These Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies are made from miniature chocolate cakes and peanut butter frosting. Sandwich the frosting between two cakes and you have a fun, simple, and delicious handheld dessert!
Chocolate whoopie pies with peanut butter filling
I’m a sucker for anything that combines peanut butter and chocolate. I can’t help but serve Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting, or these Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies at almost every party or celebration. These whoopie pies, in particular, are a crowd favorite and put a smile on the face of anyone who takes a bite!
I like to think of whoopie pies as the cupcake’s super cool and mature older cousin. They’re made by sandwiching frosting in between two miniature cakes, kind of like a sandwich cookie. They’re a decadent handheld dessert, way less messy, and even easy to bake.
The best part? Chocolate whoopie pies can be made in less than 20 minutes and are even freezer-friendly! Perfect for parties or the holidays, this chocolate whoopie pie recipe is sure to become a staple in your household.
What are whoopie pies?
Whoopie pies are small handheld desserts that look just like sandwich cookies but are made by sandwiching frosting or buttercream between two miniature cakes instead. They come in any flavor you can imagine, from vanilla to chocolate to pumpkin. Because they originated in New England, you can almost always find whoopie pies in their bakeries and Amish markets nearby.
What is whoopie pie filling made of?
Traditionally, whoopie pie filling is made out of marshmallow fluff; however, you can stuff them with pretty much any type of frosting you like. My recipe sandwiches a rich and decadent peanut butter frosting between two pieces of moist chocolate cake.
How to make a chocolate whoopie pie recipe
These delicious chocolate peanut butter whoopie pies are easy to make and super fun to eat. A whoopie pie pan will help your cakes bake evenly and consistently, but a cookie sheet works too. This is how it’s done:
Mix the butter, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and egg together in a large bowl. Once it’s smooth, add the cocoa and mix again.
Add the flour and milk and continue mixing until you have a smooth, chocolatey batter.
Use a ¼ cup measuring cup to drop dollops of cake mix onto a greased cookie sheet or whoopie pie pan.
Bake the cakes until they’re firm, then leave them on a wire rack to cool. Prepare the peanut butter frosting while you wait.
How to make peanut butter buttercream
This nutty buttercream couldn’t be easier to make:
- Whip the melted butter and peanut butter together in a bowl until it’s light and fluffy.
- Continue mixing while you slowly add the powdered sugar and milk. The resulting mixture should be thick and creamy.
- Keep whipping the frosting for 1 or 2 minutes to incorporate lots of air. The fluffier the frosting, the better.
- When the cakes are cool, spread a generous amount of your buttercream one cake half. Add another half on top and gently press them together. Serve and enjoy!
Variations:
Even though chocolate and peanut butter are the perfect combination, you could easily tweak this recipe to create pretty much any flavor of whoopie pie:
- My pumpkin whoopie pies with marshmallow filling give this classic recipe a comforting fall twist.
- For the ultimate chocolate experience, try stuffing the chocolate cakes with chocolate brownie frosting.
- Add a dollop of raspberry jam on the peanut butter frosting to create a peanut butter and jam whoopie pie.
- Looking for something sweet and kid-friendly? Try whipping up a batch of my birthday party vanilla whoopie pies.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my whoopie pies flat?
If your whoopie pies are coming out of the oven looking flat, this means that your cake batter was too thin. You can easily fix this by adding more flour or reducing the amount of milk you use in your batter.
Can you make these without a whoopie pie pan?
Absolutely! Simply drop ¼ cup of cake batter at a timeonto a greased baking sheet.
Can you make whoopie pies ahead of time?
These chocolate whoopie pies are a great make-ahead dessert. Once the cakes are baked and cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can you freeze chocolate whoopie pies?
Yes! If you’d like to freeze the unfrosted whoopie pies, wrap the cakes in plastic and store them in the freezer for up to 4 months. When you’re ready to indulge, simply whip up a batch of frosting, assemble your pies, and enjoy!
More chocolate and peanut butter desserts to try
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- Chocolate Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Frosting
- Chocolate Oreo Peanut Butter Popsicles
- Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Pin for later:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Buttercream Whoopie Pies
PrintIngredients
For the cakes
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 1/3 cups flour
- 1 cup milk
For the peanut butter buttercream
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups powdered confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
For the cakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Spray baking sheet or whoopie pie pan.
- In a large mixing bowl mix together butter, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla. Once mixed, add in the egg and continue beating until all smooth. Add in cocoa powder and continue mixing.
- Add flour and milk and continue beating until smooth. Make sure it's completely mixed and soft.
- Drop the cake dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto baking sheet or fill up whoopie pie pan. If using a baking pan, leave 1 inch between cakes as they will grow.
- Bake 11 to 13 minutes until firm. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- Spread peanut butter filling on one pie, while using another pie to press it down.
- Enjoy immediately or wrap in plastic wrap to store.
For the peanut butter buttercream
- Beat melted butter and peanut butter in a bowl until mixed. Gradually mix in sugar and once thickened, add milk.
- Continue beating for about 2 minutes until buttercream is spreadable and fluffy.
Wendi says
These Whoopie pies were delish!
Pamela says
I’m so happy to hear you liked these whoopie pies Wendy! Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Sharon says
Making them tomorrow for the men I love. I’ll let you know how they feel about them.
Susan says
Agree with Kacie below – they were so freakin good! I ate a few more than what I should have! Thanks for the great recipe!
Kacie Beck says
hello, i made these last night and they were SO FREAKING GOOD!! THANK YOU for this recipe. I did not make the frosting because I was making it for a crowd (possible food allergies), but the cakes were the PERFECT consistency with my vanilla buttercream frosting. I used a small ice cream scoop to make mini whoopies (i don’t have a whoopie pan) and I want to say I got about 25 complete mini whoopie pies. They turned out perfectly round and thick, not flat. I will save this recipe forever! thank you!
Pamela says
Hey Kacie – I’m so happy you liked the whoopie pies – thanks for commenting and letting me know! Your vanilla buttercream frosting sounds delicious – hope you saved one for me! 🙂
Debbie says
I followed the directions, using a quarter cup of the batter but it only made 8 pies 🙁
Pamela says
Hi Debbie, the recipe should make 10-12 whoopie pies so it sounds like your pies might just be a little bigger than mine. Hope you enjoyed this recipe!
Mayra says
I made the Recipe exactly the way it called for. When I made the little Whoopie pie’s I actually cut them all in half and then put the cream in the inside. It made 30 of them. The recipe was good but I would add more brown sugar next time .
Jessica says
I just made these today and we LOVE them…and how cute we are eating them 😍😀!
And oh my…that frosting!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for the delicious recipe! I had never before made whoopie pies and I will be searching other recipes as they are my new fav!