chocolate-mint whoopie pies

prep: 60 MINUTES | bake: 10 MINUTES PER BATCH | makes ABOUT 25 MINI WHOOPIE PIES

Whoopie pies are a classic dessert made with two soft, cake-like cookies that sandwich a fluffy marshmallow creme filling. It’s basically like cake and cookies in one! I give this standby a twist with a chocolate-mint version, which is one of our family’s favorite flavor combos. The finishing touch is rolling the pies in chopped Andes chocolate mints, though you could use mint chocolate chips instead, or even just plain chocolate chips. For the holidays, I use crushed candy canes. So pretty and festive!

MINT FILLING

¾ cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon mint extract

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

2½ cups marshmallow creme, from a jar

CHOCOLATE COOKIES

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 (4.67-ounce) box Andes chocolate mints, finely chopped, or 2 cups mint chocolate chips

1 Make the filling: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract, mint extract, and salt. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, add the marshmallow creme, and mix until combined. Refrigerate the filling for at least 30 minutes.

2 Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

3 In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

4 In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Scrape down the bowl, if necessary.

5 With the mixer on low, alternate adding a third of the flour mixture, half of the buttermilk, a third of the flour mixture, the rest of the buttermilk, and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Give the batter a final stir with a spatula to make sure there isn’t any flour at the bottom of the bowl.

6 Use a small cookie scoop to portion out about 2 teaspoons of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, placing the batter about 2 inches apart. Not all the cookies will fit on the sheet for one batch. Bake for 10 minutes, until the centers spring back when gently touched. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Once the baking sheet has cooled completely, repeat with the remaining dough.

7 Assemble the whoopie pies: Spread the mint filling over the flat sides of half of the cookies and top with the remaining cookies. You can also use a pastry bag fitted with a tip to fill the pies.

8 Scatter the chopped Andes mints on a plate. Roll the whoopie pies on their sides to coat the filling with the toppings. Store the whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you stack them, make sure to put parchment paper between them.

NOTE: This recipe is perfect for making ahead. The filling can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days, and the cookies can also be baked 2 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, making sure to use parchment paper between the stacks. You can also freeze the assembled cookies; just wrap them individually in plastic wrap.