Chocolate Mint Whoopie Pies

These chocolate mint whoopie pies, with fluffy peppermint buttercream sandwiched between two rounded layers of soft dark chocolate cake, are the perfect combination of flavors. 

With the deep chocolate flavor of the cake and the cool peppermint flavor of the buttercream, there's a good chance that these whoopie pies will become one of your family's favorite desserts. 

About Whoopie Pies:

I've been a fan of whoopie pies since I first made these Halloween themed chocolate ones about six years ago. Since then, I've made red velvet whoopie pies with a sweet cream cheese filling and Graham flavored whoopie pies with key lime flavored filling. They're all wonderful, like pieces of layer cake shaped like sandwich cookies so that you can eat them with your hand. No fork or plate is necessary. 

Whoopie pies are most popular in New England and the Northeast. The most traditional version is chocolate with a marshmallow cream filling. They are thought to be Amish in origin, and got their name when Amish children opened their lunch boxes and exclaimed "whoopie" if they found these treats in their lunch.

Ingredients Needed:

For the Cakes:

From the Pantry: All-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Dutch process), baking soda, salt, dark brown sugar, and vanilla extract. 

From the Refrigerator: An egg and milk. 

Both Shortening and Butter: The butter adds flavor while the shortening helps keep the cake soft and gives it lift and the round shape. 

For the Mint Buttercream: 

Confectioners' Sugar: Sift it through a mesh sieve to get rid of any lumps. 

Unsalted Butter.

Heavy Cream: This helps lighten up the buttercream and make it extra fluffy.

Extracts: Both vanilla and peppermint (or other mint).

Food Coloring: Optional. One or two drops of gel food coloring. 

Salt. 

Note: You may need to double the buttercream recipe if you'd like a really thick layer. 

To Make These Whoopie Pies:

To make the cakes, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together and set it aside. Then, beat the shortening and butter with the brown sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and the vanilla extract and continue beating. 

After that, add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture and mix until just combined. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture and milk, mixing until thoroughly combined. 

Scoop the batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. Do not overfill the scoop. 

To make the buttercream, beat the sugar and butter and then add the heavy cream, vanilla, mint extract, food coloring, and salt. Beat the buttercream for several minutes until light and fluffy. 

To assemble the whoopie pies, frost the flat side of one of the cakes with the buttercream and top it with the flat side of another cake like a sandwich. 

Equipment You May Need:

Mixer: You can use a hand mixer, but a stand mixer is much easier, especially when you are beating the buttercream for several minutes at a time. Your arm won't get so tired. 

Piping Bag with 1/2 inch Piping Tip: For adding the buttercream. You could also use a cookie scoop or an offset spatula. 

Parchment Paper or Silpat Silicone Baking Mats: To prevent the cakes from sticking to the baking sheets. 

Half Sheet Pans: For baking the cakes. You can reuse both the pan and the parchment (as in the photo below). Just be sure to let the pan cool completely before adding the next batch. 

Cookie Scoop: I used a #40 cookie scoop, which is about 2 tablespoons. You can use a larger or smaller scoop and adjust the baking time by a couple of minutes. You can also use a melon baller or rounded measuring spoon. 

Whoopie Pie Pan: You won't need one of these as it's just as easy to bake the cakes on a baking sheet with parchment paper. The cakes will hold their shape just fine. P.S. It's also sold as a muffin top pan. I bought one years ago and never used it. 

Variations:

You can dip the edges of the filled whoopie pies in sprinkles if you like. You could also dip half of the "sandwiches" in chocolate coating. 

You could also add chopped chocolate, Andes Mints, mint patties, or Junior Mints to the buttercream. If mint chocolate M&Ms are available, they'd be fun to add too. 

Mini chocolate chips can be added to the cake batter too. 

I'd like to try coloring the buttercream pink and then coating the edges in crushed peppermint candy, like peppermint bark. 

Make-Ahead and Storage:

Because these cakes are very moist, they will stick together if stored at room temperature. Store the whoopie pies in a singer layer on wax paper or a wire rack in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring them to room temperature about 30 minutes before serving. 

You can also make the outer cake parts in advance and keep them in the freezer for up to 30 days. Freeze them on a baking sheet, and then wrap them individually and place them in a freezer bag. 

The buttercream will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container. 

"W" is for Welsh, Whoopie, Wild Rice, White Bean, Whiskey, and More!

To continue the 2025 Alphabet Challenge, we are sharing recipes that begin with "W" or include ingredients or methods that that begin with "W." 

• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Chocolate Mint Whoopie Pies 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Cranberry Wild Rice 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Whiskey
• A Messy Kitchen: French Onion Sausage and White Bean Bake
• Culinary Cam: Frisky Whiskey Chocolate Cake 
• Blogghetti: Homemade White Gravy Mix
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Sausage and Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Waldorf Salad 
• Food Lust People Love: Welsh Rarebit Potatoes with Cavolo Nero 
• Palatable Pastime: Warm Potato Salad with Kielbasa
• Sneha’s Recipe: White Chicken 

Last year (2024) for the letter "W," I made homemade wonton soup for the letter W. It's a wonderful soup well worth making. 

Chocolate Mint Whoopie Pies

Yield: 20

Author: Karen Kerr

Prep time: 45 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 H & 30 M

These chocolate mint whoopie pies, with fluffy peppermint buttercream sandwiched between two rounded layers of soft dark chocolate cake, are the perfect combination of flavors. 

Ingredients

For the Batter

• 213 grams (1 2/3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 56 grams (2/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 213 grams (1 cup packed) dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk

For the Buttercream

• 226 grams (2 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted after measuring
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
• 1 or two drops food coloring, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

To Make the Cakes

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F with a rack in the center. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, shortening, and brown sugar with the paddle attachment on low for about one minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes, until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes more.
4. Add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk to the stand mixer and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the rest of the flour and milk and mix on low until fully combined.
5. Using a #40 cookie scoop (2 scant tablespoons), scoop the batter onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake the cakes, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 15 minutes. Cool on the pan for five minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. Contine with the rest of the batter. You can reuse the pans and the parchment as long as the pan has cooled. You should have 40 cakes.
6. To assemble the whoopie pies, spread a layer of the buttercream on one cake and place another cake on top.

To Make the Buttercream

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and the butter on low for about one minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat for another minutes.
2. Add the cream, vanilla, mint extract, food coloring, and salt and beat on high until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Notes

You may need to double the buttercream recipe if you'd like a really thick layer. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories

213

Fat (grams)

9 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

5 g

Carbs (grams)

32 g

Fiber (grams)

1 g

Net carbs

31 g

Sugar (grams)

22 g

Protein (grams)

2 g

Cholesterol (grams)

25 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2025/11/chocolate-mint-whoopie-pies.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

whoopie pies, chocolate mint

dessert

American

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Recipe adapted from Whoopie Pies: Dozens of Mix 'em, Match "em Up Recipes (2010).