Valentine’s Red Velvet Whoopie Pies Recipe
These Valentine’s Red Velvet Whoopie Pies are a delightful treat featuring soft, heart-shaped red velvet cookies sandwiched with a creamy vanilla cream cheese filling. Perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion to share with loved ones, these pies combine a rich cocoa flavor with vibrant red coloring and a luscious, sweet cream cheese frosting.
- Author: Nora
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 whoopie pies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk (room temperature)
- 1 Tablespoon (1 oz.) red gel food coloring
Filling Ingredients
- 6 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- Prepare Baking Sheets and Oven: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter or a template, draw hearts spaced about one inch apart on the paper; the cookies will spread during baking. Place the parchment paper stencil side down. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Cream Butter: In another large bowl, cream the softened butter on medium-high speed for 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
- Add Sugar and Eggs: Add the light brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and well mixed. Then add vanilla extract and the egg, mixing thoroughly while scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add Buttermilk and Food Coloring: Beat in the buttermilk and red gel food coloring until evenly incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients just until combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
- Pipe the Cookies: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a ½ inch round tip. Pipe a simple ‘V’ shape inside each heart outline on the parchment paper; avoid filling the entire heart as the batter will spread during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the centers look set. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling.
- Make the Filling: In a bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar and continue beating until fluffy.
- Prepare Filling for Assembly: Transfer the filling into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or use a zip-lock bag with a corner cut off).
- Assemble Whoopie Pies: Pair cookies by similar shape and size. Pipe the filling onto the flat side of one cookie, leaving room around the edges. Top with the matching cookie, flat side down, and press gently to spread the filling to the edges.
- Storage: Store the assembled whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
Notes
- Make sure all dairy ingredients (butter, egg, cream cheese, buttermilk) are at room temperature for best mixing and texture.
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to maintain the proper batter consistency and vibrant red color.
- If you don’t have a piping bag or tips, a zip-lock bag with a small corner cut off works perfectly for piping the batter and filling.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before assembling to prevent filling from melting.
- These whoopie pies are best served chilled but can be brought to room temperature for a softer bite.
- Store the pies in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Keywords: Valentine's Day, red velvet, whoopie pies, heart-shaped cookies, cream cheese filling, dessert, holiday treat