This chocolate whoopie pie recipe is made up of healthy tender round chocolate cakes sandwiched between fluffy peanut butter frosting for the best combination of chocolate and peanut butter out there!
This whoopie pie recipe has me wishing for summer, or at least for spring to finally start making it’s appearance.
Why?
Because here in Madison, we have the largest producer-only farmer’s markets in the country. One of those vendors, Sweet Street Bakery, sells cookies and sweet loaves of bread, but what they’re known for are their whoopie pies.
Tender cakes sandwiched between sweet creamy frosting is what I always look for when we make a trip to the farmer’s market.
Since the farmer’s market hasn’t officially started yet, I thought I would make my own chocolate whoopie pie recipe.
You know me though, I have to have a slightly healthier spin on a classic. This one falls into the healthy-ish category, and you’ll find out why.
Chocolate Whoopie Pie Recipe: the cakes
Whoopie pies always make me think of taking a cupcake, cutting it in half, and smooshing one half over the frosting to make a little sandwich.
These chocolate cakes are tender on the inside with a brownie-like crispy exterior.
Since most whoopie pies are essentially round cakes, that means the batter is pretty similar, containing a lot of sugar and butter.
This chocolate whoopie pie recipe replaces the refined sugar with coconut sugar, and the butter with peanut butter.
I love these two swaps because coconut sugar is unrefined and a great natural sugar alternative to the traditional sweet stuff. And peanut butter is the perfect healthy fat, and added peanut butter flavor to these cakes.
It’s hard to believe, but St. Patrick’s Day is almost upon us, so for these little chocolate cakes we’re adding in some Guinness. It adds to the tenderness of the cakes, and plays super well with chocolate.
Chocolate Whoopie Pie Recipe: the filling
I have to say, while those chocolate whoopie pie cakes are quite delicious, this peanut butter frosting that gets loaded up in the center seriously takes these whoopie pies to the next level.
This is where the ‘ish’ part comes into play with this recipe.
I love a good buttercream frosting {take this healthy-ish chocolate cake recipe for example}, but I also had some cream cheese hanging out in the fridge that I thought would make a great pairing.
Whipping together the butter and cream cheese makes for an extra creamy frosting.
This is a peanut butter filling though, so we add a hefty amount of peanut butter to the mix.
Top it off with my favorite organic powdered sugar, and you’ll be eating this frosting straight from the bowl. I know I did!
Chocolate Whoopie Pie Recipe: putting it all together
The chocolate whoopie pie cakes puff up a little more than the traditional. So if you want to make them really flat, make sure to press the batter down to a thinner thickness before baking.
Top half the cakes with the to-die-for peanut butter frosting and sandwich another chocolate cake right on top.
I honestly couldn’t stop eating these cakes. The combination of sweet peanut butter frosting and chewy chocolate cakes was a match made in heaven.
So while the farmers market hasn’t yet started, I’ll keep making this chocolate whoopie pie recipe whenever I need my fix.
Do you have a favorite whoopie pie flavor? Tell me in the comments below!
Looking for more chocolate recipes? Check these out:
Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Chocolate whoopie pies are healthy tender round chocolate cakes sandwiched between fluffy peanut butter frosting for the best combination of chocolate and peanut butter out there!
- 2 1/2 cups King Arthur white whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 {12 oz} bottle room temperature Guinness
- 1 {8 oz} package lite cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup {1 stick} unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 2/3 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups organic powdered sugar
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Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two large baking sheets with baking spray.
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In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, beat together the peanut butter, oil and coconut sugar.* Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine.
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Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Pour in half of the Guinness and mix to incorporate. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and beer.
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Scoop about 1/4 cup mixture and roll into a ball in your hands. Press flat with the palm of your hands, about 1/2″ thick** and place on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining batter.
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Bake for 15 minutes, until tops are slightly firm to the touch. Remove and let cool.
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Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and beat until smooth.
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Add the peanut butter and vanilla and beat to combine. Add the powdered sugar, about one cup at a time, and beat well. {Continuing to beat the mixture will make the frosting very smooth and not grainy}.
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Flip half of the whoopie pies over and dollop 1-2 large spoonfuls of frosting in the center of the flat side of the cakes. Top with an additional cake to make a sandwich.
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Store in an airtight container.
