Did you ever wonder what Whoopie Pies are?

By David McClelland

We were vacationing on Hilton Head Island this month, as has been our custom for nearly 20 years, and I stopped in a Sweet Carolina Cupcakes store and discovered that they also sell Whoopie Pies. I had never heard for them and asked about their origin. What I was told was later confirmed by my research.

Whoopie Pies are considered to be a New England phenomenon and a Pennsylvania Amish tradition. They are also Maine's best known and most loved comfort foods. Mainers will even claim to have been weaned on Whoopie Pies.

Just what is a Whoopie Pie, you ask? I learned that it is like a sandwich, but made with two soft cookies, or cake halves, and fluffy white filling. Traditionally, they are made with vegetable shortening, not butter. They are usually chocolate, but sometimes a pumpkin variety appears around Halloween.

The Whoopie Pie recipe has its origins with the Amish and in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, it is not unusual to see roadside farm stands offering these desserts. According to Amish legend, when their children would find this treat in their lunch bags, they would shout, "Whoopie!"

The maker of marshmallow fluff, the Durkee Mower Company, published a cookbook, called "The Yummy Book", in the 1930's that had an Amish Whoopie Pie recipe using marshmallow fluff as the filling. Legend has it the Durkee and Mower pooled their resources and bought the recipe for $500. Learn more by visiting the Marshmallow Fluff website.

How would YOU make Whoopei Pies? Follow the recipes below:

New England Whoopie Pie recipe: Whoopie Pie Filling recipe:
½ cup vegetable shortening 1 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 ½ cups powdered (confec.) sugar
1 egg 2 cups Marshmallow Fluff
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup milk

To make the pies, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, sugar and egg. In another bowl, combine cocoa, baking powder, baking soda flour and salt. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla extract into the milk. Add dry ingredients to the shortening mixture, alternating with the milk mixture, beating until smooth. To make 18 cakes, drop batter by ¼ cup onto prepared baking sheets. With the back of a spoon, spread batter into 4 inch circles, leaving 2 inches between cakes.
Bake for 15 minutes or until they are firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire rack. Next, make the filling by beating the shortening, sugar and marshmallow fluff in a bowl. Stir in vanilla extract until blended. Finally, spread the flat side (bottom) of one chocolate cake with a generous amount of filling. Top with another cake, pressing down firmly to distribute the filling evenly. Repeat with all cookies to make 9 pies. Let finished Whoopie Pies cool completely before wrapping. Enjoy!!!