TWD- Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

Is there a better combination than chocolate and peanut butter? Just looking at these pictures has me drooling and wishing I had saved more of these cookies for our own cookie jar, although I know giving them away was the wiser choice. This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe is really late but when I looked through my folder and realized I'd missed posting these in the crazy of summer, I knew it was time!

Dorie describes these as 'thin and plain' but they turned out much different for me- fluffy, flavorful, and almost cute. I used a small-ish metal cookie scoop to portion out the dough nicely and will use and even smaller one next time to make tiny little whoopie pies. I think you could really use any flavor filling to compliment the chocolate (mint, raspberry, orange, caramel?) but the second I tried one out of the oven of these I had Barefoot Contessa's peanut butter frosting on the brain. It was a delicious combo as long as you didn't think too much about how much rich, delicious stuff heads into that icing! Thanks Spike for getting me out of my comfort zone so I could discover another new favorite.

See this weeks real recipe here. I've included my recipe with the changes below as I omitted the spices, fruit, and worked with what I had. I'm sure any way you make them they would come out great (once again, butter, sugar, flour, chocolate, how bad can that be?)

Whoopie Pies with Peanut Butter Filling
adapted from Dorie Greenspan's wonderful Baking

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled (or bittersweet was fine for me- work with what you have!)
1 cup sour cream

Getting Ready: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat oven to 375. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until it is creamy and smooth.  Add the sugars and beat for two minutes or so, then add the eggs one by one.  Beat for another minute-the mixture should be smooth and satiny.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the vanilla and melted chocolate.  With the mixer still on low speed, add the dry ingredients and the sour cream alternatively, adding the dry ingredients in 3 batches and the sour cream in 2 (begin and end with the dry team). Do not overmix and be gentle!

Drop the batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets, making certain to leave at least an inch between the spoonfuls. Note- if this is difficult, try chilling the dough for a few minute in the fridge! Bake for 12-15 minutes- the cookies will puff, spread and round themselves out in baking.  They’re done when they are set on top but still springy to the touch.  Pull the sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest for 1 minute, then, using a wide metal spatula, carefully transfer them to a rack.  Cool to room temperature.
Repeat with the remaining batter, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

Storing: Because these are soft, they are best stored loosely stacked in a tin with wax paper between the layers.  They can be kept at room temperature for about 4 days or packed airtight and frozen for about 2 months.

Kathleen's Peanut Butter Icing
adapted from the lovely Ina Garten (aka Barefoot Contessa)

1 cup powdered sugar (I added an additional 1/2 cup for a total 1 1/2)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl occasionally. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Spread frosting between cooled cookies and enjoy (guess what- they are even better the next day, yay!)