to lick my computer screen–if I can get close enough to it without screaming. You have really outdone yourself this year. Do you always bake so many cookies for the holidays?
Lol. I always bake A LOT for the holidays but it seems to increase exponentially every year. So this is the most I’ve made in a holiday season but I wasn’t too far off last year ahahha.
I’ve never made whoopee pies, yours look lovely!
This was my first time as well!
Thank you! They were actually quite easy!
Your whoopies look wonderful, and I just wish I could taste that filling! Sounds soooo yummy! Glad you enjoyed the challenge! Thanks for playing along!
Thanks! I have gotten nothing but compliments on these, especially the filling! Wonderful challenge!
you made a 100% improvement on whoopie pies with the addition of red velvet cake.
Thanls! Thesr are delicious!
Congratulations Jess. I’ve awarded you the Blog of the Year Award, first and second stars. See my posts for the rules, because I don’t know how to send it out any other way.
Really? WOW thank you angie!!! I will head over there and take a look! I don’t know what to say!
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