Frankenstein Chocolate Whoopie Pies
Chocolate Whoopie Pies are basically just a way to indulge in a thick smear of sweet, creamy buttercream filling using two soft, cakey cookies as the mode of transportation to your mouth.
Servings: 20 pies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk
For the Filling
- ½ cup (1 stick unsalted) butter room temperature
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Frankenstein decorations
- 40 mini marshmallows
- 40 candy eyes
- ¼ cup melted white chocolate
- green food coloring
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and both sugars until light and creamy. This will take about 3 minutes if using an electric mixer or 5 to 6 minutes if creaming by hand.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat to combine. Add the buttermilk and dry ingredients in alternating batches, beating until incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the batter, placing 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, until the tops are puffed up & slightly cracked.
- Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
To Make the Filling:
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Transfer the filling to a resealable plastic bag and snip off one corner of the bag. Once the cookies are completely cooled, pipe a swirl on the bottom (flat) side of half of the whoopie pies.
- Add the top cookies, flat-side down, and gently press together.
Decorate
- To "Monsterfy" your Whoopie Pies, simply tint your frosting with some green food coloring before piping. Place 2 candy eyes on each whoopie pie, and 2 mini marshmallows on each side to make Frankenstein's "bolts." Finish off by piping "stitches" using melted white chocolate or frosting.
Notes
Recipe from The Easy Homemade Cookie Cookbook by Miranda Couse. Reprinted with permission from author.
Variations
- Change up the flavor of the buttercream filling! Try adding a pinch of ground cinnamon, flavored extracts such as almond or peppermint, or a few tablespoons of marshmallow crème.
- Add an extra special filling: Pipe a buttercream "wall" around the exterior of the whoopie pie and fill the center with jam, Nutella or ganache.
- Skip the Frankenstein decor and roll the edges in colorful, festive sprinkles.
- Gluten-Free: Use your favorite one-to-one gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose.
- Vegan/Dairy-Free: I have not personally made these with plant-based substitutes, but if you do try substituting the butter, eggs and buttermilk for plant-based versions and have a good result, let me know!