In New England (but especially in Maine), it’s tough to find a dessert more passionately beloved than the humble, yet decadent, Whoopie Pie. With its trademark thick cream filling sandwiched between two palm-sized, domed chocolate cakes, the Whoopie Pie is both cookie-like (hand-held, portable) and cake-like (tender crumb, copious frosting), but thumbs its nose at both and calls itself a pie.
Its origins are murky, with both Maine and Pennsylvania claiming ownership, but we think Yankee Facebook fan Lori G. may have put it best when she said “I always grew up believing they originated in Maine, but I guess they are so good, everyone wants to claim them.” We agree, Lori! Whoopie Pies for everyone!
Peppermint Whoopie Pies are perfect for Christmas! Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Whoopie Pies are so popular here in New England that we’ve even got Pumpkin Whoopie Pies for crisp fall days, but what about Christmas? We wondered… Could we find a way to incorporate the flavors of the holiday season into Maine’s favorite (and official state) treat? Armed with little more than our favorite old-fashioned Whoopie Pie recipe, a jar of Marshmallow Fluff, peppermint extract, and festive sprinklesjimmies, we came up with this Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pie recipe for all the “nice” folks on your list this year.
While 100% homemade Whoopie Pie filling is delicious (it’s all delicious, really), we can’t help but reach for the trusty jar of Marshmallow Fluff when it’s time to fill the chocolate cakes with fluffy, sugary goodness. The addition of Marshmallow Fluff, a New England brand, is considered one of the things that differentiates Maine Whoopie Pies from their Pennsylvania siblings.
Peppermint Whoopie Pies — the festive Maine treat that’s a favorite year-round. Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
This fun Christmas version uses a touch of peppermint extract in the filling, and we’ve rolled the sides of some of the Whoopie Pies in red and green sprinkles for an extra boost of Christmas cheer, but you could also use crushed peppermints or sanding sugar instead. If you like, you can even fold the crushed peppermints right into the filling. We’ve also made these Whoopie Pies slightly smaller than normal (which are really quite large) so they’re perfectly sized for small hands and gift giving.
Are you a Whoopie Pie fan? Is the filling better with Fluff or without? Let us know – and Merry Christmas!
This post was first published in 2014 and has been updated.
Aimee Tucker is Yankee Magazine’s Home Editor and the Senior Digital Editor of NewEngland.com. A lifelong New Englander and Yankee contributor since 2010, Aimee has written columns devoted to history, foliage, retro food, and architecture, and regularly shares her experiences in New England travel, home, and gardening. Her most memorable Yankee experiences to date include meeting Stephen King, singing along to a James Taylor Fourth of July concert at Tanglewood, and taking to the skies in the Hood blimp for an open-air tour of the Massachusetts coastline.
