Chocolate Mint Whoopie Pies

Recipe and photo from: The Family Kitchen

Cookie Ingredients:

Filling Ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar for a minute or so, until well combined. It will have the consistency of wet sand. Add the egg and peppermint and beat until smooth. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa and salt. In a small bowl, stir the baking soda into 1/2 cup very hot water until dissolved.

With the mixer on low or stirring by hand, add about a third of the dry ingredients, then half the heavy cream and half the baking soda mixture, mixing each time just until blended. Repeat with another third of the dry ingredients, the rest of the heavy cream and baking soda mixture, and then the rest of the dry ingredients, mixing each time just until combined. The batter will be quite wet, almost like cake batter.

Drop large, round spoonfuls of batter 2” apart on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the tops no longer appear wet and just spring back when lightly touched. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To make the filling, in the top of a double boiler or in a clean stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and egg white. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed for about 7 minutes, until it stands in billowy peaks. Remove it from the heat and beat in the mint extract and green food coloring.

When completely cool, spread the bottom of one cookie with filling, then sandwich with a second cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and cream. Store extras individually wrapped in plastic ?