A New England Classic! These Whoopie Pies From Scratch are two soft chocolate cookies sandwiching a Grandma Pearl's Miracle Frosting!
Guys. I have a Valentine's Day treat for you, today! These Whoopie Pies From Scratch are not only a tried and true recipe from Grandma passed down from generation to generation, but they're not from my grandma, they're from my best friend Holly's Grandma Pearl - 5th generation Vermonter who grew up on a dairy farm. Now if that's doesn't prove these are the best of the best when it comes to this New England classic, I don't know what will!
2019 started the very best way any year could possibly start with my best friend, my matron of honor, the woman I was honored to be maid of honor to, who I haven't lived in the same state with for the past almost 10 years, MOVED TO OREGON. I was sooooo honored that Holly wanted to share her Grandma Pearl's Whoopie Pies From Scratch with you all! These delicious pies of soft pillowly sweet chocolate cookies of New England heaven, are super easy to make and
Ingredients Needed
Now that we live so close to each other it means we can spend a Saturday afternoon together baking! you probably already have everything you need in your pantry to make them. Not pictured here, milk. Annndd probably something else, too. Because, well, I mom brain a lot of things. I had our little baby bear and then we were babysitting our friends 9 month old so I actually spent the time baby wrangling while Auntie Holly taught M all about measuring, mixing, and most importantly, tasting as they baked together. Have I mentioned how happy my heart is?
Btw, have you made your own Vanilla Extract From Scratch yet? No? Well if you make some now you'll have plenty ready to go by the time the next holiday baking season comes around and future you will totally thank past you for thinking ahead!
Ok, back to these Whoopie Pies from scratch. See that chocolate cookie? It's super soft and just subtlety sweet. But that frosting - that Miracle Frosting - ooh man it is pure sweet deliciousness and the perfect balance for the chocolate!
Together, heaven. Soft and just the right amount of sweetness. And soooo New England. As Holly says, you know you're in Vermont when they're selling Green Mountain Coffee and Whoopie Pies at the gas station. Oh I'll always Lovermont. After all, it's where Holly and I met and now, after living in VT and CO together, OR's proving 3rd times the charm!
Happy Valentine's Day, friends! Or if that's not your thing, happy late Galentine's Day or (my favorite) Happy Early Super Duper Cheap Chocolate at the Grocery Store Day! 😉
Don't forget to share your photos and comments with me when you make these bad boys. I love to hear about it - and even more importantly, I'd love to share it with Holly and her family to make Grandma Pearl proud!
Grandma Pearl's Whoopie Pies From Scratch
Equipment
Ingredients
Whoopie Pies
- 6 tablespoons crisco
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk 1% or 2%
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Miracle Frosting
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup crisco
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 2 large baking sheets and set aside.
To Make Miracle Frosting
- Mix flour and milk together in a medium sauce pan and heat slowly, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken. Thicken until it's the consistency of heavy cream.
- Put immediately in the fridge to cool.
- With a hand mixer, in a large bowl whip butter for 4 minutes.
- Add Crisco and whip for 4 minutes.
- Add sugar and whip for 4 minutes.
- Once cooled, add milk and flour mixture and whip for 4 minutes.
To Make Pies
- In a large bowl cream together Crisco and sugar. Add egg, vanilla, and milk and mix together until well combined.
- In a separate medium sized bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda.
- Mix dry ingredients into bowl with creamed ingredients.
- Scoop approximately 1/4 cup of batter onto greased baking sheets, leaving plenty of room - 2 -3 inches between each scoop. The batter will spread!
- Bake for 8 - 10 minutes. Then remove from sheet and let cool.
- Assemble the pies by spreading a thick layer of frosting on one pie and then topping with a second.
- Enjoy!!
Ooooh love whoopie pies! And it's so special that you share this passed down recipe with your best friend. I always assumed whoopie pies would be very difficult to make, but they don't seem as hard as I thought. A must try!
I've never had a whoopie pie. I think I've missed out on something very important in life. They sound delicious and your grandma's secret filling is something that I have to try. I've never been to Vermont either but that is a state I'd love to visit. I could have Vermont coffee and whoopie pie, Whoo HOO!
Oooh Vermont is such a special place - I hope you make it there someday and drink some coffee and have a whoopie pie! All the while enjoying the fall colors and some maple syrup, too! 😉
How awesome that your best friend is so close that you can bake together and share recipes. These whoopie pies look so good and I've been craving whoopie pies lately. I love that the chocolate cookies aren't so sweet and balance out sweetness of the frosting. How I do want to take a lick of that frosting!
Thanks, Annissa! It's truly sooo wonderful - as are these whoopie pies!
How cute are these?! Whoopie pies are a dessert I've never made, but this recipe makes them so easy and fun! Thanks for sharing another winner, Tracy 🙂
Thanks, Traci!
I can't even believe these take 30 minutes to make! They're adorable and absolutely delicious. I mean, any recipe from a Grandmother is legit. There's no contest.
So glad you've got your BFF so close by again! Gosh. My childhood BFF is living in Australia. I can dream… lol.
Sounds like a great excuse to head to Australia! 😉
How can you go wrong with Miracle frosting? Or a recipe by grandma (even someone else's grandma 🙂 )? I'm a New England girl, so whoopie pies are near and dear to my heart, and I love these! Now I just need some Green Mountain coffee...
Thank you from one New England girl to another, Annemarie! 😉
Holly is obviously a great friend! How sweet of her to share her grandma's recipe with you and by extension, all of us! I bought a whoopie pie pan at the Williams-Sonoma outlet and haven't used it yet. Now I have an heirloom recipe to try. Thanks for sharing!
She is!! Wait whaaaaa Willams-Sonoma has a whoopie pie PAN!?! I'm immediately googling it and buying it!!
Where to begin? Vanilla extract from scratch, who knew? Grandmas special recipe? I'm in. Chocolate and whipped gooey insides? Wow. You're hitting on all cylinders.
Thanks, Debra!
Traditional recipes, even from other people's Grandmothers are wonderful. I love that these age old recipes get passed on and appreciated by the next generation. This is a great recipe, perfect for any time to just enjoy a sweet treat, and ideal for sharing.
Family recipes are the best! I grew up adoring Whoopie pies but they were a special treat that we didn't get very often and they were never homemade. I can't wait to make these little pies with my granddaughter. Kitchen times make the best memories especially when chocolate and frosting are included. Now I need to jump over and get that extract recipe!
They absolutely are, Julie! Oh how fun they'll be to make with your granddaughter - memories she'll treasure forever! <3
delicious...love it
Well, you can never go wrong with a recipe from "grandma". They knew a thing or two about cooking. These look delicious and totally addictive too. I know they would be a hit here, and not last long at all.
Wow! Those look so good! And the Miracle frosting is so very interesting! I can't wait to try your recipe!
I had a Grandma Pearl too! I love making old family recipes. This one looks like a winner 🙂
Oh man my whole family would LOVE these!!
So happy that your friend moved closer to you! We actually just moved from DC to LA and all of our family is on the east coast so it has been quite the adjustment. These whoopie pies look absolutely wonderful!
Oooh I love whoopie pie! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Love the story behind this recipe, so glad your friend shared this recipe with you so you could share it with all of us! They were delicious 🙂
Looks super delicious and yummy. Special recipes have to be tried at special occassions. Lovely cookies and amazing frosting too.
Thank you, Veena!
I love whoopie cookies, these look really delicious with your miracle frosting, going to make a batch, thanks for the recipe!
Thanks, Patty - enjoy!
Oh wow Whoopie Pies and then granma's recipe those must be amazing! I am a fan of family recipes those are the best in my opinion. Have never tried to make whoopie pies now I need to make them
Family recipes are the best! Enjoy!
What an interesting name and story! The miracle frosting looks really easy to make and delicious too. Love this recipe!
Thanks, Saima!
There's something so special about a recipe that's been passed down for generations, and somehow it makes them taste even better. These look really delicious! So great you live closer to your best friend again! Win-win!
So special! Thanks, Valentina!