Recipe Thursday #32: Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Today is my catch-up day from the craziness of hospitals and doctors this week, so I am finally posting yesterday's recipe selection. I made these earlier this week for my best friend's birthday. They are simply divine and have inspired me to make all kinds of variations. This batch called for Peppermint Cream Cheese Filling, but I want to try them with plain old cream cheese filling next. I hope you enjoy them as much as we all did!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2. 1 cup packed brown sugar
3. 2 1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
4. 1/2 tsp. baking soda
5. 1/4 tsp. salt
6. 1 egg
7. 1 tsp. vanilla
8. 2 cups white flour
9. 1/2 cup buttermilk
10. 1 1-ounce bottle red food coloring

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside
3. In large mixing bowl, beat softened butter until creamy
4. Add brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well
5. Add egg and vanilla and mix well
6. Add flour and buttermilk, alternating between the two, while beating on low speed
7. Add food coloring and mix until well combined
8. Use a medium cookie scoop to dough 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets
9. Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until edges set
10. Cool on cookie sheet, then transfer to wax paper lined wire racks until completely cool
11. Add filling to underside of half of the cookies, then top with remaining cookies and press to even out filling

Peppermint Cream Cheese Filling

Ingredients

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tsp. milk
  

Directions

1. In medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter on medium speed until creamy
2. Add peppermint extract and mix well
3. Gradually add powdered sugar, and mix until well combined and fluffy
4. If needed, add milk (1 tsp at a time) and beat well to make filling more spreadable

**Notes, for regular cream cheese filling, use vanilla extract instead of peppermint extract