Vanilla Whoopie Pies

Soft, cake-like vanilla cookies with fluffy marshmallow filling in the middle. Perfect for bake sales or lunchboxes. This recipe makes 6 full whoope pies, which is 12 cookies.

What You’ll Need

Cookies

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened. Use what you have. If it’s salted, just cut the salt in the recipe by ¼ teaspoon per stick.
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (300 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Filling

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste. If you don’t have it, use another ¼ teaspoon of extract. The paste is just there for those pretty vanilla flecks.
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups marshmallow cream

Equipment You’ll Need

• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Two large baking sheets. You bake both pans at once and switch them halfway, so you really do need two.
• ¼ cup scoop or measuring cup. The cookies need to match up in pairs, and if you eyeball it, your pies will come out lopsided. Ask me how I know!

Instructions

Prep the oven and pans

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set your racks to the upper middle and lower middle positions. All 12 cookies bake at once on two sheets, so both racks get used.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.

Mix the dry ingredients

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl until everything looks even.

Set the bowl aside.

Cream the butter and sugar

Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once, until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Watch the texture, not the clock here. You want it noticeably paler and puffier than when you started.

Add the egg and vanilla

Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium until combined, about 30 seconds.

The egg really should be room temperature so it blends in smoothly instead of curdling the butter. If you forgot to take it out, drop it in a bowl of hot tap water for 5 minutes and it’ll be ready to go.

Alternate flour and buttermilk

Add half of the dry mixture and mix on low until just combined, 20 to 30 seconds. Pour in the buttermilk, mix again briefly, then add the remaining flour and mix on low just until no streaks remain, scraping the bowl if you need to.

Stop the mixer the second those streaks disappear. This is a cake batter in cookie form, and overmixing it will get you tough, chewy pies instead of soft ones.

Scoop and bake

Using a ¼ cup scoop or measuring cup, scoop 12 balls of dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart. They spread. Don’t eyeball it! You want all the cookies the same size so your sandwiches match up. Lopsided pies drive me a little crazy.

Place one pan on each rack and bake until lightly golden brown, about 12 minutes, switching the pans halfway through. The swap keeps both trays baking evenly, so don’t skip it even though it feels fussy.

Cool the cookies

Move the cookies to cooling racks and let them cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Make the filling

While the cookies cool, add the butter, powdered sugar, and salt to the mixer bowl. Start on low until the sugar is mostly incorporated, then gradually increase to medium-high and beat until thoroughly combined, 30 to 45 seconds.

Add the marshmallow cream, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean paste, and mix on medium until smooth, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping the bowl if needed.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 45 to 60 minutes. The chill firms the filling up so it holds its shape between the cookies instead of oozing out when you press them together.

Fill and sandwich

Place ¼ cup of filling on the flat bottom side of 6 of the cookies, then top each with one of the remaining cookies and press gently, just enough to spread the filling to the edges, not enough to squeeze it out the sides.

You’ll have filling left over, and that’s on purpose. If you like a fatter pie, pile it on. Refrigerate the finished pies in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve.

Storage Instructions

These keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The filling firms up when it’s cold. Just let it sit out for 10-15 minutes before you eat it.

You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. Wrap each individually in plastic wrap, then tuck them into a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or on the counter for about an hour if you’re impatient.

Variations

Don’t change the cookie part… it’s just right the way it is. Change up the filling and the edges instead:

• Birthday cake version: roll the exposed edge of the filling in rainbow sprinkles after assembling.
• Peppermint filling: swap the vanilla extract in the filling for ½ teaspoon peppermint extract. Good around Christmas.
• Lemon filling: swap the vanilla bean paste for 1 teaspoon lemon zest if you want it fresh and lemony.
• Mini pies: scoop with a 2-tablespoon scoop instead of the ¼ cup and shave 2-3 minutes off the bake time. You’ll get about a dozen little guys :).

Questions and Troubleshooting

Can I substitute the buttermilk?

Yes. Stir 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar into ⅓ cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Can I skip chilling the filling?

Straight out of the mixer, it’s too soft, and it’ll squish right out the sides when you press the cookies together. Give it the full 45 minutes.

Why did my cookies spread flat instead of staying puffy?

Usually old baking powder or too little flour. Check the date on your baking powder, and if you’re measuring flour by cups, fluff it and spoon it into the cup — packed cups can be off by a lot. Or just weigh your flour (300 grams), and you’ll never have this problem again!

Is marshmallow cream the same as Marshmallow Fluff?

Yes, Fluff is just a brand name. Don’t try to melt down actual marshmallows, though. It’s not the same texture and it won’t beat into the butter properly.

More Whoopie Pies, in Different Flavors

• Classic oatmeal
• Chocolote chip whoopie pies
• Strawberry whoope pies (pretty and pink)