Amish Chocolate Whoopie Pies

 

This recipe for Amish Chocolate Whoopie Pies that I am sharing with you today is one that I have been using for a very long time. I adapted the original recipe from one which I round in the book by Marcia Adams entitled Cooking from Quilt Country. 

I used to watch her program by the same name on our local PBS station many, many years ago.  I have long had a fascination with the Amish and this cooking show was one I really enjoyed. When I found the books from the series, I just had to get them. There are two. This one is the first one.

 

One might be tempted to ask, do something like Whoopie Pies belong in an English Kitchen. I would say absolutely. Whoopie Pies are becoming very popular here in the UK so why not have one of the original recipes to work from!

Actually this recipe makes prize winning Whoopie Pies!  One year back in the mid 1990's my sister and I both independently entered Whoopie Pies made from this exact recipe into our local County Fairs and won Blue Ribbons with them!   (We lived in different counties.)

 

Along with the blue ribbons came a cash award and an apron and pot holder set from Fry's Cocoa.  I was thrilled, but not surprised.  These cookies had always been prize winning in my home!  It was just nice to see that opinion validated! They really are the best whoopie Pies!

Whoopie Pies are not without their own controversy!  There are no less than five American states that claim to be the originator of the Whoopie Pie! (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Virginia all claim to be where they began! You can read more about that here. 

As far as I am concerned, it doesn't really matter where the came from. It only matters that they taste good!  This is a small batch recipe and makes only half a dozen or so Whoopie Pies.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES

Simple every day baking ingredients. It is rather a lengthy list, but don't be put off by that. There are two parts to the recipe. The cakes and the filling.

For the cookies:

• 2 cups (280g) plain all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 TBS cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened
• 1/4 cup (50g) lard, softened
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large free range egg
• 2/3 cup (160ml) soured milk (see note)

 

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup (35g) plain all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
• 3/4 cup (170g) butter
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups (230g) sifted icing sugar

 
I have never made these without using both butter and lard, so I cannot attest to how well they would work without using both, or using all of one or the other. I suspect the mixture is the secret to how soft and delicious the cake part is.

I use Fry's cocoa powder. Do not be tempted to use chocolate drinking mix powder. They are not the same thing, and are not interchangeable. The drinking mix has things like sugar and dry milk powder added to it.

 

HOW TO MAKE AMISH CHOCOLATE WHOOPIE PIES

These are not complicated. You make the cookie parts first and then the filling afterwards.  Maybe a bit time consuming, but worth every minute!

Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Line several baking sheets with aluminum foil and set aside.

Sift the flour together with the cocoa powder, soda, salt and cream of tartar. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the lard and butter together with the sugar and vanilla until well blended. Beat in the egg, blending well together.

Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Do not overmix.

Using 1/4 cup measure for each cookie, drop them onto the prepared baking sheets. One in each corner and one in the middle. (You may need to work in batches.) Make sure they are 4 inches apart from each other.

Bake in the preheated oven for 6 minutes. Reverse the cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes longer. You will know they are done when you can lightly touch the with your finger and they spring back quickly.

Slide the foil off the baking sheet and leave to stand for 2 minutes. Then carefully scoop off with a spatula to a wire rack. You can trim them to an even roundness if you like with a pair of scissors.

 

To prepare the filling, whisk the flour and the milk together in a sauce pan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly in the center. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 2 minutes over low heat. Remove and set aside to cool.

Place the butter in a large mixer bowl and beat until softened. Add the salt, vanilla and sugar gradually and beat for 2 minutes. Beat in the cooked mixture, adding it 1 large spoonful at at time. Once its all been added, beat for 1 minute at high speed. It should be smooth, light and fluffy. If it seems a bit too soft, chill it until it firms up.

Sandwich the cookies together in pairs with some of this filling in the middle, dividing it equally amongst the cookies, and pressing them gently together.

Chill and then wrap each cookie individually. Store in the refrigerator, but do bring to room temperature before eating.

Notes

If you do not have sour milk, add 3/4 TBS of cider vinegar to the milk and leave to stand for half an hour.

These are totally delicious.  You get  lovely rich chocolate cake cookie layers and a rich and creamy filling.  When put together these lovely bakes are like an Oreo Cookie on Steroids!  I really hope you will be tempted to give them a go!  You won't be sorry. I promise!

Some other Whoopie Pie Recipes on here that you might enjoy are:

BAKEWELL WHOOPIE PIES - My thoroughly British version of a Whoopie Pie. These tasty little cakes have all the characteristics of a traditional Bakewell tart . . . an delicious cake batter, containing ground almonds . . . raspberry jam, the almond icing on top and the glace cherry. Totally tasty!

APPLE CIDER DONUT WHOOPIE PIES -  A very autumnal version consisting of two sweet apple cider reduction cakes, rolled in butter an cinnamon sugar and then sandwiched together with a cream cheese frosting!  Again, totally delicious!

Yield: Makes about 6 or7 large double cookies

Author: Marie Rayner

Amish Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 16 MinTotal time: 36 Min

More like little chocolate cake sandwiches rather than cookies, I don't know anyone that doesn't love these.

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 2 cups (280g) plain all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 TBS cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened
• 1/4 cup (50g) lard, softened
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large free range egg
• 2/3 cup (160ml) soured milk (see note)

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup (35g) plain all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
• 3/4 cup (170g) butter
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups (230g) sifted icing sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Line several baking sheets with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. Sift the flour together with the cocoa powder, soda, salt and cream of tartar. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the lard and butter together with the sugar and vanilla until well blended. Beat in the egg, blending well together.
4. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Do not overmix.
5. Using 1/4 cup measure for each cookie, drop them onto the prepared baking sheets. One in each corner and one in the middle. (You may need to work in batches.) Make sure they are 4 inches apart from each other.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 6 minutes. Reverse the cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes longer. You will know they are done when you can lightly touch the with your finger and they spring back quickly.
7. Slide the foil off the baking sheet and leave to stand for 2 minutes. Then carefully scoop off with a spatula to a wire rack. You can trim them to an even roundness if you like with a pair of scissors.
8. To prepare the filling, whisk the flour and the milk together in a sauce pan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly in the center. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 2 minutes over low heat. Remove and set aside to cool.
9. Place the butter in a large mixer bowl and beat until softened. Add the salt, vanilla and sugar gradually and beat for 2 minutes. Beat in the cooked mixture, adding it 1 large spoonful at at time. Once its all been added, beat for 1 minute at high speed. It should be smooth, light and fluffy. If it seems a bit too soft, chill it until it firms up.
10. Sandwich the cookies together in pairs with some of this filling in the middle, dividing it equally amongst the cookies, and pressing them gently together.
11. Chill and then wrap each cookie individually. Store in the refrigerator, but do bring to room temperature before eating.

Notes

If you do not have sour milk, add 3/4 TBS of cider vinegar to the milk and leave to stand for half an hour.

Did you make this recipe?

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