Mochaccino Whoopie Pies

If you’ve been reading for a while, you might remember I went through a major whoopie pie phase in the past few years. Seriously, I think I made more whoopie pies than cupcakes and that’s pretty crazy given my love of cupcakes. There was gingerbread, carrot cake, the classic chocolate marshmallow, Boston cream, peanut butter and banana…the list goes on and on. As far as I’m concerned they’re the perfect two or three bite dessert, with just the right ratio of cake to filling. I’ve actually seen people starting to cut the bottom half of their cupcakes off and sit it on top of the frosting to make sure there’s some frosting in each bite and make it less messy to eat, and every time I witness it, I can’t help but think they’ve essentially turned it into a whoopie pie 🙂

In the past 9 months I’ve only made whoopie pies once though (they were cookie dough-filled and absolutely amazing!). I hadn’t even realized how rare they’d become on this blog until my friend Courtney posted this savory jalapeno cornbread version a week ago. How amazing do those look?!? So I have her to thank for inspiring me to jump back on the whoopie pie bandwagon.

I won’t pick favorites among my whoopie pies because, honestly, I couldn’t even if I wanted to but let me tell you, this mochaccino version is the stuff of dreams. Two cakey cookies sandwiched around not just one, but two(!!) awesome creamy fillings. It doesn’t get much better than that, does it? The light and tender cookies are flavored with both espresso powder and cocoa powder so they have the perfect combination of coffee and chocolate goodness going on. The first filling is a whipped chocolate ganache, really driving home the chocolate element, and the second is a fluffy vanilla buttercream, which I guess is kind of the whipped cream on top so to speak? 🙂 It also helps cut through the richness a bit. I’m not a coffee drinker so I’ve never had a mochaccino but I seriously doubt any beverage could compete with these bite-sized treats!

As for storage, I like to keep my whoopie pies in the fridge. I find it helps to keep them sandwiched neatly, especially in the summer when the weather is hot and humid (obviously not an issue here these days). I just take them out in time for everything to come back to room temperature before serving. They’re super easy to transport too, so they’re a great option for get-togethers and parties!

Mochaccino Whoopie Pies
from Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell

{Note: the whipped chocolate ganache needs to be refrigerated for at least an hour, so plan accordingly. If you want to simplify your life you could absolutely just use one filling – I did a couple with only vanilla buttercream, in fact. }

Cookies
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons water
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

Vanilla Buttercream
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt

Whipped Chocolate Ganache
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
pinch salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together the espresso powder and water in a small bowl until combined. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt (I rarely sift, but where cocoa powder is involved I find it’s necessary to remove the lumps). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla then continue beating for 2 more minutes. With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk, then add the espresso powder mixture, the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining milk, and beat just until everything is combined.

Using a small cookie scoop (mine measures about 1 1/2 inches across – you’ll need to adjust the baking time accordingly if yours is larger), portion the batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 8 minutes (rotating the baking sheets halfway through), or until the cookies spring back when gently pressed. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes then remove the cookies to the racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

To make the vanilla buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the confectioners’ sugar and the butter. Beat briefly on low until the sugar starts to be absorbed, then increase to medium speed until the mixture becomes crumbly, about 1 minute (it will look nothing like frosting at this point, that’s ok). Add 3 tablespoons of the heavy cream, the vanilla, and the salt. Beat on medium to medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth, light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a plain, round tip.

To make the whipped ganache: Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Add the cream to a large saucepan and set over medium to medium-high heat. Bring the cream to a simmer, then pour it over the chocolate. Let stand for 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt, then add the salt and vanilla and stir gently until the chocolate is melted and smooth and the mixture is combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the ganache for at least 1 hour, or until firm.

Using a hand mixer, beat the ganache until it softens and lightens in color. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a plain, round tip.

Match the cookies in pairs by size. Pipe a small amount of the vanilla buttercream onto one cookies of each pair, and a small amount of the whipped ganache onto the other cookie of each pair. Sandwich the cookies together, and press the filling to the edges.

Makes 30-36 whoopie pies