BAKE SOME FUN - MAKE A WHOOPIE PIE

Instead of making a cupcakes or brownies for your next celebration, make a Whoopie Pie! If you have never eaten or heard of a Whoopie Pie, it's basically a giant Oreo. You're kids and guests are sure to enjoy this fun and tasty cookie.


I followed the Emeril Lagasse recipe, found here on FoodNetwork.com


You will need:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups shortening
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup whole milk
3 cups confectioners sugar


First, you're going to make the cookie part. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix your sugar,  1/2 cup shortening and 2 eggs together. In another bowl sift your flower, cocoa, baking soda and salt together. Add your dry mix + buttermilk to your sugar, shortening, eggs mix, alternating back and forth - the flour and the buttermilk. Mix in the vanilla. You now have this fabulous chocolate dough.

Does that look like heaven or what?!

Drop dolloped size balls on to your greased cookie sheet. Pop those into the oven and cook for about 10 - 12 min.

When the cookies are done, let them cool on a wire rack. I waited to make the filling the next day. If you do this, place them on parchment paper on a cookie sheet, cover them with plastic wrap and pop them in the freezer. Pro-tip: frosting is easier when your cake, cupcake or in our case, whoopie pie cookies have been thoroughly cooled, frozen and slightly thawed.

Here are my finished cookies — I prefer to use parchment paper, than greasing a cookie sheet.

To make the filling, whisk your egg whites together until they are stiff. Add in the rest of the shortening and vanilla and mix well. Now add in the whole milk and confectioners' sugar. DO NOT ADD GRANULATED SUGAR!!! If you are not paying attention, like me the first time, the filling will be gross and grainy and then you'll have to re-make it. If you'd like to make these for St. Patrick's, you can add in some green food coloring to make green filling!


Match your cookies up in size - tops and bottoms. Use a big spoon and plop some filling on the bottom cookie and then add the top cookie. And there you have it - a Whoopie Pie.

Silly me, I didn't take an image of the final product — this image is courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

Eat them right away - and if you are not going to, be sure to store them in the fridge.


Side note: this recipe calls for egg whites, so be sure to use fresh, grade A or AA eggs because you'll be consuming raw egg whites. But I promise, they are delicious.


What could be better than a giant Oreo?!


Happy Eating
Petite Lemon