Jun 13, 2011

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

So I know my last post also had a little something to do with chocolate and peanut butter. This clearly reveals my OCD tendencies (note the two recipe posts before this chocolate and peanut butter explosion were both lemon-related–I was having a lemon moment, people). But hey, we’re friends, I can reveal such things. Like how I’m the sort of person who will get hooked on a particular combination of ingredients from the Whole Foods salad bar and I will go back to the same Whole Foods to assemble said salad every single day for, like, five days straight and I’ll feel fantastic about it. Or I will settle on a certain pants and top combination that just feels so right that I will do a teeny load of laundry every night just to wear the same outfit for many days in a row. Not very green of me, I suppose, but I tell myself that having the magical outfit be clean on sequential days cancels out the crazy. So.

Anyway, let’s not talk about my weird eating and dressing habits. Let’s talk about how Fathers’ Day is coming up and boy, you’d better come up with something good this year. May I recommend these very masculine whoopie pies, for instance?

There’s just something so Dad-ish about the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, AMIRITE? It’s just so very solid and substantial and dude-ish. And given the fact that the husband nearly ate them all when I made them should tell you something. This would be a good time to brag mention that the husband is also THE BEST father I’ve ever, ever seen. Like really, truly. He is kind but firm, endlessly entertaining, infinitely more patient with Little C than I. Plus, he is easily the hottest dad at the playground at all times. Besides his excellent fathering, he also eats at least one serving of everything I bake, but when boyfriend plows through a batch of something like he did with these whoopie pies, I know I’ve really hit on the sort of thing that can only begin to reward him for fighting the good fight of fatherhood the way he so tirelessly does.

So if you’ve got a dad or dad figure like this in your life, whip up some dang good whoopie pies for the guy. Or hey, while you’re here and all, why not check out a few more recipes that also make for spectacular homespun gifts for deserving dudes?

Chubby Hubby Brownies
Best Cocoa Brownies
Chocolate Malt Marshmallows
Brewers’ Blondies
Gingerbread Beer Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting
Glazed Root Beer Float Bundt Cake
Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Cherries and Pecans

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

To make the most decadent whoopie pies, use the darkest, richest cocoa powder you can get your hands on for the cakes. For the creamiest, most addictive filling, I prefer commercial peanut butters here (like Skippy). These can be made a day ahead—just refrigerate them in an airtight container and bring them back to room temperature before serving.

Makes 8 4-inch pies

For the cakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 large egg

1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the peanut butter filling:

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/4 teaspoon salt

Position the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. 

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, vanilla and espresso powder until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg. Reduce the mixer speed to low and stir in the buttermilk. The mixture will look funky—curdled, terrible. But press on, it will smooth out when the dry ingredients are added.

Keeping the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients.  Increase the speed to medium and beat just until the batter is completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Fold in the mini chocolate chips by hand.

Scoop the batter onto the prepared baking sheets into level 1/4 cup portions, 8 scoops to a sheet (a standard ice cream scoop is perfect for this task). Bake until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched, 12-15 minutes. Let cool on the pan for five minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, beat together the peanut butter, butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt on medium-low speed until smooth. Crank the speed up to high and beat until lightened in color and texture, about 1 minute. Dollop the filling onto half the cakes (1/4 cup of filling per whoopie), and sandwich with the remaining cakes. 

• Cakes & Cupcakes

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20 Comments

• 
  Blog is the New Black June 13, 2011 at 12:06 pm

  Making whoopie pies is so fun! Yours look awesome!

  Reply
• 
  The Blue-Eyed Bakers June 13, 2011 at 12:40 pm

  We're extremely happy you're on a chocolate peanut butter kick as it is the best combo there is…these look delicious!

  Reply
• 
  Lauren at Keep It Sweet June 13, 2011 at 4:13 pm

  You never need to apologize for chocolate and peanut butter!

  Reply
• 
  Amy June 13, 2011 at 4:54 pm

  I think the fact that you make the effort to at least WASH the outfit pretty much cancels out the crazy.

  Amy @ A Little Nosh

  Reply
• 
  Joanne June 13, 2011 at 5:35 pm

  Quite tragically, I was born to the only man in the world who DOESN'T LIKE PEANUT BUTTER. How he spawned me is yet to be determined. I would think he didn't, except for the fact that I have his eyes. Sigh.

  Love these though!

  Reply
• 
  Lucie June 14, 2011 at 12:21 pm

  A very cute way of showing your love Although, I have to say, I'm not a man but a chocolate peanut butter whoopie pie sounds darn good to me…

  Reply
• 
  becksterslaboratory June 14, 2011 at 3:19 pm

  YUM! I've tried regular chocolate w/marshmallow filling, red velvet with cream cheese filling, but never this variety! Can't wait to try them : )

  Reply
• 
  the traveling cupcake June 14, 2011 at 10:09 pm

  These look wicked – I'm always happy to find another peanut butter and chocolate combo! And if crazy is what came up with this, then I'd be happy to be crazy any day!

  Reply
• 
  Plateful June 15, 2011 at 3:18 pm

  Simply mouthwatering!! I'm drooling, oh yeah!!

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• 
  Agent-X June 16, 2011 at 8:09 pm

  Holy cow these look delicious. I'll have to try to make some of these with my family sometime for a party!

  follow my blog and i'll follow yours! Best regards.

  agent-x11.blogspot.com

  Reply
• 
  meleyna June 17, 2011 at 3:40 pm

  Just found you browsing through Deb's hundreds and hundreds of comments. You know, because that's the sort of thing that tickles me fancy. So excited to have a brand new treasure trove of old blog posts to peruse through this afternoon.

  Reply
• 
  Anonymous June 19, 2011 at 12:29 am

  Hi, love your blog and all the recipes look fantastic. Making these for Father's Day and, maybe I'm just missing it, but what temperature are these baked at?

  Reply
• 
  Anonymous June 20, 2011 at 4:37 pm

  Thanks for adding the baking temp to the recipe. I baked them setting my oven between 350 and 375and they turned out great. Now I know what to do next time and they'll be even better. Thanks!

  Reply
• 
  Julie Ann June 24, 2011 at 1:41 am

  These Whoopie Pies looks so yummy! I will definitely have to try them. =D

  - Julie

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• 
  Anonymous June 26, 2011 at 11:21 am

  i made these for father's day; they were a HUGE hit. In the following week i made them three more times! I'm using King Arthur Black Cocoa (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/black-cocoa-12-oz). Fantastic recipe, THANKS!

  Reply
• 
  koconn10 July 14, 2011 at 3:11 am

  Just made these!! Delicious! Turned out great if you like hamburger sized whoopie pies! I opted for a white castle size instead.. just over 1tablespoon for one pie! Other than that.. yum!!

  Reply
• 
  Amelia October 16, 2011 at 11:29 pm

  Awesome whoopie pies! Didn’t use your filling but the pies were amazing!!

  Reply
  • 
    shauna October 16, 2011 at 11:42 pm

    Woo-hoo! So glad to hear it!

    Reply
• 
  Louise February 13, 2012 at 8:59 pm

  I’m so glad you included the extra “decadent” hints…chocolate and peanut butter are a huge hit at this house, so we’ll be trying some really soon! I followed a trail from this sweet collection to your post, and I’m so happy I did. Thanks for sharing!

  Reply
• 
  Molly February 13, 2012 at 9:07 pm

  These look absolutely delicious! Thanks for the idea…and the Sugar Rush!

  Reply