These whoopie pies are what dreams are made of; soft, chocolate-y, and paleo. Does it get any better than that?! In this recipe we’ll be making moist chocolate cakes with fluffy vanilla frosting sandwiched between. It’s the perfect way to kickoff a sweet summer season!
If you’ve never had a whoopie pie then stop what you’re doing and make this recipe right now. Not only are they the most perfect “bite-sized” sweet treat, but it’s ridiculously easy to make. Oh, and did I mention that my version is refined-sugar free? YUP. No sugar, paleo-friendly, and totally bursting with flavor and chocolate-y goodness.
In true Kalejunkie fashion, I’m here to show you that you can have ALL of your favorite foods without sacrificing your health and wellness. From my Life Changing Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies, to my Best Ever Chocolate Chunk Olive Oil cookies, I’m here to show you that eating your favorite foods can be both delicious and healthy. But enough about me, let’s get into this.
What is a whoopie pie?
Contrary to its name, it’s not a “pie” at all- it’s a cake! Think of these as mini, bite-sized chocolate cakes. It’s made of two small gluten-free chocolate cake rounds that are filled with a creamy, fluffy filling. The most traditional filling for a whoopie pie is a marshmallow cream, but there are so many variations out there.
Some people do ice cream, others do coconut cream, it just depends on what you like best! For this recipe, we will be using vanilla frosting to truly make it like an inside-out cake!
You may be thinking to yourself, “But Nicole, these look like cookies, not cakes,” and you’re right! Think of them as somewhere in-between. The batter will be thicker, like a cookie, but will turn into a softer, moister cake-like consistency. It really is the perfect in-between!
So, why is it called a whoopie pie?
While you can find conventional whoopie pies in bakeries all over America these days, they originally began as an Amish tradition in early 1900’s New England. Rumor has it, when kids would open their lunchboxes at school and see a whoopie pie inside, they would shout “whoopie!” hence the name. Today, they’re still popular in New England, but have made their way west. And for my Southern friends, you can think of a whoopie pie as the sister to the moon pie.
What you need to make these paleo whoopie pies
Thankfully, these paleo whoopie pies are fairly easy to make! Most of the ingredients can likely be found in your pantry. Oh, and did I mention they’re gluten-free?!
- Almond Flour: If you’ve been following my recipes for a while now, then you’ll know that this is one of my favorite ingredients! Almond flour bakes like a dream and is a great gluten-free flour replacement.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: If you want a much sweeter taste you can definitely opt for a sweetened cocoa powder, but if you want to make this recipe truly paleo, then you’ll want to skip the refined sugars and opt for the unsweetened version.
- Coconut Sugar: An unrefined, just-as-sweet alternative to traditional cane sugar!
- Salt: Just a bit of salt to balance out the sweetness!
- Baking Soda: Baking soda will make these cakes rise, so don’t skip it.
- Coconut Oil: Make sure it’s melted and cooled! This is important.
- Eggs: I strongly recommend traditional eggs here, as it’ll help give the cakes their light and texture!
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract is always the star in any baking recipe, it adds the best flavor!
- Maple Syrup: These “pies” are sweetened with both maple syrup and coconut sugar – and not too much – so you don’t have to worry about them being too sweet.
How to fill these whoopie pies
As mentioned earlier, we’re going to be filling these whoopie pies with a nice schmear of vanilla frosting. I like the Simple Mills brand, but you can use any vanilla frosting that you like.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also swap out the frosting for a different creamy filling! Ice cream would be amazing, just make sure that you eat them right away. Or, you could try coconut cream, homemade whipped cream, etc.
How to make these paleo whoopie pies
- Preheat your oven to 350° F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients – almond flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, salt, and baking soda.
- Next, mix the wet ingredients into the dry, adding them one-by-one; the coconut oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and maple syrup.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (or ice cream scoop!) to form 16-18 cakes (this will yield 8-10 total whoopie pies).
- Bake for 11-12 minutes.
- Let the cakes cool COMPLETELY before adding the frosting.
- Spread the frosting on the cakes and form them into sandwiches.
- If you want, add a sprinkle of sea salt on top and enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a rating and a comment below – this really helps others decide whether to make this recipe as well. And since I practically live on Instagram, be sure to tag me in your creations so I can see them and repost! Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the Cakes:
- 2 ¾ cup almond flour
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup maple syrup
For the Filling:
- 1 container vanilla frosting of choice, I like the Simple Mills brand
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (first 5 ingredients).
- Then mix in the wet ingredients one by one, until the dough is smooth.
- Use a cookie scoop to form 16 – 18 small cookies (should be 8 – 10 total whoopie pies) depending on how big your cookie scoop is.
- Bake 11-12 minutes.
- These must cool COMPLETELY so the frosting spreads on easily.
- Spread the frosting on the cakes and form them into sandwiches.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Recipe In Action
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What others are saying
These turned out HEAVENLY!!!! The texture is spot on! Love all your recipes never have had a failed one!
Aww I love hearing that Corinne! So happy you love these, thank you for your sweet comment!
I love these whoopie pies! I made them over the summer and also paired them with homemade vegan vanilla frosting. It was a fun day and a yummy treat!
Homemade vegan vanilla frosting? Sign me up, that sounds delicious! Thank you for your sweet review!
These are fantastic! Even better the next day!!
So glad you loved them! Thank you for your review, Christina!
Hi, I’m I not seeing the recipe or link for frosting?
Hi Stacey! As I mention in the post, it’s not a homemade frosting. I just use the Simple Mills brand, but you can use whatever vanilla frosting you’d like!