Cousin Johnnie’s Red Velvet Whoopie Pie
By Paula Deen
JUMP TO RECIPE
Difficulty: Medium
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Servings: 24
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ cups canola oil
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 (1-oz) bottle red food coloring
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
Filling
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 stick butter, softened
- ½ cup solid vegetable shortening
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets. Sift 3 cups flour, baking soda and cocoa together. In a separate bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, food coloring and ½ teaspoon vanilla.
Using an electric mixer, beat 1½ cups sugar and eggs together until they turn pale and double in volume. Add the oil mixture and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in five small additions, starting and ending with the flour.
Drop the batter by teaspoons onto the baking sheets, allowing 1 inch between drops, as the cookies will spread. You’ll be making 48 cookies. Bake until the cookies are firm but not crisp, about 12 minutes. Transfer immediately to racks to cool.
Filling
Put the flour into a medium saucepan and slowly add the milk, whisking until smooth. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until very thick, about 3 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Cream 1 cup sugar, butter, shortening and 1 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer. Add the cooled flour mixture and whip until fluffy. Spread onto one cookie and top it with another to make a sandwich; repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Cover the filled whoopee pies with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.
