Whoopie Pies are the next hottest food trend for 2010, according to the National Restaurant Association. And with good reason; their pillowy soft and cakey texture aligns perfectly with a sweet and fluffy filling. How can you go wrong? These little retro treats are popping up all over the place now, and in some cases becoming more popular than cupcakes. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Whoopie Pies takes over the whole cupcake craze altogether.
These fantastic cakes are said to come from Amish farmers wives, who packed them away in their husband’s lunchboxes. I guess the term “Whoopie” came from what these lucky guys said once they opened them…but who knows? One thing I know for sure is, my kids love saying “Whoopie Pie” as much as they love eating them. And they LOVE eating these Whoopie Pies. They are highly addictive and hold up surprisingly well for a few days when stored in an airtight container. Ours are usually gone within a day or two though.
I’m sure many of you have your own versions of the Perfect Whoopie Pie, as there’s many out there. Some are made with chocolate cakes, some with pumpkin or even carrot cake. The filling is generally a soft and creamy frosting, but I have seen recipes that use Marshmallow Fluff or even just a large vegan marshmallow sandwiched between the two cookie cakes. I prefer a simple vanilla scented frosting because I think it adds just the right amount of sweetness to the two cookies.
Whoopie Pies are also traditionally fairly large in size, but I like mine smaller. I use a mini cookie scooper, but you could certainly use a larger sized one to suit your tastes. You may need to add a couple of minutes to the cooking time. One more tip – if you want your frosting a little firmer, put it into the fridge for several minutes to chill before spreading on the cooled cookies. I personally don’t see the need and like my frosting a bit creamier, but it’s all a matter of personal preference.
I think these would be the perfect treat to bring to our kids’ Valentine’s Parties at school, along with some of my Classic Sugar Cutout cookies (in pretty hearts of course!) for the non chocolate lovers. It makes a nice large batch, especially if you use the smaller cookie scooper. Enjoy and Happy Baking!
DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE WHOOPIE PIES
1 c. dairy free margarine (2 sticks)
2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 1/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s)
1 c. dairy free sour cream (I use Tofutti)
1 c. hot water
Filling
1 1/2 sticks dairy free margarine
2 3/4 c. confectioners’ sugar
4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. soy or rice milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line three baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the dairy free margarine until smooth. Add the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add applesauce and vanilla and mix thoroughly. In a separate medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder with a wire whisk. Add the flour mixture in thirds with the margarine mixture, alternating with the dairy free sour cream and hot water.
Use a cookie scooper to drop tablespoonfuls of batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, or when the cookie bounces back slightly when touched in the center. Lightly flatten each cookie with the palm of your hand if you like a slightly less puffed cookie. Cool completely on baking sheets. Meanwhile, prepare filling.
In the bowl of a mixer, cream the dairy free margarine until smooth. Add the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and soy milk and mix on medium high for a couple of minutes or until it resembles a creamy frosting. If you’d like your frosting a little firmer, put in fridge for a few minutes.
After cookies have cooled, use a small butter knife to spread a thin layer of frosting on the bottom of one cookie, and top with another cookie to make the Whoopie Pie. Continue with the remainder of the cookies. Store in an airtight container for a few days.
These look soooooo yummy! Made your Double Chocolate Chip Muffins last week and the whole family loved them! Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes – we don’t know how we survived before we found your awesome site and delicious cookbook!
Kelly, I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your website and allergy-free recipes! It makes baking fun for my 11-yr-old son who has allergies to milk, eggs and nuts. Kudos to you for making a difference to so many families who deal with food allergies!
Kelly..
I’ve never had Whoopie Pies. These look very yummy. I also tried your Cowboy cookies over the weekend, and had to make a second batch the same day because the first batch was gone in a flash. In fact, I used that recipe to perfect a banana cookie recipe that I have been looking to make dairy, egg, and nut free. I love chewy banana cookies and my recipe contained allergens. I hope you don’t mind that I used some of your recipes to help me create a new one. They turned out real good. My family is not into trying new things, but nowadays whenever I say it’s a recipe from Food Allergy Mama, they all say yes, we want some. You’ve acquired a reputation in this household for being the best baked goodies mama!
I did not realize that Whoopie Pies are becoming so popular. We’ve been enjoying them for years though. We love pumpkin ones best, so my cookie recipe differs a little. But you’ve hit the frosting recipe spot-on! I once made 11 dozen of these in one day – craziness!! But delish!
A question Kelly- my boys are also soy allergic. Any ideas for subsituting the dairy free sour cream? I have yet to come across a soy-free version but would love to try these cookies!
I just made these with my kids. They are delicious! Finn (my son with the egg and peanut allergies) loved them- and he is pretty selective with his chocolate treats. I look forward to your posts for a good excuse to bake something yummy. We made several of the recipes from your cookbook over Christmas when I had a break from school. Thank you for so many great recipes!
The minute I saw this recipe, I HAD to try it! After being diagnosed with an egg allergy, I thought I would never be able to eat a whoopie pie again. These were amazing and my husband and son were inhaling them too. Thank you!!
Great question Hannah. Try making a rice “buttermilk” (1 c. rice milk mixed with 1 T. vinegar). I would have to personally test this version but it might work. Please let me know how it goes for you.
Thanks so much everyone!! You’re so sweet! I love hearing how you’re all enjoying the recipes and having so much fun making them for your families. Noha, of course! I love that you are adapting some ideas to transform your own sweet treats! I love hearing that! Kara, we inhaled ours too, believe me! Fiona, so excited your little guy enjoyed the treats too! Thanks again!! xoxo
Another recipe that looks great! We made your banana bread recipe over the weekend and love it! Thanks so much for your great work.
Kelly–you are the best! Coming from New England, these are one of our most favorite treats. Have yet to find a good egg free recipe. Will be making these real soon. Thanks so much for sharing!
[...] From The Food Allergy Mama [...]
Hi Kelly! I made these today and subsituted Coconut Milk for the dairy free sour cream. One word…YUMMY!!! My boys devoured them and a friend who was over visiting declared them delicious and said she wouldn’t have guessed they were allergy friendly. Thats a winner in my book for sure. Thanks for the recipe. I love your cookbook and might try the coconut milk subsitition for some of your recipes that call for soy products (soy allergic boys).
Kelly,
I can’t wait to make these! They look amazing. I just know that my sons will devour them!
I wish you a peaceful birth.
Best wishes,
Kim
Thanks so much Kim! Let me know how your sons like them!
Thanks so much Sheila! So glad you like the banana bread recipe too…this is one of my favorites. I always seem to have overripe bananas laying around every week! Ruth, as a east coaster, I am so excited to hear how you like this egg free version! Hannah, cococut milk is a wonderful substitute, and love hearing that your friend didn’t suspect they were allergen free! So happy to hear your boys loved them too. My four kids (and who am I kidding, me too!) seriously ate these within a day or so!
Kelly,
My daughter Sameera has severe food allergies and we just made the woopie pies. She absolutely loved them.
thank you for sharing the receipe.
Thanks so much Richa!!!
I brought these to 2 parties this weekend and they were a huge hit – they’ve now been requested by both sons for their school Valentines day party – fortunately we have a snow day today so I’m going to fire up the mixer and get baking! Just stocked up on DF Sour Cream (did you know Love Your Heart now has a sour cream too? found it at Whole Foods where I usually buy Tofutti brand). We’re putting pink frosting in the middle – if anyone is stuck for time on the middle I also used marshmallows – just pop the cookie w/marshmallow on it back into the oven to let it melt a bit so the top will stick – not as good as frosting but still tasty!
OK, I made those last week. The fact that they’re addictive is a huge understatement. They are YUMMY!
I have a question. I am new to cooking for my milk allergic daughter and am wondering what kind of soy milk you use. Is it the plain kind of vanilla?
Hi Melissa, I love Silk Plain Soy Milk (the red one). Good luck!
Kelly,
Wow these were wonderful!!!!!! My whole family LOVED them. We had fun making them and of course eating them. I can’t tell you how much I appreicate your web site. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It’s been a tough battle these 21/2 years since we found out our youngest was allergic to just about everything. It was very difficult. You have to do so much research on your own. Thank you again for this great web site that you have created!!! Congratulations on the birth of your 5th child.
Been surfing the net for allergy-friendly bakes for ages but have never come across your site but am so glad and thankful that I finally have! My 2 1/2 year-old son is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, sesame and soy (at least I think he is now based on a couple of incidents this past week). Started baking recently using egg-free recipes i found online but experimenting with egg replacements have only yielded a few successes (more than likely due to my lack of baking skills). Recently used Allergycare Whole Egg replacer here in the UK as I’ve heard some good things about Ener-G egg in the States, but my son might have had a reaction the last two times he ate the cupcakes I baked with the said replacer (I attribute the allergy to it as it’s the 1 new thing I’ve introduced to him & it has soy protein isolate). Now I really feel bad for him ’cause he can’t even have what I thought to be allergy-friendly cakes! These whoopie pies, however, might just convince me to give this whole baking thing another go… at least for my boy. Thanks for making the effort to keep your site going for people like me who need support, guidance and inspiration in this allergen-filled world. Sorry for the long post.