Have I mentioned that I love cookies? Because I REALLY love cookies! Do you know how much I love cookies? I love cookies so much that I chose to spend my Sunday baking cookies rather than doing my laundry. And my laundry situation is not good...I am onto my thermal socks now!
One of my favorite things about Christmas is all the yummy Christmas cookies I get to make. This year, I decided to go a little crazier than normal. I am going to make 12 batches of cookies before Christmas and call it the 12 days of Christmas Cookies.
Back in the summer, I figured out what these whoopie pie things are that I kept hearing about, and made some amazing Key Lime Whoopie Pies. Here's what I really like about whoopie pies: you get to eat two cookies and call it one cookie. Amazing, right?
Now, I am a sucker for chocolate and mint. It is a fool-proof combination! But my boyfriend has some wires crossed in his brain and thinks after dinner mints are the most repulsive tasting things on Earth. As a consequence, he did not like these cookies. If you don't like after dinner mints, you probably won't like these whoopie pies. If you are the other 99.9% of the population who love after dinner mints, you will adore these whoopie pies.
The 'cookies' are soft and cake-like, and the mint filling and chocolate ganache combine to make creamy chocolate-minty amazingness. They are not too sweet, and not too minty, and not too chocolatey (if that is even a possible problem). They strike the perfect balance.
If you still aren't convinced, would it help if I told you that a double batch of these things disappeared in the blink of an eye at work?
Chocolate Whoopie Pie Cookies
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks (reserve whites for later)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk (I used 1%)
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla, combining until mixed well. Add flour mixture in 3 portions, alternating with the milk, and mix until well blended.
Chill dough for 30 minutes-1 hour. Preheat oven to 375. Drop rounded tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cookies are cooked through.
*I put the dough into a ziplock bag, cut the corner, and piped them onto the parchment paper. The dough was easier to work with this way and the cookies came out rounder.
Mint Filling
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups and 3 tbsp icing sugar
- 1/4 cup eggwhites (approximate amount left-over from cookies)
- pinch of salt
- green food coloring (2-3 drops)
Beat butter until well creamed. Add peppermint and vanilla extracts, mix until well-combined. Add icing sugar, egg whites and pinch of salt, mix until well-combined. Add food coloring until desired color is achieved.
Chocolate Ganache
- 3 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
In a small pot, bring cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips, mixing until chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.
**The mint filling and chocolate ganache come together so quickly and are really worth the effort
To assemble your whoopie pie (In case it isn't evident)
Spread mint filling on the bottom of one cookie.
Spread chocolate ganache on bottom of second cookie.
Smush.
ENJOY!
TIPS
- Cookies can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.
- Mint filling and chocolate ganache are best made prior to serving, however I had success in using them a day later after placing them in the microwave for 15 seconds and stirring to bring back their creamy goodness.
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