Almond Whoopie Pies – Two ways!

written by Becky

Almond Whoopie Pies with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling AND/OR
Zucchini-Almond Whoopie Pies with Almond Cream Cheese Filling

This was the first batch of by request “how would you make your perfect Whoopie Pie”. After posting the “What’s Your Flavour?” post, I had a few requests for the perfect flavour for that person! Since my friend Nicole was the first to

These two sure came in handy! I bought them at Costco awhile back but they haven't been used in the same recipe yet!

submit her request, by text, she is the first to get her “perfect Whoopie” (or hopefully perfect! She hasn’t yet tried them – hopefully she will comment tomorrow!) Nicole’s request was an Almond Whoopie Pie with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling.

So you may be wondering why the “two-ways” if Nicole only made one request. Well the second half of the batch were created after talking to a friend who claimed she had never had a Whoopie Pie. During this same conversation, we discussed an amazing Almond-Zucchini Bundt Cake she had made once. This cake sounds like it could almost be healthy but with a LOT of sugar, butter and sour cream, it is obvious the zucchini is simply for moisture and not for any vegetable servings! So I figured, since Nicole didn’t need an entire batch of Whoopie Pies just for her, I would alter half of the batter and make Almond-Zucchini Whoopie Pies with Almond Cream Cheese Filling to share with my friend. After scooping enough regular Almond Whoopie Pies, I then stirred in some zucchini to the second half. Of course, I forgot that this would add a lot of moisture so after baking half, I had to add more flour to the mix to get the same lovely whoopie pie mounds that I was hoping for. I then paired a flat and a fat Whoopie pie together for each cookie!

Here is how it was done:

Almond Whoopie Pies with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

Adapted quite a bit from the Vanilla Whoopie Pie found in the book Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley & Amy Treadwell

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  

  Scooping the Whoopies!

• 1/2 cup ground toasted almonds (toast slivered ones and then grind in food processor)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 Tb butter, room temp
• 2 Tb shortening (could use all butter)
• 3/4 c packed brown sugar
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 Tb almond milk (regular is fine, I just happened to have almond milk)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp  white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• sliced almonds

1. Preheat oven to 375 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, ground almonds & salt in a bowl.
3. In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat together butter and shortening and then beat in the two sugars until light and creamy, a few minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then the buttermilk and beat until well combined.
4. In a measuring cup or small bowl, mix milk, baking soda and vinegar.
5. Add half of the dry mix to the mixer while beating, then the milk and finally the rest of the dry mix.
6. Add the extracts and beat until just combined.
7. Using a spoon, cookie scoop or piping bag, scoop/pipe cookies onto the prepared cookie sheet.
   

   Look how much those little guys spread! The left is before baking, the right, after.

   Put several sliced almonds to the tops of half of the Whoopie Pies.
   As a sidenote: these whoopies spread quite a bit so don’t make them too huge!

8. Bake 8-10 minutes until just barely browned.
9. Remove from oven, allow to cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 pkg cream cheese, room temp
• 1/2 cup butter, room temp
• lemon zest from one lemon
• 3/4 tsp lemon extract
• 2-3 cups icing sugar

 Beat together cream cheese and butter. Add lemon zest and extract. Beat in icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time.

Almond Whoopie Pie with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling

Zucchini Almond Whoopie Pies & Almond Cream Cheese Filling

Follow above recipe but add the following:

Grated Zucchini!

• 1 zucchini, grated and squeezed between paper towel to remove as much liquid as possible
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour

Add the flour with the rest of the flour. (This amount is approximate since I didn’t add this flour at first and I only added zucchini to half of the batch I made.)

Mixing in the Zucchini!

Stir in the zucchini at the end.

Almond Cream Cheese Filling

Make as the lemon filling but do not add the zest or the lemon extract. Instead add 1 tsp almond extract.

Zucchini Almond Whoopie Pie with Almond Cream Cheese Filling