Mini Chocolate Whoopie Pies

It may be hard to believe, but these adorable mini whoopie pies are made with only 6 ingredients.  I know, right?  

To make the cookies, combine one box of dry devils food cake mix and one can of 100% pure pumpkin puree.  No egg, no water, no oil, just the dry mix and pumpkin.  That's all.  I mix them in my stand mixer using a BeaterBlade or flat beater attachment. 

Then I use a #50 scoop to portion 1 tablespoon mounds of dough onto silpat lined half sheet pans.  This recipe will make 4 pans of cookies.  If you don't have 4 pans with liners, you can rotate 2 pans - just be sure the pans are completely cool before putting cookie dough on them.  

While the cookies are baking, make the cream filling. 

Cream together room temperature butter and confectioners sugar.  Make sure the butter is at room temperature.  This is one of the few recipes that I use salted butter.  You can use unsalted if you like, just add a healthy pinch or two of fine salt for flavor. 

Whip the butter and sugar together for a full 3 minutes.  I like to use my BeaterBlade attachment so I don't have to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  LOVE my BeaterBlade!!  

Add the marshmallow cream.  It's so sticky!

And lastly, add pure vanilla extract. Use the good stuff - it makes all the difference. 

Mix again, just until the marshmallow cream and vanilla are fully incorporated.

Place the cream filling in a large pastry bag fitted with a round tip.  I like to use plastic and polycarbonate tips for several reasons:

1. They don't have seams, which can leave marks in your piped design.

2. They don't get cold like metal tips. cold metal can make some fillings seize and clog the tip (like anything containing temperature sensitive ingredients like chocolate or butter).

3. You can spot large air bubbles before they have a chance to explode all over the place.

Ok, back to our mini whoopie pies.  Squeeze a good dollop of filling on the flat side of one cookie and top with another cookies, sandwiching the two flat sides together as shown below.

And that's all there is to it.  Store these bite-size treats in an airtight container.  Serve chilled.

Items used to make this recipe:

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3r9wNGK

• marshmallow cream https://amzn.to/3rmcFBu

• #50 scoop https://amzn.to/32OW1Rg

• beaterblade https://amzn.to/348gOzS

• half sheet pans https://amzn.to/3L6vNv8

• silpat liner https://amzn.to/3rjZzo3

• 100% pure pumpkin puree https://amzn.to/3IVYxob

• devils food cake mix https://amzn.to/3ugjfew

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Mini Chocolate Whoopie Pies

makes approximately 30 mini whoopie pies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Whoopie Pies

• 18.5 ounce box devils food cake mix

• 15 ounces 100% pure pumpkin puree

Filling

• 16 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature

• 2 cups confectioners sugar

• 7.5 ounces marshmallow cream

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

To make cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 half sheet pans with silpats.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade (or paddle attachment), combine cake mix and pumpkin until no signs of dry cake mix remain.

3. Use a #50 scoop (about 1 tablespoon) to portion 15 cookies onto each prepared sheet pan.

4. Bake one pan at a time, in the center of the oven, for 15 minutes; repeat until all cookie dough is baked (be sure sheet trays are completely cool before placing cookie dough on them).

5. Allow cookies to cool completely on sheet pan before filling.

To make filling and assemble whoopie pies:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade (or paddle attachment), cream butter and sugar together for 3 minutes.

2. Add marshmallow cream and vanilla; mix until combined.

3. Place filling in a disposable pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.

4. Pipe filling onto flat side of one cooled cookie and top with a second cookie to form a mini whoopie pie; continue until all the cookies are filled.

5. Chill whoopie pies in an airtight container; serve cold.

Notes

• Leftover cream filling can be frozen in an airtight container.  

• Thaw overnight in the fridge and re-whip to restore consistency if needed.

Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Drizzle

I enjoyed coconut macaroons at a gathering not long ago and it made me think, "it's been a long time since I made macaroons."  So naturally, I rushed home to whip up a batch.  If you like soft, chewy, coconutty cookies -  these, my friend, are for you!  They're  extremely easy to make since they contain only 3 ingredients (4 if you drizzle them with chocolate).  And did I mention they're Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, and suitable for Passover?  

Start with 1 pound of sweetened coconut flakes.  Be sure to you don't get desiccated coconut, which is very dry.

Also needed, Vanilla Bean Paste (or pure vanilla extract) and a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk.

As you see, I use a safety can opener, even though the can of sweetened condensed milk has a pull-top because the pull-top leaves a sharp edge.

See?  Nice smooth edge that won't ruin my spatulas or cut my fingers.

In goes the Vanilla Bean Paste.  Can you see all the little seeds?  They're packed full of flavor.

Mix well. I like to use my BeaterBlade attachment so I don't have to stop and scrape down the sides of my mixing bowl.

Use a #50 scoop (about 1 tablespoon) to portion the cookies onto two prepared half sheet pans.  I tested baking them on Silpats (silicone liners) and parchment.  The macaroons stuck to the parchment, but released perfectly from the Silpats so that's what I recommend you use. 

Dip your fingertips in water and roll each portion of cookie dough into a ball.  

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies start to turn brown and caramelized around the edges.  Mmmm.  Allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from the silicone lined sheet pans.  They'll be too soft to move before then.

When the cookies are completely cool, drizzle with a little melted chocolate (use really good chocolate).  I placed my chocolate in a zip-top bag and microwaved it for 30 seconds at a time until it was completely melted.  Then I cut a very, very small hole in the corner of the bag and drizzled it over the cookies.

And that's all there is to making these soft and chewy coconut flavor bombs.  Go make some macaroons! 

Some of the items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• sweetened flaked coconut https://amzn.to/3ujyfIt

• sweetened condensed milk https://amzn.to/3ujJXCQ

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3r9wNGK

• pure vanilla bean paste https://amzn.to/3HhfWXZ

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/35BtaRv

• silpat liner https://amzn.to/3gdl0Rw

• #50 scoop https://amzn.to/32OW1Rg

• BeaterBlade attachment https://amzn.to/35vVXH5

• high quality dark chocolate https://amzn.to/3ohtfjK

• KitchenAid stand mixer https://amzn.to/34bqUAb

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Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate Drizzle

makes about 32 cookies (#50 scoop)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 ounces sweetened coconut flakes (about 6 cups)

• 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

• 1 ounce semisweet or dark chocolate for drizzling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 half sheet pans with silpat liners.

2. Combine coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla.

3. Use #50 scoop, packed, to portion cookies.

4. Dip fingertips in water and roll cookies into ball shape; space evenly on prepared sheet pans.

5. Bake in center of preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the edges start to turn brown and caramelize.

6. Allow macaroons to cool completely on silpats before removing.

7. Place chocolate in zip-top bag and melt gently in microwave; snip small hole in corner of bag and drizzle on macaroons.