Chocolate - Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies
It’s official: I’m the latest food-blogger to jump on the whoopie pie bandwagon. I’ve always thought of whoopie pies with kind of a disregard. I ignore them in the grocery store when I walk by the boxed desserts. They’re not very attractive and those cellophane wrappers that they come in don’t exactly add to their appeal. Whoopie pies are receiving a lot of attention from the blogosphere lately. Some are even calling them “the new cupcakes”. Could it be true? Are whoopie pies taking over cupcakes? I decided to put it to the test!
What I liked about them: 1. The peanut butter & chocolate combination of course! If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you’ve must have noticed my love for all things made with PB & chocolate. 2. Not just the combination, but they both tasted good on their own. The chocolate cake was nice, and the PB filling was super yummy!
What I didn’t like about them: 1. Looks-wise they will never win from cupcakes. They kinda resemble a mini hamburger. 2. Also, the ratio of cake and icing is much better with a cupcake.
Conclusion: I enjoyed my chocolate – peanut butter whoopie pies very much. They were lovely and sweet, however, cupcakes prevail in my opinion. I’m definitely not choosing whoopie pies over cupcakes any time soon (especially with Halloween and Christmas coming). Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Chocolate - Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies: MarthaStewart.com
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch-process
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed dark-brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for filling:
- ⅔ cup natural, creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions:
- Make cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside.
- Put butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
- Make filling: Put peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add confectioners' sugar; mix until combined. Raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, if desired.
- Assemble cookies: Spread 1 scant tablespoon filling on the bottom of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
What I liked about them: 1. The peanut butter & chocolate combination of course! If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you’ve must have noticed my love for all things made with PB & chocolate. 2. Not just the combination, but they both tasted good on their own. The chocolate cake was nice, and the PB filling was super yummy!
What I didn’t like about them: 1. Looks-wise they will never win from cupcakes. They kinda resemble a mini hamburger. 2. Also, the ratio of cake and icing is much better with a cupcake.
Conclusion: I enjoyed my chocolate – peanut butter whoopie pies very much. They were lovely and sweet, however, cupcakes prevail in my opinion. I’m definitely not choosing whoopie pies over cupcakes any time soon (especially with Halloween and Christmas coming). Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Chocolate - Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies: MarthaStewart.com
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch-process
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed dark-brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for filling:
- ⅔ cup natural, creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions:
- Make cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside.
- Put butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
- Make filling: Put peanut butter and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add confectioners' sugar; mix until combined. Raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, if desired.
- Assemble cookies: Spread 1 scant tablespoon filling on the bottom of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Comments
I love whoopie pies but have never made them. i think its time I change that!
These look amazing though!