Oatmeal Nutella-cream cheese filled Whoopie Pies

Sometimes the recipes for my whoopie pies are inspired by a particular craving, sometimes by a particular seasonal treat, sometimes a suggestion by a friend, and sometimes they are just based on the ingredients I have on hand.

I knew I wanted to make a Nutella-cream cheese filling (and I had both Nutella and cream cheese) but I hadn’t totally decided on what kind of whoopie to stuff it in – vanilla, chocolate, chocolate chunk, something boozy… Well, I went shopping and meant to pick up either milk or buttermilk (I normally just have almond milk at home) but I completely forgot. I got home and realized that the only Whoopie Pies I could make without milk or buttermilk were the oatmeal ones. Besides the necessity to make these based on what I had on hand, I also wanted to try this recipe out since it was one of the few recipes in Whoopie Pies that I hadn’t yet tried!

I actually really liked the texture contrast between the chewier oat-y Whoopie Pies and the smooth Nutella filling. Also, in case you are wondering, the Whoopie Pies are still soft (no crispy cookies here!) and “whoopie-pie-like”! And the filling is not at all lacking in Nutella taste! Yum!

Oatmeal Whoopie Pies – from Whoopie Pies (makes about 18 filled Whoopie pies)

• 1/4 cup butter, at room temp
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a regular bowl and use your hand mixer), cream together butter and sugars until fluffy and pale, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time and add the vanilla.
3. In a food processor, blender, or Magic Bullet (my preference!), process 3/4 cup of oatmeal until it resembles whole grain flour (as can be seen in the picture on the right – in contrast to the unprocessed oats on the left). Transfer to a bowl and add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and remaining oats. Stir together.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat on low until combined.
5. Spoon or scoop 1 to 1.5 Tb of batter onto the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 11 minutes or until the cookies are set and edges just start to brown.
6. Let cool 3-4 minutes on the on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.

Nutella Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 cup Nutella
• 4 oz (1/2 a pkg) cream cheese
• 2 to 2 1/2 icing sugar

1. Beat together Nutella and cream cheese.
2. Add icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until a medium consistency is reached. If you add to much and it becomes stiff, add milk 1 tsp at a time until it is soft and smooth!

Assemble by filling two equally sized & shaped Whoopie Pies with 1 to 1.5 Tb filling (generally use as much filling as you used for the batter of each side of the Whoopie). Squish together and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling Chocolate Whoopie Pies

I admit it: part of the reason that I love to bake is that I really love picking away at the dough/batter while I am preparing whatever it is I am baking (I really don’t get those people that NEVER eat the dough). So after seeing people use cookie dough (with no egg and thinned with milk to create the right consistency) to frost cupcakes and cakes, I figured it had to be used to make a filling for Whoopie pies! So that is what I did!

These went over VERY well at the baby shower that I took them to. My friend’s twin nieces seriously went nuts over them and were conspiring as to how to take more without looking too obvious! It was quite hilarious to see them whispering!

I was actually a tiny bit disappointed: although the Whoopie Pies were delicious, once the filling was sandwiched in the middle, the cookie dough ‘flavour’ was lost. The filling was tasty on its own and definitely tasted like cookie dough but in the Whoopie Pie I just couldn’t tell what it was anymore, which made me wonder “what is it that makes cookie dough so tasty???”

By the way, if you want smooth topped Whoopie Pies rather than these ones, which formed cracks over the top but still tasted great, try this recipe (you can replace the Kahlua with ANY liquid – or just more milk). I was out of milk but had buttermilk so I used the below recipe instead! They still tasted great but they weren’t as pretty. (I think if you add 1 or 2Tb more buttermilk, this recipe would produce smooth tops as well!)

Chocolate Whoopie Pies (makes 22 smaller Whoopie Pies)

(adapted from Cookies by Martha Stewart)

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 Tb baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 1/2 cup butter, room temp
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and two sugars. Beat until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
3. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt and espresso powder.
5. Alternatively add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk and beat to combine.
6. Scoop or spoon about 1 Tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake until set (they will bounce back when lightly pressed) – about 8-10 minutes. Cool 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling

• 1/2 cup butter, room temp
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 2-3 TB milk (or as much as required to create an ‘icing’ like consistency)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Beat together butter and two sugars until light and fluffy. Add salt, vanilla and flour.
2. Add enough milk to create a filling that is fluffy and smooth and light. Stir in chocolate chips.

Assemble by filling two equally sized & shaped Whoopie Pies with 1-1.5Tb filling (generally use as much filling as you used for the batter of each side of the Whoopie plus a little). Press together and refrigerate until about an hour before serving (they can be eater straight from the fridge as well!).