Double Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies

These whoopie pies are intense. Believe it or not, I am not a super chocolatey dessert person. I like chocolate, but I don’t prefer it to be the base flavor. Unless it’s white chocolate. Maybe next time I will experiment with white chocolate and peanut butter. That sounds amazing. Anyway, these are rich, chocolatey and especially delicious if you are a chocolate lover. Don’t get me wrong, I would still happily eat the entire batch in one sitting 😉

Double Chocolate Peppermint Whoopie Pies

yield approx 3 dozen

For the cakes:

• 1/2 cup light whipped butter
• 1/2 cup fat free or reduced fat cream cheese
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2/3 cup Splenda
• 1 packet Starbucks via
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 1 cup dutch process cocoa
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 cups reduced fat buttermilk
• 2 candy canes, crushed

For the filling:

• 1 10 oz bag Sunspire white chocolate chips
• 1 tbs light whipped butter
• 1/4-1/3 cup 2 % milk
• 1 tsp peppermint extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat together butter, sugar, Splenda, via, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla until smooth Beat in egg substitute. Stir in cocoa.
3. Alternately add in flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour, scraping down sides of bowl when necessary. Mix until no lumps remain.
4. Drop rounded tablespoon sized balls onto prepared cookie sheet and flatten slightly (I used a sprayed piece of parchment paper to flatten to avoid sticking).
5. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top.
6. Bake for 7-10 minutes, until cakes spring back when you press lightly with your fingers.
7. Let stand for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
8. Meanwhile, melt white chocolate and butter in microwave safe bowl stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
9. Stir in peppermint. Slowly, add 1/4-1/3 cup milk. Cool completely in refrigerator.
10. Spread a little white chocolate on the flat side of one cookie, top with the flat side of a second and press together. Repeat with all cookies.