Whoopie! Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies!

We celebrated my wonderful boyfriend's birthday on Wednesday... well... more like, worked all day and didn't even get to see each other. But, to make up for it, I told him that I would make him any sweet in the world that he wanted as his birthday treat. With the universe as his oyster, he had so many things to chose from. He could have picked something traditional like Yellow Cake or slightly classier like Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake. But instead, he hearkened back to his childhood New England memories and chose Whoopie Pies. Thank goodness!! I was dying to make them. I even went for the home run and made my own Marshmallow Fluff for the frosting. To make it interesting, it actually made two fillings: Traditional and Maple Marshmallow Fillings. For your own Whoopie cravings, enjoy the recipe below:

Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies: Yields 8 Large Whoopies
2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour mix
1/2 cup cocoa powder (+2 T additional??)
1 1/4 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 t xanthan gum
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar (+2 T?? or Agave)
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 cup buttermilk

Filling:
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 cups Marshmallow Fluff (see recipe below)
1 t vanilla extract (substitute maple extract, if desired, for Maple Filling)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Like two sheet pans with parchment.
2. Whisk together GF flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until combined. Add dry ingredients in batches, alternating with buttermilk. Mix until smooth and thick, about 30 seconds.
4. Scoop batter onto baking sheet using a 1/4 cup measuring cup for large cakes and a tablespoon for small cakes. Leave space in between to allow for spreading.
5. Bake large cakes for 18 minutes and small ones for about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
6. While cookies cool, prepare filling. Cream butter and powdered sugar until fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add Fluff and extract, mixing until combined. Evenly divide among half of cookies and top with another.


Marshmallow Fluff: Yields 2 Cups
Note: This will be less sweet than the store-bought variety. Try the filling with both and see what you like best!
2 egg whites
2/3 cup granulated sugar or maple crystals

1. Fill a small pot with a 2 inches of water and heat to a simmer. Place the bowl of a standing mixer on top, creating a double-boiler. In the bowl, whisk together egg whites and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch.
2. Transfer the bowl to your standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk mixture until glossy, fluffy and stiff-peaks form, about 8 minutes. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to one week.


Hope these treats are worthy of your birthday celebrations or just a lazy Saturday. They are still a work in progress, but definitely delicious. Try substituting part almond flour in the cakes for a little added texture and protein, or try a variety of different fillings to fit your mood!