Peppermint Whoopie Pies
Oh how I love the combination of chocolate and peppermint. This time of year I typically turn to peppermint bark to get my fix, but this year wanted to try something new and fun. I’ve experimented with some different types of whoopie pies recently (pumpkin, red velvet, and s’mores) and thought that a peppermint whoopie pie would be fun and festive. They turned out just as awesome as I thought they would. The chocolate cakes are soft and moist, and are filled with a peppermint-spiked buttercream frosting. For a Christmas-y kick I rolled the the edges in crushed candy canes. I kind of think Santa would go bananas if he found these on a plate with a glass of milk on Christmas Eve!
Save This Recipe
Enter your email address, and we'll send it straight to your inbox!
The tops of my cakes got a little crackly because I used a cookie scoop (medium size) to scoop out the dough, but if you wanted a smooth top you could wet your finger a little and dab the top for a smoother finish. I don’t mind my cookies having character :)
If you have kids, do you leave the same kinds of favorite cookies every year or do you change it up?
Four years ago: Buckeyes
Peppermint Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
For the Cakes:
- 1-2/3 cups (41.67 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (57.33 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 1 cup (220 g) dark brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (244 ml) milk
For the Filling (Peppermint Buttercream):
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- Crushed candy canes, to garnish
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, shortening and brown sugar on low speed until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes.
- Add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk to the batter and beat on low until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining flour mixture and ½ cup milk and beat until completely combined.
- Drop about 1 tablespoon of batter onto one of the prepared baking sheets and repeat, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for about 10 minutes each, or until the pies spring back when pressed gently. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.
- Make the Filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the powdered sugar and the butter, starting on low and increasing to medium speed, until the mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute. Add the heavy cream, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt and beat on high until smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Assemble the Whoopie Pies: Spread filling onto the flat side of one cake using a knife or spoon. (Alternatively, you can use a pastry bag with a round tip to pipe the filling onto the cakes, which will give you a smoother, neater presentation.) Top it with another cake, flat-side down. Repeat wit the rest of the cakes and filling. Roll the edges in crushed candy canes.
- Whoopie pies are best eaten within a day of making them. Store in a wide, shallow container arranged in a single layer for up to 3 days. You can also wrap them individually in plastic wrap.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Is the measurement for the all purpose flour correct? It says 41.67 grams for 1-2/3 cups of all purpose flour.
My mom used to make Whoopie pies but I have never made them. I would like to make these ahead of time for the holidays but if I make ahead can I freeze the entire whoopie pies or I must inly freeze the cakes?
Thank you
Hi Anne, I think the filling is stable enough to freeze. Enjoy!
Is it 24 halves or total whoopie pies?
Hi Evelyn, 24 total whoopie pies.
I made these and they are fabulous! I didn’t have peppermint extract so I used creme de menthe and used two tsp and decreased vanilla to keep liquid the same. I did have to make two batches of filling as one was no where near enough, but otherwise everything went as planned. They practically melt in your mouth!
Hi there…would you double or triple the frosting to do this on a 2 layer cake? Thank you!
Hi Carolyn, Oh boy I’m not sure, I would probably triple just to be safe!
Hi! Thank you! Do you think this icing would be good on a dark chocolate cake?
Hi Carolyn, Yes, I think it would be excellent!
Thank you, Michelle! I will let you know how it turns out….I am going to decorate with crushed peppermint and peppermint bark….I may even drizzle some on the top…we will see! Have a very Merry Christmas and thank you for sharing your gift with all of us!
Michelle,
The cake was a hit…thank you for your help! Let me know if you want a picture! I had fun! Merry Christmas!
These were delicious and my favorite part was the recipe makes the PERFECT amount of filling. I literally scraped the bowl to fill the last whoopie pie! I am so sick of recipes that leave me with a bowl full of unused frosting! :)
I made these last night and they were delicious! And not nearly as hard as I thought they would be. I’m starting to get tired of the cupcake so I can’t wait to try whoopie pies again. Next mission – red velvet. My only complaint is that the filling wasn’t nearly enough for all the pies I made. But still, they were sooo good :)
Wow! These are beautiful! I bought large stocking stuffers in the shape of a candy cane tube that is filled with pb cups. Now I know just what to do! “oh what fun”!