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Honey Cocoa Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel Filling

Honey Cocoa Whoopie Pies with Salted Caramel Filling

YIELD: Makes 15 whoopie pies

INGREDIENTS

For Whoppie Pies:

1 T - espresso, dissolved in 1 T hot water

1 stick - salted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup - sugar

1/2 cup - honey

2 3/4 cups - flour

1/4 cup - cocoa

1/2 tsp. - kosher salt

1 - egg

3/4 tsp. - baking soda, dissolved in 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup - milk

2 tsp. - vanilla extract

2 tsp. - chocolate extract

For Salted Caramel Filling:

1 cup - light brown sugar

1/2 cup - salted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup - half-and-half, + extra as needed

1 tsp. - vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. - sea salt

2 3/4 cups - powdered sugar, + extra for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°F; line 3 sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, combine the dissolved espresso, butter, sugar, and honey. Mix the ingredients together until smooth and incorporated.

In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa and salt.

Add the egg, dissolved baking soda, milk, vanilla and chocolate extracts to the butter/honey mixture and stir to combine. Next, add the flour mixture and mix until fully incorporated.

Scoop 2 T mounds of the dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheets about 1 1/2“ apart and bake for 10-12 minutes until just done, but soft to the touch. Take care not to overbake.

While the cookies are baking, combine the brown sugar and butter for the filling in a large bowl or stand mixer and cream together until light and fluffy. Next, add the half-and-half, vanilla, and salt and mix together.

Gradually add the powdered sugar until fully incorporated and the icing is light and fluffy. Add additional half-and-half by the tablespoonful if the filling seems too stiff. Fill a pastry bag with the filling fitted with a 1/2 round tip.

Layout the whoopie pie halves with flat sides facing up and pipe a dollop of the filling onto half of them. Top with the other halves, pressing down slightly so the filling spreads to the edges. Chill the whoopie pies for about an hour up to 3 days covered.

TIP

For mini whoopie pies, use 1 T of the dough and reduce bake time to 7-9 minutes, or make a mix of both sizes as we did in our photo.