Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick, 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 ounce red food coloring
For the frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Directions
For the cookies:
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Adjust oven rack to middle position; preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
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In large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed for 30 seconds, until smooth. Add brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With mixer at medium speed, add egg and beat until thoroughly combined, then beat in vanilla. Add in flour mixture and buttermilk alternatively, starting and ending with buttermilk mixture. Fold batter with a spatula once or twice with rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour. Blend in food coloring.
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Spoon (or pipe) tablespoonfuls of batter on prepared baking sheets, allowing 1 inch between each round.
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Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until tops are set. Cool completely on cookie sheets.
For the filling:
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Add cream cheese and butter to mixer bowl and beat until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with vanilla. Beat until smooth.
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To fill, dollop (or pipe) cream cheese filling on flat sides of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, flat sides down. Whoopie pies can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Dinner & Dessert and Annie's Eats
Are these more like cake or like spongy pumpkin roll? Look so delicious.
Hy Lynn! These are definitely more cake-like! Somewhere between a soft cookie and a cake. Let us know what you think once you’ve given these a try 🙂
If I wanted to substitute beets for the artificial food coloring in this recipe, do you have any suggestions for adapting/modifying this recipe for 3/4 cup beet puree?
Am I going mad… Where do you add in the red food coloring? I can't see itvin your method.
Sam, you're right! I must have forgotten to add that step. Maybe it was a Freudian slip since I'm not a fan of food coloring 😉 I've edited the post to include the step, it's added at the very end of mixing the batter. Thanks for catching that error!
These look absolutely beautiful, though I share your skepticism of food coloring. (I always end up with it ALL over my hands!) And, totally random, but I have that same kitchen towel. My mom gave it to me for Valentine's Day two years ago, I think…
Love these!
What a sweet sister you are! These look fantastic!
Your whoopie pies look AMAZING! I love watching the red coloring swirl into the batter; it's the aftermath of red velvet baking though that always leaves my kitchen looking a scene from CSI.
I see your point, but like you realize that it's okay to use in moderation! 🙂 these are beautiful!
I made these for Valentine's Day last year and they were a big hit. You can never go wrong with red velvet and cream cheese frosting 🙂
They look fantastic! My husband LOVES red velvet and whoopie pies, so I know he'll love this combo! I bet a nice extract would add a great punch of flavor to the color too.
These came out so nice and even! Mine never look that good! 😉