Whoopie!

"Whoopie!" she exclaimed as the countdown welcomed the new year!

or, "Whoopie! I have the most amazing husband!"

or just plain 'ole chocolate and marshmellow cream whoopie pies.

This time we are going to talk about the last one.  I wanted to try and start a new Thanksgiving tradition this year of making whoopie pies for desert.  Quick story even shorter I was immediately vetoed and asked to make apple pie.  But, they gave in a bit and said if I want to bring both... that's ok too.

So, I rolled up my sleeves and searched the web for a recipe to give a try.  I think I ended up using the one from Epicurious, but to be honest, most of the recipes looked the same.  I mixed together flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa, buttermilk, vanilla extract... I am probably forgetting some of the ingredients... but anywho that formed this stiff chocolatey dough.



You put the small scoops on a pan. 

Yes, I am using a pizza pan.  When I moved ... I moved to a small oven which is good because the darn thing cooks so evenly, the cooking light works, and it's a convection... the downside is that a lot of my baking sheets didn't fit in it. 

So, I keep saying I am going to go get some new (smaller) cookie sheets and just haven't done it yet.  Till then, the pizza pans are making for a nice substitute!  (don't laugh too much!)

Here are the whoopie cookies cooking.  Ha!  Say that five times fast!  They are still just melty globs.

(Told you the oven was smaller.  But see that round thing in the back?  That's the convection fan... makes everything cook so so nice and evenly.  And see that bright thing in the upper right?  That's the oven light -- working!  I went nearly 2 years without a working oven light.  Oh, how the simple things can put such a smile on your face!!)

Ahh!  They are starting to rise and take shape and look more whoopie-like!!  This was the moment I knew I was going to be ok with this recipe! Nom-nom-nom!

All cooked and on the cooling rack while the next batch went in!

Just look at the color and texture of these whoopie suckers!!  Gorgeous!!

I mean seriously!  And the chocolate part is very rich, but in a tart cocoa and salty kind of way.  And it's dense!

Once I had everything baked it looked like this on my cooling rack.  All the whoopie halves were ready to find their other whoopie halves!

My mouth is salivating just thinking about all those whoopies waiting for assembly!

Making the cream filling was a gas! (can I say that?  I mean it was a LOT of fun!)  The filling is made up of marshmellow, butter, more vanilla extract... and I think that's it.  I know.. you are thinking really healthy.  Focus though... this was about new tradition.  Not health!

I think at this point I was covered from my nose to my elbows in whoopie cream as I spread some of the filling on one half and then joined it with another half. 

When finished I had one crazy sticky kitchen, dog, self, and a mound of ready to nosh whoopie pies!

Are you sold yet?  I know when next Thanksgiving rolls around you are going to be thinking..."self, I want to spice up this Thanksgiving... how am I going to do that?  Oh, how about with whoopie pies?  Those looked like so much fun to make and even more decadent to eat!"

Whoopie pies are such a harmony... the tart cocoa saltiness mixed with the extreme sweetness of the creme filling.  They play nicely together! 

I did end up bringing these to Thanksgiving dinner... they did end up enjoying them.  And even though I don't think they will be requested next Thanksgiving... they were still fun to make and I can see making them for something else in the near future!

So, I would like to propose the following:

Trying something new as a holiday tradition = happiness!
Making, eating, talking about, and saying the words whoopie pies = happiness!
Laughing at my pizza pans as cookie sheets = happiness!

And if you are still reading this... you ROCK!!