Cherry Chocolate Chunk Whoopie Pies
Valentines Day is not usually a big deal at my house.
But every year after Christmas, I get the Christmas Is Over What Am I Going To Do With Myself I Need Shopping and Sugar Cookies and Carols Blues, so this year, I decided that focusing on Valentines Day would be a good distraction.
OBVIOUSLY…it was the best idea ever.
I started decorating my house in pink heart-ey whimsicalness, and informed my husband that I am now a “Valentines Person”, meaning that he has to make a real effort this year and get me tons of fabulous gifts, or I will be big time hurt and offended.
To which HE responded that (insert giant sarcastic air quotes from me), “Valentines Day isn’t a REAL holiday, the banks don’t even close”.
Like….?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Seriously, does he think that I make my holiday determination based on the banks schedule? I don’t even LIKE the bank, and the last time I went through the bank I accidentally drove through a lane that said “Closed” but I couldn’t tell because the sun was in my eyes and plus I was eating a snowcone and was distracted. Soooo…the bank lady made me back up and go to a whole other lane and if she KNEW that amount of mental preparation I had to go through prior to errands like “THE BANK”, she would have understood that such a chastising would scar me for LIFE.
The bank is dead to me.
Unless I need money. Duh.
Anyways, I politely informed my husband that if I became Catholic, he would have to buy me Rosary beads and go to Mass, and if I converted to Judaism he would have to buy me Hanuka gifts, so as it stands, I am now a Valentines Person, and my decision needs to be treated with respect. Meaning roses, chocolates and presents.
It’s like he doesn’t want me to grow as a person or something.
So what I’m trying to tell you is, if you aren’t on the Valentines Day bandwagon, you should be. It’s all about pink and love and flowers and chocolate, which are all the best things. And I knooooow that it’s a “commercial holiday” but you know what, sometimes commercials are kind of good.
(Have you ever seen the Kraft one where the kid calls the cops after his dad takes a bite of his macaroni and cheese? Hilar. Don’t even try to say it isn’t)
In a burst of Valentines Day Person inspiration, I created these Whoopie Pies the other day. The filling tastes like Cherry Garcia ice cream (meaning, AMAZING) and the pink color is perfect for LOVE.
These Whoopie Pies are a really fun alternative to cupcakes and so easy to make…no fancy piping. Enjoy!!Cherry Chocolate Chunk Whoopie Pies
INGREDIENTS
- Cookie:
- 1 box dark chocolate fudge cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- Filling:
- 2 sticks butter, slightly softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chunks
- Jar of maraschino cherries
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper OR if you’re using a Whoopie Pie Pan (I did) spray the wells with bakers spray (the kind with flour in it).
2. In the bowl of a mixer, combine cake mix, eggs, oil, and water. Beat on medium until combined. Drop by Tablespoonfuls on the lined baking sheet (they spread quite a bit, so don’t make them too large) OR fill wells of Whoopie Pie Pan about 1/3 full. Bake for about 10-15 min or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack.
3. Once cookies are cool, prepare your filling: In the bowl of a mixer, combine butter and 4 Tablespoons juice from the maraschino cherries. Beat until the butter is smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium high and beat for about a minute and a half. Remove cherries from the jar and give them a rough chop. How many you use is up to you, but I add enough to equal about 1/2 cup once they’re chopped, which is most of the jar. Roughly chop your bittersweet chocolate and fold it into the filling with the cherries.
4. Place a large spoonful of filling on the flat side of one cooled cookie. Spread it just a bit, then press the flat side of another cookie on top.
Makes about 20 whoopie pies.
Notes:
If the frosting is too thick for you, add another Tablespoon of cherry juice, or even a bit of milk.
For my chocolate chunks, I used Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips. The chips are large, so I gave them a rough chop to break them up a bit.
Thanks for visiting my blog! I realize you could be doing more important things with your time. Like watching the news or washing socks. I hope you stay awhile. Much more fun than socks, I promise. 
I think the stores agree with your desire to focus on Valentine’s Day! It’s as if Christmas never even happened, the isles were quickly replaced with pink and red candy and decorations.
The shops are all in ‘Back to School’ mode as the school year in Australia starts in February then it will be Easter (my local shop already has a few shelves full of eggs not that I’m complaining as that means Cabruary Cream Eggs :D), so Valentines day is never a big thing over here!
ummmm….cadbury cream eggs!!!! I can’t wait!!! LOVE those things! =)
I reminded my boyfriend yesterday that I’m still waiting for last year’s Valentines chocolates so this year I should get double. These look amazing though, that cherry filling looks perfect!
I think I need to be a Valentine’s person too. Except the fact that our son’s birthday is on Valentines Day too and he gets all the attention, which is kind of rude, if you ask me.
Kids always think everything has to be ALL. ABOUT. THEM. Annoying.
The Original 3 C’s is Great, but Chocolate Cherry Chunk is a close second! I’ve now got a plan for my leftover cherry juice! Thanks so much for the inspiration!
You had me at “Cherry Chocolate”
I LOVE that you are super valentiney this year! I love cherry anything, and cherry with chocolate is killer!
You know, I’ve never really been a big Valentines Person either, but now that you put it in this context with the required gifting from the husband, I think I might convert.
Wonder if I could convince the husband that an iPad would be really romantic?
Well, you can watch romantic movies on it, so I’d say it’s definitely a romantic gift. Especially if he wraps it up in pink paper.
I’m fully on the Valentine bandwagon!!! Love is in the air !
Our son’s birthday is also on Valentine’s, however he has fully embraced “his” holiday. I got on the bandwagon big time when he was born. My husband keeps trying to tell me that he already gave me the most awesome Valentine gift ever- and how could he possibly follow that? My answer remains…jewelry, always, forever, jewelry. Thanks for these, definitely making them for the family this year ( because they would be completely wasted on preschool snack).
You make me smile everyday! I am thinking that my now naked house-cuz all the Christmas stuff is put away-needs a Valentine make over! Maybe-hahahahaha-I can comvince my hubby to do SOMETHING…considering he skipped my b-day (I turned 40) and didn’t have time to shop for Christmas!!
LOVE!! I am making these tomorrow!! (Only because there are some yummy homemade cookies that need finishing before I can bake again! :) ) How did you know I have 2 very large jars of cherries waiting for a recipe? I am going to have to get on the Valentine’s bandwagon too I think.
Did u find it too oily? I’m concerned about that
I have a donut pan in fullsize, in mini size, I have a babycakes donut maker, and I have resisted buying a whoopie pie pan but I think the results you can get with cookie-making in it means I need to pick one up.
These look amazing!
You never fail to make me laugh! I think becoming a Valentine’s Day person is genius.
these looks delicious and so Valentine’s. I m converted to being a Valentine persons now. I work in a bank btw :)
and banks open on Valentine;’s day so that husbands can borrow have money to buy the wife a nice present for Valentine’s day
I love that you are jumping right into V-day. I need something else to look forward to now that post-Christmas depression has set in!
OMG, stop. Those look so delicious!!!!
I am not waiting for Valentines day to make these :)
Do u ever get weirded out by me telling you that I love you? Creepy, but every time I read something u write I think, “I love that girl!” What would we do in between Christmas and Easter if there weren’t a Valentines day? Ur pretty darn smart. You can tell your hubs u have droves of fans that think so!
Will you be my Valentine? :)
Wow, yummy! I get those after Christmas blues and preparing for another holiday gets me going. I like Valentines day, not that anyone needs a special “I love you” day but there is a lot of great baking to go along with the day :)
I love the combination of chocolate and cherries, I haven’t made whoopie pies but I also think that they would be a great alternative for cupcakes
We’re not really Valentine people. I tried once, and failed! A few years ago, my husband came home from work and sat down to dinner. On his plate I had set a card and a small box of chocolates. He was like, “What is this? We’ve never gotten stuff for each other before on Valentine’s Day. Now I feel like an #@* because I don’t have anything for you.”
This combination is deeeeeee-vine. Love you more than Valentine’s Day.
Cherries and chocolate – yes indeedy! Two of lifes greatest pleasures! I’d be in the kitchen making them right now if I hadn’t made Magic Cookie Bars this afternoon! I’m jumping on your band wagon and as soon as I take the tree down I’m getting all my red and pink stuff out. (Oh dear, I just admitted I haven’t take my tree down … oops, just disregard that slip).
These look like Valentine’s heaven. Yum! Did you say chocolate??? Your writing always makes me laugh. I think hubby needs to get his holidays straight!!
These sound amazing. I’m currently obsessed with whoopie pies and chocolate covered cherries so I’m sure these will satisfy both cravings.
These are so pretty and sound absolutely amazing! Happy New Year!
These look so delicious! I am going to have to try that frosting/filling, it sounds incredible! And I hope you get lots of fabulous Valentines presents, you totally deserve them!!
My kids are past the fun paper valentines for school mates, so I haven’t made a big deal out of Valentine’s Day for a few years, but these would be fun to try. (Along with that cute centerpiece you just posted over at “That’s What We Said”).
I love Valentine’s Day. And, these Whoopie PIes are amazingly cute – perfect for a little party at home or school to celebrate all things pink, red, and white.
I’m so with you on the Christmas withdrawal thing. Great idea to start focusing on Valentine’s Day instead, I think I will too:) I have been pining over your Peppermint Patty Brownie Cups for some time now (I keep eating all the peppermint patties before they get made) and plan to make them for the big V-Day. Love your site~ Stella B’s
At first I was like these look good…then you mentioned Cherry Garcia Icecream which is my all time fav , and I instantly pulled out all the ingredients to make them today…. I think I will bring them to the fire station since my hub is working.. then all the guys will be like”Dude, your wife is the best thing ever” and goat him into buying me anything I want for Valentines day…. Thank you Kristan!! :O)
Oh and if we were in school together I would make you the biggest shiniest Valentine with pink glittery paper and feathers you’re the coolest or whatever else kids Valentines say :O)
These look delicious!!!! Do you happen to have any nutrition info for recipes? Just curious! Thank you!
Just thought I’d let you know these sound yummy, but also, I love your writing. You cracked me up with this post, it sounds so much like me. The bank would have been dead to me, too. Backing up, heck no, I would have driven to another back altogether ;)
omg. the mac and cheese commercial – first time I’ve seen it! SUPER HILAR. hahaah
Enjoyed this immensely. I too will now try to concentrate on Valentines Day!
Oh my gosh! I just shared these on my Facebook page because they sound absolutely freaking delicious.
And, that commercial? Gah! Love it!
You’re *this close* to convincing me to be a Valentine’s girl. Does it REALLY mean I get chocolate and roses and presents or is that only what it’s supposed to mean?
[...] Cherry Chocolate Chunk Whoopie Pies [...]
That filling is such a beautiful color! Love it! :)
[...] I read a blog post by the fabulous Kristan (who happens to have a birthday today…hope it’s filled with lots of glitter, sparkles, [...]
I hear you’re having a birthday…….HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! :)
[...] last week Kristan of Confession of a Cookbook Queen posted an utterly delicious looking cherry frosting and I knew it would be the perfect filling for these sweet treats. Kristan also recently [...]
[...] last week Kristan of Confession of a Cookbook Queen posted an utterly delicious looking cherry frosting and I knew it would be the perfect filling for these sweet treats. Kristan also recently [...]
[...] Recipe source- Confessions of a Cookbook Queen [...]
I tried making these cherry chocolate whoopie pies today and the filling wouldn’t combine. The butter kept separating from the rest of the ingredients, so frustrating I made it twice and had the same problem! :(
Any ideas of what I did wrong???
So I made these and they were absolutely amazing!! I then took the cherry chocolate filling and spread it over brownies . . . and they were so good. Thanks for sharing your amazing talents. We absolutely adore you and your blog . . . and we think that your posts are hilarious! :)
Have a great weekend!
Camille
Here is the post on the brownies if you want to see: http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/02/chocolate-cherry-chunk-brownies-recipe.html
[...] last week Kristan of Confession of a Cookbook Queen posted an utterly delicious looking cherry frosting and I knew it would be the perfect filling for these sweet treats. Kristan also recently [...]
[...] last week Kristan of Confession of a Cookbook Queen posted an utterly delicious looking cherry frostingand I knew it would be the perfect filling for these sweet treats. Kristan also recently [...]
[...] 5. Beat until fully blended. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Recipe source- Confessions of a Cookbook Queen) [...]