Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pies

My mom is lucky to have met a wonderful woman by the name of Lisa Q. Her daughter went to school with my sister, Sophie, until she recently graduated [congratulations, Jessica!]. Long story short, Lisa and her daughter Jessica will often come over and hang out with Sophie while my mom gets a rare break to have a dinner out on the town with my dad.

I saw Lisa + Jessica in December and Lisa was schlepping a giant bag overflowing with yarn with her. I casually asked her what was hidden in her bag of fun and she whipped out a sweet and comfy knitted black infinity scarf. That she crocheted. By making up her own pattern. Um, yeah. Color these clumsy fingers green with envy!

Lisa generously offered to knit me a scarf in my favorite color [yellow!] and I, in exchange, offered to bake up some peanut butter whoopie pies – her favorite flavor!

the scarf! [please excuse the silly photo - all my straight-on ones made me look wackadoo]

This recipe makes quite a bunch of whoopie pies, but luckily they hold up to freezing fairly well [either frosted or unfrosted]. Wrap assembled whoopie pies, or dome halves, in saran wrap and then in a large ziploc bag or freezer-friendly airtight storage container.

What’s your favorite dessert flavor?

xo,

@

PS – Lisa’s considering opening up an Etsy shop to sell her scarves. Let me know if you’d like one, and I can get you connected with her!

Peanut Butter [Chocolate Chip] Whoopie Pies

prep time : 20 minutes [+ room temp. butter/eggs] bake time : 42 minutes yield : 39 whoopie pies

Ingredients

1 stick [8 TBSP] unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1″ slices

2 cups granulated cane sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 TBSP all natural creamy peanut butter

4 1/2 cups AP flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk, room temperature

optional : 3/4-1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with Silpat or other silicone sheet.

2. Measure the following into a medium bowl : all-purpose flour, baking bowder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to ensure ingredients are well distributed.

3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, cream butter until lighter in color and fluffy [about 3-5 minutes]. Add granulated cane sugar and mix on medium/high until light and fluffy, another 3-5 minutes.

4. Add eggs to butter mixture, one at a time, then vanilla extract, mixing on medium/high until airy and incorporated.

5. To the butter mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, 1 cup of buttermilk, 1/3 of the flour mixture, 1 cup of buttermilk and the last 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix on medium until *just* incorporated, no more than necessary.

* Optional chocolate chips – if you want your entire batch to have chocolate chips, add 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups just after buttermilk is combined. Combine with electric mixer until *just* mixed. If you want to make only half the batch with chocolate chips, scoop out about 18 whoopie pies [36 ends], add 3/4 – 1 cup of chips to the batter. Stir with electric mixer until *just* combined. Continue scooping out remaining whoopie pie batter.

6. Using 3/4 ounce scoop , place whoopie pie batter on prepared cookie sheets at 2″ apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. [whoopie pies are done when slightly golden around the edges and tops are no longer wet, but have some slight give when touched]

Vanilla Bean and/or Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2 packages cream cheese, softened

6 TBSP all natural creamy peanut butter

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 vanilla bean pods, caviar scraped

3 tsp vanilla extract

optional : 1/2 – 1 cup natural cocoa powder

Directions

1. Cream butter, cream cheese and peanut butter in bowl of an electric stand mixer on medium/high for 5-7 minutes, until well incorporated and light and fluffy in texture. Add vanilla extract, vanilla bean caviar and 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar. Mix on low until sugar is incorporated.

2. Add remaining 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar. Mix on low until sugar is incorporated, then return to medium/high until frosting mixture is light and fluffy.

* Optional cocoa powder – if you’d like to make the entire batch chocolate, add 1 cup cocoa powder to mixture. Mix on low until cocoa powder is incorporated, then return to medium/high until mixture is light and fluffy. If you’d like the make half of the batch chocolate, remove half of the vanilla bean frosting add 1/2 cup cocoa powder to remaining frosting mixture. Mix on low until cocoa powder is incorporated, then return to medium/high until mixture is light and fluffy.

3. Spread frosting on 1/2 of the whoopie pies with a piping bag or offset spatula. Sandwich whoopies, and serve!

Optional :  1 cup chopped, roasted + salted peanuts. frost + sandwich the whoopie pies, then roll the sides in the chopped peanuts.