Christmas Candy Cane Whoopie Pies – Daring Bakers Challenge

For this month’s Daring Bakers Challenge, it was time for me to try something that I had been wanting to for a while now.  Whoopie Pies are an American treat which you don’t see much of here in Australia, well at least in my part of the world and are a cross between a cookie and a cake with two of them being sandwiched together by some kind of sweet filling.

For my Whoopie Pies, I originally thought of red velvet given my obsession but as it was the silly festive season I decided to make some Christmas Candy Cane Whoopie Pies instead using a recipe from JoyofBaking.com.

The December Daring Bakers’ Challenge had us all cheering – the lovely and talented Bourbonnatrix of Bourbonnatrix Bakes was our hostess and challenged us to make fun, delicious and creative whoopie pies! Delicious little cake-like cookies sandwiching luscious filling in any flavors we chose… What else is there to say but “Whoopie!”

These little beauties are quite easy to make.  You will need flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, sugar, an egg, vanilla extract/paste, buttermilk and strong coffee or water (I chose the water).  Given there is such a small amount of buttermilk in this recipe, I didn’t want to buy a whole carton of it and risk the rest going to waste so I made my own by putting one tablespoon of white vinegar (or lemon juice) into a measuring cup and top up with milk until you reach one cup.  Let it stand for at least five minutes and then you can use it as normal.

Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.  Mix the buttermilk with the coffee or water in a small jug and also set this aside.  In another bowl (that on your stand mixer or using a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg, beat until well combined and then add the vanilla extract/paste.

With the mixer running on a low-speed, alternately add the flour and milk mixtures in three batches, beginning and ending with the flour.  You will end up with quite a firm batter which is perfect.

Onto a lined baking tray, place heaped tablespoons of batter, or use a small-medium ice cream scoop, at least five centimetres apart as they will spread as they bake.  You do not want to flatten the batter at all as this will happen naturally.  However, do smooth the tops over with moistened fingertips so it is relatively even, not spikey like the picture below.

Place the trays into a preheated 190°C oven for 9-10 minutes.  They will be cooked when the tops of the cookies spring back when lightly pressed.  Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Onto the filling.  I have had a jar of Marshmallow Fluff in my pantry for a little while now and when I saw that this filling recipe used it I was happy to get use out of it.  You will also need butter, vanilla extract, icing sugar, red food colouring and some candy canes.

You will also need extra candy canes if you would like to roll your filled Whoopie Pies in some chunkier pieces for a nice festive look.  I smashed mine up in a mortar and pestle relatively fine for the filling, but a little chunkier for the outside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and then add the vanilla extract and marshmallow fluff.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition.  Ensure everything is properly mixed in by scraping down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to high and beat for about 5 minutes until it is really light and fluffy.

Add a little red food colouring so you have a nice shade of pink, and then stir in the crushed candy canes.

To assemble the Candy Cane Whoopie Pies, match up each cookie to one similar in size (just in case they spread in different directions when baked), and place a small mound of the filling on one side.  I used my smallest cookie scoop to place two scoops which was the perfect amount.  Spread the mixture across the cookie and place the other half on top, gently squeezing them together.

As the filling will be poking out the side, roll each Whoopie Pie in the additional candy canes that were crushed a little larger.

The Candy Cane Whoopie Pies can be stored in the fridge for several days, but are best eaten at room temperature.  You can also heat them up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds so they are warm and serve with a little ice cream which puts a little bit of moisture back into the cookie if you find them a little dry.  This particular filling obviously melts quite a bit given it is butter, but I am keen to make them again with a chocolate filling similar to the Sweet Billie’s that were part of the Recipe to Riches competition which were absolutely divine, and should have won in my opinion.

There are hundreds of recipes for Whoopie Pies on the interweb so I highly recommend you have a look and grab one that appeals to you and give it a red-hot go.

Print Recipe

Christmas Candy Cane Whoopie Pies

Adapted from JoyofBaking.com

Course

Biscuits and Cookies, Christmas

Servings

cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies

• 1 3/4 cups plain/all-purpose flour (230g)
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder (75g)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp bicarb/baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 170 grams
• 3/4 cup sugar (150g)
• 1 large egg(s) room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup buttermilk 60 ml
• 1/2 cup lukewarm strong coffee or water

For the filling

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 226 grams
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 7 ounce jar marshmallow creme or fluff 198 grams
• 2 cups icing sifted, 230 grams
• 6-8 drops red liquid food colouring
• 1/3 cup candy canes crushed

Additional decoration

• 6 candy canes broken into large pieces, more or less to taste

Course Biscuits and Cookies, Christmas Servings cookies Ingredients For the cookies 1 3/4 cups plain/all-purpose flour (230g) 3/4 cup cocoa powder (75g) 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp bicarb/baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 170 grams 3/4 cup sugar (150g) 1 large egg(s) room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup buttermilk 60 ml 1/2 cup lukewarm strong coffee or water For the filling 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 226 grams 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 7 ounce jar marshmallow creme or fluff 198 grams 2 cups icing sifted, 230 grams 6-8 drops red liquid food colouring 1/3 cup candy canes crushed Additional decoration 6 candy canes broken into large pieces, more or less to taste

Instructions

For the cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C and line two trays with baking paper.
2. Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.  Mix the buttermilk with the coffee or water in a small jug and also set this aside.  
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg, beat until well combined and then add the vanilla extract/paste.
4. With the mixer running on a low speed, alternately add the flour and milk mixtures in three batches, beginning and ending with the flour.  You will end up with quite a firm batter which is perfect.
5. Onto the lined baking trays, place heaped tablespoons of batter, or use a medium ice cream scoop, at least five centimetres apart as they will spread as they bake.  You do not want to flatten the batter at all as this will happen naturally.
6. Place the trays into the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes.  They will be cooked when the tops of the cookies spring back when lightly pressed.  Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and then add the vanilla extract and marshmallow fluff.  
2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition.
3. Ensure everything is properly mixed in by scraping down the sides of the bowl and then increase the speed to high and beat for about 5 minutes until it is really light and fluffy.
4. Add a little red food colouring so you have a nice shade of pink, and then stir in the crushed candy canes.

To assemble

1. Match up each cookie to one similar in size (just in case they spread in different directions when baked), and place a small mound of the filling on one side.  Spread the mixture across the cookie and place the other half on top, gently squeezing them together.
2. Roll each Whoopie Pie in the additional candy canes.

Recipe Notes

The Candy Cane Whoopie Pies can be stored in the fridge for several days, but are best eaten at room temperature.  You can also heat them up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds so they are warm and serve with a little ice cream which puts a little bit of moisture back into the cookie if you find them a little dry.