Chocolate Mint Whoopie Pies

Food historians believe whoopie pies originated in Pennsylvania, where they were baked by Amish women and put in farmers’ lunch boxes. Tired from a morning’s work, the farmers purportedly would shout “Whoopie!” if they discovered one of the desserts in their lunch pails. The first whoopie pie I tasted was from a farmers market in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It was so delicious that I almost hollered "Whoopie!" like an Amish farmer!  In parts of Pennsylvania, whoopie pies remain a celebrated sweet. The annual Whoopie Pie Festival at the Hershey Farm and Inn in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, features a whoopie pie eating contest and the coronation of the Whoopie Pie Queen.  


In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day I decided to make a batch of mini whoopie pies and added mint extract and green food coloring to give to friends as St. Patrick's Day treats. 

Chocolate Mint Whoopie Pies
Makes up to 6 dozen mini whoopie pies
1 cup Sugar
½ cups Butter, Softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 whole Egg
1 cup Milk
2 cups Flour
½ cups Cocoa Powder
1-½ teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Baking Powder


FOR THE FILLING:
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 cup Marshmallow Cream
¼ cups Butter, Softened
¼ cups Shortening
3 teaspoons Milk
1 teaspoon Mint Extract
6 drops Green Food Coloring


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix together sugar, butter, vanilla, egg and milk. In a separate bowl mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to wet mixture and mix until combined. Drop by teaspoons on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until set.


For the filling, mix together all ingredients, adding an additional teaspoon of milk if too thick. Spread between two cookies.