Learn How To Make Classic, Old-Fashioned Amish Whoopie Pies

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I feel like there’s not a whole lot I can say about Old-Fashioned Amish whoopie pies that I haven’t already said over the years.  I mean, this dessert has, accurately or not, become synonymous with Amish culinary culture.

Jump to:

• 🗺️ Whoopie Pies: Maine vs. Pennsylvania
• 📋 How to Make Amish Whoopie Pies
• ❓FAQ
• 🥄 More Amish Cream-Filled Recipes
• 🥧 More Amish Whoopie Pie Recipes
• 🖨️ Full Recipe

🗺️ Whoopie Pies: Maine vs. Pennsylvania

The state of Maine and the Amish of Pennsylvania have been in a long-running, generally good-natured, feud about the genesis of the whoopie pie.  Maine claims the confection as their own, while Pennsylvania Dutch cookery does the same.  Squishing some creme between two cookies doesn't seem like it takes a great deal of genius, so I think it's possible they both sort of evolved in the same place.  Having just returned from Maine I can attest to the state's embrace of the whoopie pie, they are everywhere! Individually wrapped whoopie pies are available in most gas stations and convenience stores and many restaurants have them on the menu.

This is a whoopie pie that I bought at The Coach House restaurant in Brewer, Maine (SIGH, all in the name of research, of course).  They had some for sale right by the register (by the way if you are ever in Bangor, Maine, the Coach House is really good...delicious diner food, typical American fare but really delicious, definitely worth a stop...the dive across the street that I spent the night in...not so much)   The Maine whoopie pie seems to be a bit larger, maybe, than some of the Amish-made ones and the creme seems fluffier on the inside.  The cookies themselves also seem fluffier.  The whole Maine whoopie pie experience seems lighter, fluffier, and less dense than the Amish experience.  Myself, I like the heavier, denser creme and heavier cookie.  Ah heck, I like them both. That's the problem.  But, personally, if I could only pick one: heavy dense vs. light fluffy, I'd go with heavy dense.

Probably the best pies, personally, I’ve ever had, are the peanut butter cookie and peanut butter filling whoopie pies at the Country Crust Mennonite bakery in Bainbridge Ohio. Those, to me, these are the gold standard of whoopie pies. 

Amish country celebrates Whoopie Pies with Whoopie Pie Festivals and almost every Amish bakery or Mennonite bakery makes them from scratch and sells them. You can so many different versions of these treats too, from pumpkin whoopies to apple bread whoopies. They are all good, but Ithink I just like the old-fashioned chocolate.

My 17-year-old niece and I do a “bake off “every year at our family reunion, where we each bring an item and have family members vote.  I thought I could put up some stiff competition this year with homemade whoopie pies. I’ve never tried making them myself before. My wife had made them. But I had never tried. So, I decided to use Gloria‘s recipe for homemade chocolate whoopie pies. And, man, it is a really good recipe. 

The recipe made a really fluffy cookie that was more like cake than cookie, it’s just what you think of when you think of the classic old-fashioned New England Whoopie pie.I probably made a tactical error when I decided to use peanut butter filling as opposed to traditional marshmallow fluff filling. I might have won the bake off if I done that. But I just chose an easier route and did peanut butter.

I also probably made the whoopie pies too big. Now, mind you, when you buy them commercially they often are huge. But that may not work so well for a family picnic. I used an ice cream scoop for each cookie and they spread out wonderfully. But in retrospect maybe I would’ve made smaller whoopie pies and just used a tablespoon of batter per cookie. That said, I’m a glutton, so I like large whoopie pies.

📋 How to Make Amish Whoopie Pies

Okay, so let's take a look at this recipe for Old-Fashioned Amish Whoopie Pies:

Basic ingredients are the hallmark of these whoopie pies.

I'd advise not making these with 4 and 7-year-olds, the house looked like a cocoa explosion happened by the time we were done.

The girls did enjoy helping assemble the whoopie pies.

I think part of the reason I lost the bake-off to my niece, who brought some splendid "Buckeye Cupcakes" was on presentation. I should have put them on a pretty plate, perhaps individually wrapped them...These just lacked "curb appeal" compared to her cupcakes, but I thought - and most others thought - they tasted quite good.

❓FAQ

🥄 More Amish Cream-Filled Recipes

Cream-Filled Molasses Cookies: not technically a whoopie pie, but two cookies with filling sandwiched between, so, works for me.

Cream-Filled Coffeecake: This is like a breakfast whoopie pie!

🥧 More Amish Whoopie Pie Recipes

Oatmeal Whoopie Pies: Delicious, if you like oatmeal, this recipe is superb.

Cream-Filled Molasses Cookies: not technically a whoopie pie, but two cookies with filling sandwiched between, so, works for me.

Cream-Filled Coffeecake: This is like a breakfast whoopie pie!

🖨️ Full Recipe