I’d never had a whoopie pie until I made these bad boys. They were so good that I made the chocolate whoopie pies again, filled them with peppermint frosting, dipped them in chocolate, and stuck a lollipop stick in them, creating whoopie pie pops.

I’m not sure I’d even heard of whoopie pies until the last year or two. When I had some leftover salted caramel filling from salted caramel macarons, I couldn’t let it go to waste. I kept seeing whoopie pies pop up around the blogosphere, in bakeries and even in Starbucks, which can only mean they’re a trendy dessert.

What is a whoopie pie anyway? They’re considered cakes, cookies or pies by different people. They consist of cake-like cookies (perhaps originally made with cake batter leftovers) sandwiched around a sweet, creamy filling (often like buttercream frosting). So, they’re pretty much like a mini cake that’s shaped like a cookie. How did pie get involved?

A fun fact I read on Wikipedia: According to food historians, Amish women would bake these desserts (known as hucklebucks at the time) and put them in farmers’ lunch pails. When farmers would find the treats in their lunch, they would shout “Whoopie!”

That’s the cutest food history fact I’ve ever heard. Plus, whoopie pies are a way better name than hucklebucks. That just sounds…unappetizing.

Have you ever had a whoopie pie?

Recipe:

Salted Caramel and Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Note: I used half of the filling recipe to fill salted carmel macarons and half to fill the whoopie pies. If you’re only making whoopie pies, double the cookie recipe or halve the filling recipe.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Adapted from Joy of Baking

Makes 15-18 whoopie pies

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup lukewarm water

Preheat oven to 375℉. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined. Combine buttermilk and water. Turn mixer to low speed and alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour.

Drop heaping tablespoons (I used a small cookie scoop) of batter onto prepared baking sheets, leaving around 2 inches of space in between them. Using the back of a spoon (or your clean, moistened fingers), smooth the tops of the cookies. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies spring back when lightly pressed. Let cool completely before adding filling.

Salted Caramel Filling

Adapted from Baroque Patisserie

250g heavy cream
350g castor sugar (fine granulated sugar)
10g fleur de sel
350g butter, cut into small cubes

Place cream into a small saucepan. Pour sugar into a medium saucepan and set aside. Cook cream until it just begins to boil, then remove from heat. Begin cooking the sugar, stirring occasionally so it caramelizes evenly. Once the sugar reaches a dark copper color, remove from heat and pour in hot cream, continuing to stir with a spatula.

Let mixture cool to around 115°F. Add fleur de sel and butter, a few cubes at a time, while continuing to stir the caramel. Once all the butter has been incorporated, pour the caramel into a shallow container and let cool in the fridge. Once cooled, beat the mixture until light, shiny and smooth.

If you’re not going to fill the cookies right away, you can store the filling covered in the fridge. When ready to use, soften it slightly in a warm water bath, then whisk vigorously until it thickens to a buttercream consistency.

Assembling the whoopie pies:

Pair up cookies of similar sizes. Spread a heaping teaspoon of filling onto the flat side of a cookie and top it with it’s matching cookie, pressing gently until filling spreads to the edges.

Store covered in the fridge. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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22 Comments on Salted Caramel and Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Living The Sweet Life
February 23, 2012 at 5:02 pm (13 years ago)

Sounds fabulous – – I have fallen in love with salted caramel, and with chocolate… what more can you ask for 😉
Also, come to think of it – I’ve actually never had a whoopie pie as well. And what’s more strange, I have a whoopie pie pan – – and well, that’s never been used either. I clearly NEED to make this recipe lol.
Living The Sweet Life recently posted Irresistible Walnut Sable Cookies
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- Stephanie
  February 23, 2012 at 8:12 pm (13 years ago)
  
  @Living the Sweet Life – sounds like this recipe is perfect for you. Let me know how you like it if you give it a try! 🙂
Choc Chip Uru
February 24, 2012 at 2:45 pm (13 years ago)

These look absolutely gorgeous – I love the flavour combo of chocolate and caramel and in these whoopie pies, it looks too cute!

Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Latest: Two Twixed Fudgy “Whities”
Choc Chip Uru recently posted Twix-ting The Foodie World
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- Stephanie
  February 25, 2012 at 9:00 am (13 years ago)
  
  @Choc Chip Uru – I love chocolate and caramel together too! 2 of my favorite flavors together, what’s better than that?
Emily @ Life on Food
February 24, 2012 at 5:01 pm (13 years ago)

Being from Maine I love all whoopie pies but I will have to say this sounds the most delicious of them all.
Emily @ Life on Food recently posted All American Meatloaf
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- Stephanie
  February 25, 2012 at 9:01 am (13 years ago)
  
  @Emily – thanks! That means a lot coming from someone from the area known for whoopie pies!
Liz
February 24, 2012 at 5:13 pm (13 years ago)

My kids LOVE whoopie pies…but I think you’ve just trumped my recipe with your amazing caramel filling!
Liz recently posted Cheese-Topped Onion Soup~
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- Stephanie
  February 25, 2012 at 9:02 am (13 years ago)
  
  @Liz – they are really good with the salted caramel, but more traditional filling is so good too! This is maybe a slightly more grown-up version, depending on your kids’ tastes.
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
February 24, 2012 at 6:53 pm (13 years ago)

Whoopie Pies are relatively new to me. I had one on a trip, and it was dry and not very good. A couple months ago I made a version with maple syrup, and they were really good. So now I am open to them – and this with the salted caramel just looks delicious!
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- Stephanie
  February 25, 2012 at 9:03 am (13 years ago)
  
  @Erin – ooh, a version with maple syrup sounds good. Is it on your blog? I’d love to try it!
Medeja
February 25, 2012 at 12:04 am (13 years ago)

Hm..I never had whoopie pies, at least I can’t remember.. maybe I should start with these 🙂
Medeja recently posted Kiaulienos ir Džiovintų Slyvų Troškinys su Garstyčių Skonio Bulvių Koše/ Pork and Prune Stew with Mustard Mashed Potatos
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- Stephanie
  February 25, 2012 at 9:04 am (13 years ago)
  
  @Medeja – you should try them! It’s like a mini cake. I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying that!
Kristina
February 25, 2012 at 10:17 am (13 years ago)

That salted caramel filling sounds soooo good! Cookies, cake, or pie, whoopie pies are always delicious 🙂 Yummy combo!
Reply
- Stephanie
  February 25, 2012 at 2:00 pm (13 years ago)
  
  @Kristina – thank you! I agree – whatever they are, they’re yummy. That’s good enough for me 🙂
Sabrina
February 26, 2012 at 9:27 am (13 years ago)

Wikipedia always has the most hilarious fun-facts! I never had a whoopie pie, but I’ve read so much about them… they look really nice and I bet the salted caramel filling goes as perfectly with whoopie pies as it does with macarons!
Sabrina recently posted Miniature makes it big | WEEKEND WIND UP#
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- Stephanie
  February 26, 2012 at 6:36 pm (13 years ago)
  
  @Sabrina – you should give them a try sometime! They’re easy to make and so fun to eat.
There Was a Crooked House
April 12, 2012 at 1:08 am (13 years ago)

I just found this recipe and had to share with the readers of my blog. Yum! I would love for you to stop by
http://therewasacrookedhouse.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/whoopie-pies/
There Was a Crooked House recently posted Whoopie Pies
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Christine Donovan
May 15, 2013 at 6:17 am (12 years ago)

These look divine! I want one right now!! 🙂 Can’t wait to try these – thanks so much for sharing!
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floorplanonline.com
December 16, 2013 at 9:20 am (11 years ago)

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you can still have your favorite brewed coffee instead
of the instant mixes. This amount of coffee can also be great for that office.
floorplanonline.com recently posted floorplanonline.com
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