Sunday, October 31, 2010

Makin' Whoopies


Happy Halloween, my friends!  As a treat for my nephews (and for Mr. Magpie, of course) I've made whoopie pies.  They were just about my favorite baked cookie/cakey goodie when I was a kid, and I still love them today.  Store-bought ones are much more widely available than they used to be, but I find that most bakery and store whoopie pies have yucky fillings that are more frosting-like than creamy.  My version tastes more old fashioned, much more homemade, and sweet, but not cloying.  I promise they will transport you back to childhood, at least for a moment or two!

Whoopie Pies 
(This makes 6 huge whoopie pies or 8 normal-sized pies.  You could also make lots of mini pies for a party, but keep in mind that the cookies will bake more quickly.)

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
~Grease two cookie sheets and line with parchment paper.

Cookies 
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk (shake before measuring)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg

~Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
~In a separate bowl, stir together buttermilk and vanilla.
~In another bowl (I use my stand mixer for this), beat together butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add egg, beating until well combined.  
~Reduce speed to low and alternately add the flour and liquid mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour.  Stop and scrape the bowl occasionally as you go.  
~Spoon approximately 1/4-cup mounds of batter onto prepared cookie sheets.  Bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven about 11-13 minutes, switching positions halfway through baking time, until tops are puffed and the cakes spring back when touched. 
~Cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup marshmallow cream (Fluff)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold whipping cream

~Beat together butter, powdered sugar, marshmallow cream, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth.
~In a separate bowl, beat whipped cream with a whisk attachment just until stiff peaks form (do not over-beat).
~In three batches, fold the whipped cream into the filling until well combined.

Assembly
~Spread a generous amount of filling on the flat sides of half the cookies.  Top with remaining cookies.  

Storage
Because these contain whipped cream, they must be stored in the fridge.  I make the cookies a day in advance and then make the filling and assemble them the day they'll be served.  If you're going to be transporting them, it works well to wrap each whoopie pie with plastic wrap individually.  

If you have leftover filling, it's great spread on pumpkin bread or gingerbread cookies!  : )

Quick note: If you live in the Lowell, Massachusetts, area and don't feel like making your own whoopie pies, the very best store-bought whoopie pies I've ever had are available at Cote's Market.  If you're French Canadian, like me, you'll also appreciate the fact that Cote's smells just like your memere's kitchen: baked beans, pork pie, gorton, and much more! 






19 comments:

  1. You are French Canadian? No wonder I like you so much (so am I ). These whoopie pies sound yummy Gigi. Enjoy. XO

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  2. I'm printing this out immediately!
    And they're so much fun to say!!

    Thanks, and Happy Halloween to you both!

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  3. That looks fantastic! Happy Halloween!

    xo,
    nicolette

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  4. I used to buy Whoopie pies for my husband when we were dating and told him we were making Whoopie. We giggle when we eat them now, 6 years later.

    xo Erin

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  5. i didnt know you were french canadian but i had an inkling because of your name.
    these look fantastic! thank you
    ~laura

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  6. I grew up in RI and I have to say that I never even heard of Whoopie Pies until they suddenly, recently sprouted up EVERYWHERE! How did I miss these growing up? Yours sound delicious!
    xo

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  7. I just LOVE blogging! Everyday I discover a new treat from somewhere around the world....today it is whoopee pies (never heard of them before)and you gave me a recipe!!!!
    Have to go now I have some cooking to do!!!! xx

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  8. Happy Halloween, Gigi! Halloween is not a big deal here in Norway, so sometimes I miss the "real" Halloween of back home... though it really is just a a commercial, media & marketing driven machine now isn't it?! LOL! The real holiday is a far cry from our ancient ancestors had it. Oh, and I miss Whoopie pies too... I love pumpkin whoopie pies! ;o) I've not made them before though, no sure why... must do! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe...mmm... Happy Days, my friend ((HUGS))

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  9. Happy Halloween to you Gigi! The cake looks absolutely yummy, I wish I had a piece of it!

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  10. These look fantastic! Thanks for sharing. I know a certain young lady who will LOVE making these!

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  11. Hi Gigi! I'm thrilled to have this recipe, thank you. I see these at the store and would love to make them at home.
    Time for a trip to your Mom's shop! Dan and I still kick ourselves for not buying a huge antique gilt frame that was hanging in her window late last winter. What were we thinking?!! I always tell Dan it's his responsibility to MAKE me buy things when I am having a dumb moment.

    best,
    joan

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  12. Yum, those look so wonderful, Gigi!! I will definitely be making these soon! xxoo :)

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  13. Whoopie pies, I love that. In Texas we used to call them cow patties!
    Copy & pasted into my recipie file.
    I wanted to say thank you Gigi for your incredibly thoughtful comment today. I really appreciate your kind words.
    Lisa

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  14. I had no idea you were a fellow Canadian!

    I have always wanted to try these...I have such a sweet tooth and these look intensely satisfying.

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  15. Thanks for stopping by, everyone! I hope you'll try these. They're so much fun to make, and even more fun to eat!

    Oh, and I'm not Canadian, but my background is French Canadian on my father's side. I think Mainers with this background feel a deep connection to their French-Canadian roots! : ) It's funny, too, because I visited Canada a lot as a kid, but mostly to visit my Anglo-Scots relatives in Nova Scotia. Most of my French-Canadian relatives live in the US now, but no matter how long a family lives in the US, they always feel a connection to their immigrant roots, yes? We say, I'm Irish or I'm Italian or I'm Japanese, even a few generations in. I love that about being an American; we're all from someplace else even as we're Americans. My husband's family is the same way about being Polish.

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  16. Gigi..they look so good...oh...they do.and thank you for sharing the recipe~

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  17. I saw a cookbook devoted entirely to whoopie pies the other day. I was tempted to buy it; now I'm glad that I didn't as I really just need one good whoopie pie recipe! (I didn't know about whoopie pies until a visit to NH a couple of summers ago.)

    It's so hard to photograph food; this picture is fab.

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  18. Do you know I've never actually eaten a whoopie pie? Hmmmm....

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