Chocolate Nutella Whoopie Pies

Coming from Maine, whoopie pies are a favorite and a staple dessert. I really love them because they can be so customized. It's like a cupcake, where you can mix and match so many different flavors to make hundreds of combinations. Since I can literally eat Nutella out of a jar with no shame, I of course decided to make some mini Nutella filled whoopie pies for my office.

Makes: 30 mini whoopie pies                    Total time: 90 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• Chocolate whoopie pies
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 3/4 + 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• Nutella filling
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 3 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup nutella
• 2 tablespoons whole milk

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until fluffy.

Step 2: Add in the egg and vanilla, beating until just combined.

Step 3: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the baking soda, flour and cocoa powder.

Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix until combined.

Step 5: Fold in half of the buttermilk, then add in the rest, gently folding in until combined. Mixture will be sticky.

Step 6: Cover the batter in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 hour

Step 7: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and remove the batter from the freezer.

Step 8: Scoop our batter one tablespoon at a time and roll into a ball before placing on a wax paper lined baking tray. Repeat until all the batter is gone.

Step 9: Bake the whoopie pies for approximately 7-9 minutes then remove from the oven and let them cool before transfering to a cooling rack.

step 10: While whoopie pies are cooling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. 

Step 11: Slowly add in the powdered sugar, beating between each addition.

Step 12: Add in the vanilla and Nutella and beat until smooth.

Step 13: Add in the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, adding in less or more depending on the consistency of the frosting. It should be fluffy and light, not runny or stiff.

Step 14: Take one cooled cookie and pipe approximately 1 tablespoon of filling onto the flat side, then add another cookie on top to make the sandwich. Repeat with all of the cookies and enjoy!

These can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Recipe adapted from Handle The Heat