Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies are soft, fluffy cake-like cookies sandwiched together with a luscious cream cheese frosting! They're made entirely from scratch and they're perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas or any occasion!
Servings: 16 whoopie pies
Calories: 206kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt omit if using salted butter
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened; see note 2
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature; see note 2
- 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature; see note 3
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon red gel paste see note 4
- cream cheese frosting
Instructions
Prepare the whoopie pies:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line (2) rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.2 cups all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Place the softened butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the egg, buttermilk, vanilla and red food coloring, beating on low until combined.1 stick unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 tablespoon red gel paste
- Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the dough and place on the prepared pans about 2-3" apart and smooth the tops of the dough as needed. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 10-12 minutes until set, then remove from heat.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cookies from the pan and cool completely on the wire rack.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting and spread or pipe the frosting onto half of the whoopie pies. Top each frosted whoopie pie with the other half. To keep the filling from oozing out when bitten into, chill the pies for 15-20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!cream cheese frosting
Notes
- Pro tip: It's essential that the butter, egg and buttermilk come to room temperature as this ensures that the ingredients mix more evenly. This promotes a fluffy texture and even baking.
- To speed up the process of softening the butter, cut it into small cubes. Add the egg to a bowl of warm (not hot) water to bring it to room temperature more quickly.
- No buttermilk? Add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk, stir and let stand 5-10 minutes until soured.
- I prefer using red gel paste rather than liquid red food coloring. The gel provides a more vibrant, concentrated red color without needing to add extra liquid to the cookie dough. 1/2 tablespoon provides the optimal color. If using liquid food coloring, you'll need twice as much (around 1 tablespoon), and it could thin out the dough a bit.
- Store the whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Be sure to let them stand at room temperature before serving for the best cake-like texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1whoopie pie | Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 89mg | Sugar: 27g