Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies
These chocolate peppermint whoopie pies are the perfect holiday treat! Soft and tender rounds of cakey chocolate cookies are sandwiched with a festive white chocolate peppermint buttercream. Once assembled, the whoopie pies are rolled in crushed candy canes for a pop of color and minty crunch. Each bite offers a delightful blend of rich chocolate and cool mint with the unmistakable decadence of white chocolate.
If you’re looking for something a little unique to serve this holiday season, try these nostalgic chocolate peppermint whoppie pies. They’ll add an extra sentimental feeling and a lot of festive flavor!
If you’re a big peppermint fan, I also have these other peppermint recipes that are perfect for the holidays: Mini White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecakes, Peppermint White Chocolate Cookies, Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes, Peppermint Mocha Brownies, No Bake Peppermint Mocha Pie, plus two pages of the best peppermint-flavored holiday snacks and desserts.
If you’ve never made homemade whoopie pies, they are extremely easy to make. You start by creating a cakey cookie base and sandwiching it together with a buttercream frosting.
I also have a whoopie pie recipe that is perfect for Fall, so make sure to bookmark these Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.
To turn ordinary whoopie pies into a holiday treat, I added just the right amount of peppermint extract to the buttercream, so it is festive without being overwhelming. I also added some white chocolate to add creaminess and sweetness. Plus, the white chocolate balances the rich chocolate cake pieces.
Then, to garnish the whoopie pies, they are rolled in crushed candy canes to add a bright red and white Christmas look. Plus, it gives them a bright peppermint pop when you first bite into them.
They’re the kind of treat that disappears quickly from dessert platters and cookie boxes, and they’ve become one of those recipes people ask for again and again.
Since I want you to have success making this recipe, you need to note that this recipe requires using Dutch-process cocoa instead of natural cocoa powder. The leaveners in the recipe are balanced specifically for it. Natural cocoa powder won’t react the same way and can throw off the texture, so Dutch-process is definitely the way to go for the right lift and tenderness.
You can save some time by making the white chocolate peppermint buttercream ahead of time. Just cover it well and chill it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble. When it comes time to use it, let it sit out until it reaches room temperature again, then give it a quick whip, which takes about one to two minutes.
You can also make the whoopie pies ahead and freeze them. Make sure to wrap each individually in Saran Wrap and then place them in an airtight container. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to two to three months. When you’re ready to serve, just thaw them overnight in the fridge. They taste as fresh and festive as the day you made them.
These whimsical whoopie pies are everything you want in a holiday treat! I hope your family loves them as much as mine did!
Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- an egg
- vanilla extract & vanilla bean paste
- all-purpose flour
- Dutch process cocoa
- sea salt
- baking soda & baking powder
- whole milk
- sour cream
- white baking chocolate or white chocolate bar
- heavy cream
- powdered sugar
- peppermint extract
- crushed peppermint candies or candy canes, optional
How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies
Preheat the oven and line three large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Add the butter and the brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low, gradually increasing to medium speed, until the mixture is creamy (about 2 minutes).
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the egg and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream.
With the mixer running on low, add about half of the dry ingredients to the bowl, mixing until just combined.
Then, add half of the milk and sour cream mixture, mixing until just combined. Scrape the bowl, then repeat with the remaining half of the dry ingredients, followed by the remaining wet ingredients.
Scrape down the bowl one last time, then beat until just combined and there’s no longer any pockets of dry ingredients remaining.
Use a 1-ounce (2 tablespoon) sized cookie scoop to scoop up portions of the batter, then place on the lined baking sheet at least 2 inches apart.
Bake each sheet separately in the preheated oven until the cookies are just set, which takes about 12-15 minutes.
Allow them to cool on the pans for ten minutes, then use a spatula to move them to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
When the pies are cool, make the buttercream. Add the white chocolate and the heavy cream to a double boiler.
Melt the white chocolate fully, then remove from the heat. Set the white chocolate aside to cool down to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. It’s ready when you hold your palm over it and don’t feel any residual heat. Make sure it’s not still warm, or it will melt the butter in the buttercream.
Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium until creamy, about one to two minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
With the mixer on low, add the salt, then add the powdered sugar slowly, half a cup at a time.
Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, stir the cooled white chocolate, then add it to the bowl. Beat on low for about 30 seconds, then gradually work up to medium and mix until creamy and fully combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the vanilla bean paste and peppermint extract. Beat for a minute on medium until combined.
Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the flat side of half of the baked cookies, then sandwich with another and press gently to adhere. If you prefer, you can roll the sides of the pies in crushed peppermint candies or candy canes.
How to Store
Store the leftover whoopies pies in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Before eating, I recommend removing them from the fridge and allowing them to sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes. This will allow them to soften.
You can also freeze the assembled whoopie pies for up to 2-3 months. I recommend wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap and then storing it in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
More Fun Holiday Recipes
- Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- Gingerbread Thumbprint Cookies
- Frosted Gingerbread Bars
- Gingerbread Truffles
- Gingerbread Latte Cake with Maple Glaze
What do you think of this festive Whoopie pie recipe? What would you serve with these treats? Let me know in the comment section below.
If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!
Happy holiday baking, friends!
Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pie Recipe
Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies
These chocolate peppermint whoopie pies are the perfect holiday treat! Soft and tender rounds of cakey chocolate cookies are sandwiched with a festive white chocolate peppermint buttercream. Each bite offers a delightful blend of rich chocolate and cool mint with the unmistakable decadence of white chocolate.
Ingredients
For the chocolate cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch process cocoa, sifted
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup whole milk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature
For the white chocolate peppermint buttercream filling
- 6 ounces white baking chocolate or white chocolate bar, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Crushed peppermint candies or candy canes, optional for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line three large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the butter and the brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low, working up to medium, until the mixture is creamy (about 2 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the egg and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream.
- With the mixer running on low, add about 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the bowl, mixing until just combined. Then, add half of the milk/sour cream mixture, mixing until just combined. Scrape the bowl, then repeat with the remaining half of the dry ingredients, followed by the remaining wet ingredients. Scrape down the bowl one last time then beat until just combined and there’s no longer any pockets of dry ingredients remaining.
- Use a 1-ounce (2 tablespoon) sized cookie scoop to scoop up portions of the batter then place on the lined baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake each sheet separately in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the cookies are just set. Allow them to cool on the pans for 10 minutes, then use a spatula to move them to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
- When pies are cool, make the buttercream. Add the white chocolate and the heavy cream to a double boiler. Melt the white chocolate fully, then remove from the heat. Set the white chocolate aside to cool down to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. It’s ready when you hold your palm over it and don’t feel any residual heat. Make sure it’s not still warm or it will melt the butter in the buttercream.
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the salt then add the powdered sugar slowly ½ cup at a time. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, stir the cooled white chocolate then add it to the bowl. Beat on low for about 30 seconds then gradually work up to medium and mix until creamy and fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the vanilla bean paste and peppermint extract. Beat for 1 minute on medium until combined.
- Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the flat side of half of the baked cookies, then sandwich with another and press gently to adhere. If you prefer, you can roll the sides of the pies in crushed peppermint candies or candy canes.
- Enjoy immediately or place in the fridge in an airtight until ready to enjoy. Enjoy within 4-5 days.
Notes
- To enjoy leftovers, I recommend removing them from the fridge and allowing them to sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes. This will allow them to soften.
- With a 1-ounce scoop, the recipe yields exactly 28 cookies, which is 14 assembled pies.
- You can make your own crushed peppermints or candy canes by adding them to a food processor fitted with the S blade, then pulsing several times until broken into small pieces.
FAQs
Can I use natural cocoa powder in the recipe? No, I do not recommend using natural cocoa powder, as the amount of leaveners in the recipe is formulated based on using a Dutch process cocoa powder.
Can I chill the buttercream once it’s made? Yes, you can cover and chill the buttercream once it’s made. When you’re ready to use it, allow it to come to room temperature, then beat it for 1-2 minutes.
Can I freeze assembled whoopie pies? Yes, assembled whoopie pies can be frozen for 2-3 months. I recommend wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap and then storing it in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
14Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 613Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 19gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 222mgCarbohydrates: 76gFiber: 4gSugar: 53gProtein: 7g