Shelly's Recipe

STRAWBERRY WHOOPIE PIES

Category: Cookies

For the cookies:
31/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup strawberries, finely chopped

For the filling:
16 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2-1 cup strawberry puree

To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the brown sugar and canola oil and mix until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Mix in the yogurt and vanilla extract until well blended. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed, just until incorporated. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries with a rubber spatula. Cover, and refrigerate the batter for 30 minutes.

Using a dough scoop, drop mounds of batter on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 12-15 minutes if using a medium dough scoop (about 9-10 minutes with a small dough scoop). Rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking. Once finished baking, transfer the baking sheets to a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing the cookies to the rack. Repeat with any remaining dough.

To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth. Add in the confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated, then on medium speed until smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract. Add in the strawberry puree, starting with about 1/2 cup and adding more if desired. If the filling becomes too thin, add more powdered sugar to stiffen.

To assemble, pair up the cooled cookies by size, laying one cookie of each pair flat side up. Pipe a dollop of filling onto the flat cookie of each pair, and top with the other cookie to create a sandwich, pressing gently to bring the filling to the edges of the cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.