Amish Whoopie Pies
- Carbohydrate 28.5800058142493 g
- Cholesterol 20.3143869613808 mg
- Fat 13.3364095804632 g
- Fiber 0.909730806698225 g
- Protein 1.97554868051306 g
- Saturated Fat 4.71736478665325 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (65g)
- Sodium 2358.58681086817 mg
- Sugar 27.670275007551 g
- Trans Fat 0.594823654514987 g
- Calories 237 calories
Step-by-step
- To make pies, cream sugar, oil, and eggs together thoroughly in a large mixing bowl
- In a separate bowl, sift together Flour, Cocoa powder, and Salt
- Add these dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with sour milk
- Stir in vanilla
- In a small bowl Dissolve baking soda in hot water
- Stir in batter until smooth
- Drop batter by rounded teas peens onto cookie sheet
- Bake 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees
- Remove from oven and allow to cool
- While pie tops/bottoms are cooling, make Filling
- In a medium bowl fold 2 cups confectioners sugar unti smooth
- Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla
- Beat in shorting until smooth
- Beat in remaining 2 cups confectioners sugar until smooth
- Assemble pies by spreading a dab of filling over a cooled bottom and topping it with a second cookie
Why does the batter look impossibly thin before dropping onto the baking sheet? Cocoa powder absorbs moisture aggressively upon resting, meaning the batter will thicken significantly over the initial ten minutes of standing at room temperature. Creaming the sugar, oil, and eggs thoroughly incorporates microscopic air cells that expand under high heat, which compensates for the lack of chemical leavening agents outside of the baking soda dissolved in hot water. Alternating the addition of dry ingredients with sour milk prevents gluten networks from overdeveloping, yielding a tender crumb rather than a tough, bread-like cake. Because the oven runs at a hot 400 degrees Fahrenheit, monitor the bake time closely between eight and ten minutes to prevent the chocolate rounds from drying out.
Adapting the Structure for Dietary Needs
Substituting ingredients in traditional pastry requires understanding their physical functions within the formula. Shortening provides a high melting point that traps air during the filling beat, creating rigidity at room temperature, whereas substituting unsalted butter will alter the spread and mouthfeel of the frosting. If sour milk is unavailable, add one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to whole milk and let it sit for ten minutes to curdle the proteins properly.Storage and Make-Ahead Strategies
Assembled whoopie pies freeze exceptionally well for up to two months when wrapped individually in parchment paper and stored inside an airtight container. Thawing frozen cakes overnight in the refrigerator preserves the moisture of the crumb without making the confectioners sugar filling weep or dissolve into a syrup.
