Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Red food coloring
- alcohol-free vanilla extract
- Buttermilk
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Oven and Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking. This ensures easy removal of your whoopie pies after baking, keeping their beautiful shapes intact.
- Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. This step is crucial as it evenly distributes the leavening agents throughout the batter, providing consistent results in each pie.
- Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, blend together sugar and vegetable oil until smooth. Add in the red food coloring, alcohol-free vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Mix until well combined. The vibrant color should be uniform throughout your mixture at this stage.
- Step 4: Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add your dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to maintain a light texture in your whoopie pies. The batter should be thick yet pourable at this point.
- Step 5: Shape and Bake Your Whoopie Pies: Spoon tablespoon-sized amounts of batter onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about two inches apart. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter if you wish to maintain uniformity in shape. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow them to cool on wire racks afterward.
- Step 6: Create Cream Cheese Filling: While your cakes cool down completely, prepare the filling by beating cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar while mixing until you reach a thick but spreadable consistency. Adjust with milk as needed for desired thickness. Once ready, spread or pipe filling between two cooled cakes to create sandwiches.
Notes
- For optimal freshness, store your whoopie pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or refrigerate for up to a week. If you prefer them warm, gently reheat the whoopie pies in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds, just until they're slightly warm and the filling softens. Serve these delightful treats with a dollop of whipped cream or alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent dessert experience. To achieve the perfect texture, be sure to mix your wet and dry ingredients just until combined, as overmixing can lead to dense whoopie pies instead of light and fluffy ones.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American