Description
Soft, cocoa-rich homemade red velvet whoopie pies with creamy vanilla cream cheese filling a festive Valentine’s Day dessert with tender, cake-like cookies and a tangy-sweet center.
Ingredients
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large egg (room temperature)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp red liquid food dye
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
Filling:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in one bowl.
3. Mix buttermilk and red food dye in another bowl until evenly colored.
4. Cream softened butter until smooth, then add sugar and beat until fluffy.
5. Add egg and vanilla; mix until fully combined.
6. Alternate adding the dry mixture and dyed buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients.
7. Mix until just combined to avoid overmixing.
8. Drop 1-tablespoon portions of batter onto prepared sheets, spaced 2 inches apart; smooth tops with wet fingers.
9. Bake for 9–11 minutes or until cookies spring back when touched; cool on a rack.
10. For filling, beat butter until creamy, then add cream cheese and mix until smooth.
11. Add vanilla and gradually sifted confectioners’ sugar until creamy.
12. Spread or pipe filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then top with another cookie to sandwich.
Notes
Do not overmix after adding flour for soft cookies.
Ensure butter and cream cheese are the same temperature for smooth filling.
Use a cookie scoop for even sizes.
Sift cocoa powder and sugar to remove lumps.
Store pies in airtight containers for up to 5 days or freeze individually wrapped for 2 months.
- Prep Time: 20–30 minutes
- Cook Time: 9–11 minutes per batch
- Category: Valentine’s Day Recipes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 whoopie pie
- Calories: 4000–4500 total batch / ~300 per serving
- Sugar: 500–550 g total
- Sodium: Approx. 1200 mg total
- Fat: 220–250 g total
- Saturated Fat: 120 g total
- Unsaturated Fat: 100 g total
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 500–550 g total
- Fiber: 8 g total
- Protein: 40–50 g total
- Cholesterol: 400 mg total