Raspberry Whoopie Pies
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Small sandwich cakes with raspberry jam filling. Uses a cocoa-based cake with mashed raspberries and cream cheese filling. Changed sugar quantity, swapped butter for oil, lemon zest added for brightness. Mixing technique adjusted for fluffier texture. Watch batter consistency carefully—too runny ruins shape. Bake until edges spring back and top mat surface tension. Filling thickened to prevent sliding. Makes around eight small pies, handheld size. A treat when chilled enough to hold shape but not frozen stiff. Raspberry tartness cuts through sweet dark cocoa bite.
Prep:
40 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
70 min
Servings:
8 servings
#dessert
#raspberry
#baking
#cream cheese
#American
#whoopie pies
Whoopie pies are deceptively simple—two cakey discs hugging a sweet filling. Think of them as rustic little sandwiches, but with attitude. This version goes raspberry. Tartness punches through soft cocoa, an unexpected but welcome combo. Tried plain butter, too rich: oil creates more tender crumb. Lemon zest brightens nowhere else you’d expect citrus, but it works. Massaged textures key: batter thick enough to mound, filling resistant to run. Baking cues can’t be faked all cookie shapes rise differently under various ovens, so watch tops, edges, don’t eyeball the clock. Chill for tidiness. My first batch oozed everywhere—fail. Learned: wait. Taste? Balance of bitter dark cake with vibrant raspberry and soft cheese is why I keep tweaking. Keep berries intact for bursts, not dull puree.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of half a lemon
- 1 cup fresh raspberries, mashed lightly
- 7 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons raspberry preserves
About the ingredients
Flour amount changed slightly down to 1 1/3 cups for tender crumb—less dense than original. Cocoa powder adjusted to get richer but not overpowering deepness. Switched butter to vegetable oil for moistness; oil saves a step and texture, though less flaky crust overall which suits these better. Buttermilk adds acidity; no substitute for that tang, but milk with vinegar stands in emergencies. Lemon zest thrown in for bright counterbalance; zucchinis or apples used before, didn’t cut richness enough. Cream cheese filling is lighter, powdered sugar ratio reduced for less cloying effect. Added fresh rather than frozen raspberries to avoid runny puddle, but frozen okay if drained. Raspberry preserves mix in with fresh fruit—balance of smooth and chunky textures makes mouthparty. Measure powders carefully—too much baking soda smells bitter.
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment—important, no sticking nightmares.
- Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Get lumps out; you want even crumb, or tough spots later.
- In separate large bowl, beat sugar, oil, egg until glossy. Not fluffy but homogenous.
- Add buttermilk, vanilla, lemon zest. Stir until blended. Citrus zest wakes flavor, trust me.
- Slowly fold dry into wet with rubber spatula. Stop when no streaks of flour. Don’t overmix—dense pies are a waste.
- Spoon batter onto sheet in 16 even mounds. Thumb-sized, a bit apart. Batter slightly thick, not drippy.
- Bake 27 to 33 minutes. Edges dry, tops matte, bounce back when pressed gently—not dented. Insert toothpick for moist crumbs, no wet goo.
- Cool completely on wire rack. Patience here or filling melts.
- Whip cream cheese, powdered sugar till silky and smooth. Blend in preserves and mashed raspberries with rough chunks. Keeps texture, no puree.
- Smear or pipe good dollop on half the cooled cakes. Sandwich with other halves. Press lightly—don’t squish out filling.
- Chill at least 45 minutes. Filling sets, pies firm up but stay soft.
- Serve cool; fridge temp best. Warm turns messy.
- Leftover pies? Wrap tight or freeze flat in single layer. Defrost slowly or filling weeps.
- Substitutions? If no buttermilk, milk with 1 tsp vinegar works fine. Use softened butter for oil if preferred but expect firmer crumb. Frozen raspberries work but drain excess juice.
- Common trouble: if pies spread too much, batter too loose or oven temp low. Overbaking makes them dry and crumbly.
Cooking tips
Skip start to dry mix if no sifter, just whisk well. Key point: gentle folding not full-on stirring to keep air and not ruin texture. Batter should be thick enough to dollop, not thin puddle; if too watery, add tiny flour pinch mid-fold. Spoon batter with ice cream scoop or large spoon; uniform size makes baking even. White indent in center of pies signals underbake; edges that crack or brown too fast means oven too hot or baking sheet too thin. Cooling 100% mandatory. Use hand or bench scraper to gently lift or they’ll break. Cream cheese filling whipped only enough to combine; over-beating can make it runny. When assembling, if filling runs use thicker preserves or chill filling longer. Chilling pies after assembly firms structure—skip and filling oozes. Discard any whoopie pies with crumbly dry cake: no amount of filling fixes dryness.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Batter texture key—thick enough to mound without running. Too thin spreading out ruins shape. Fold dry ingredients gently into wet, no overmixing or pies turn heavy. Use rubber spatula, slow strokes. Add tiny flour pinch if batter looks watery mid-way. Uniform size mounds bake evenly; use ice cream scoop or spoon. I learned rough chunks in filling add nice mouthfeel. Pureeing raspberries makes runny mess instead of firmness. Cooling pies fully before assembly prevents meltdown. Warm pies ooze filling badly, patience pays off here.
- 💡 Watch baking cues, don’t rely on clock alone. Edges dry and tops matte signal close to done. Press tops gently—bounce back, no dent means ready for cooling. Toothpick test should show moist crumbs not raw goo. Overbaking dries pies out fast, crumbly mess after that. Oven temps vary, sheet thickness matters—thin pans brown fast and crack edges. White indent in center means underbake, let bake more. Cooling on wire rack prevents soggy bottoms. Use hand or bench scraper to lift gently; whoopies are delicate when warm.
- 💡 Filling consistency matters for assembly and eating experience. Whip cream cheese and powdered sugar just enough, too long makes runny mess. Blend in preserves and lightly mashed raspberries with some texture left for contrast. Thicker preserves or chilling filling longer stabilizes runniness. Press sandwich halves lightly to seal filling but don't squeeze out. Chill assembled pies minimum 45 minutes. This firms structure and helps pies hold shape cleanly. Skipping chill step means messy filling leak, hard to handle piping or serving.
- 💡 Ingredient swaps need care. Butter instead of vegetable oil yields firmer crumb, oil is more tender and moist. Buttermilk brings acidity and tenderness; if none, milk plus 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice works. Frozen raspberries fine if drained well to prevent filling payout. Lemon zest critical for bright counterbalance; skipping it leaves a slightly flat flavor. Sugar amount reduced from original to avoid cloying filling. Cocoa powder quantity calibrated for rich but not bitter dark note. Measuring powders carefully avoids bitter baking soda taste.
- 💡 Mixing technique impacts rise and texture. No vigorous stirring—fold dry slowly to avoid deflating batter. Batter should appear homogenous without flour streaks but still fluffy. Air trapped here helps pies rise nicely. Batter resting not required but helps if mix keeps for short bit. Spoon or scoop batter about thumb-sized and spaced well on parchment-lined baking sheet to prevent sticking and spreading. I learned cracking or browning edges too fast means oven too hot or thin baking pan between attempts. Adjust temps accordingly for even bake.
Common questions
How to know batter consistency?
Thick but dollop-able, no drips or puddles. If too runny pies spread and lose shape. Fold dry in gently, add small flour pinch if needed. No stiff dough either; just thick enough to mound holds form well.
What if no buttermilk?
Use whole milk with 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice stirred in. Let sit 5 minutes before adding. Adds acidity and tender crumb close to buttermilk effect. Works well but slight flavor difference, no drastic results.
Pies spreading too much, why?
Batter too loose mostly. Also oven temp too low, causing underbake then spread. Check batter thickness, oven calibration, baking sheet material. Try chilling batter briefly or use smaller mounds. Baking time often varies too, watch visual cues carefully.
Best way to store whoopie pies?
Wrap individually tight in plastic wrap. Store refrigerated up to 3 days for firmness. Freeze flat in single layer in airtight container for longer; thaw slowly in fridge overnight. Avoid room temp stall or filling weeps and gets messy after a day or two.
