Whoopie Pies are everywhere these days. But I’d never heard of them until I opened up Nancy Baggett’s The All-American Cookie Book, shortly after it arrived in 2002. The picture was irresistible—especially to my then five-year-old son. I figured little boys would pretty much eat anything stuffed with marshmallow fluff, but I didn’t realize how much grown-up fun Whoopie Pies could be. The first batch was a revelation.The cake-like batter that I plopped down on the cookie sheet actually baked up to look like the picture. Perfectly. And making the filling—a decadent, sticky and sweet concoction of shortening, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar and marshmallow fluff—was a blast.  Shortening and butter? I’m sure my mouth was agape as I read the ingredients. (We just don’t do shortening in this house). But in the interest of culinary investigation, I soldiered on.

Nancy Baggett’s directions are clear and helpful, just one reason why this is one of my favorite baking books. The recipe is easy, but it is a bit of work for only nine pies. On the other hand, they don’t keep long, so unless you are baking for a crowd, you really don’t want any more.

Since that first batch, my boys, now eight and thirteen, ask for Whoopie Pies every time they see a jar of marshmallow creme.

My youngest had been asking to help me make the pies pictured here all summer long. As a surprise, I made the cakes and filling before dinner one night, and then asked him to help me put them together. (That’s the fun part.) When my teenager walked past, ever so cool, he nodded and said, “Oh yeah… Pies of Whoop!” Yes, they are.

References and Resources

• The All-American Cookie Book by Nancy Baggett (Houghton Mifflin 2001). Nancy Bagget also writes the Kitchen Lane blog and is the author of Kneadlessly Simple and The Great American Dessert Book.
• Making Whoopie Pies is easy. You don’t have to buy a boxed mix. But if you can’t resist the gourmet gurus, try Stonewall Kitchens. Their baking mixes are always great.