The Best Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies: Soft, Cakey, and Irresistibly Delicious
Indulge in a timeless treat with these incredibly soft and cakey **Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies**, featuring rich chocolate sandwich cakes perfectly paired with a luscious, old-fashioned vanilla filling. This recipe delivers all the nostalgic charm and deliciousness of traditional whoopie pies, completely free from gluten. Crafted with readily available ingredients like a reliable gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, premium cocoa powder, and creamy buttermilk, these treats promise rich, tender chocolate cakes that melt in your mouth.
What makes these gluten-free delights truly special is their delightful simplicity. Forget intricate decorating; these whoopie pies are effortlessly charming, making them ideal for a casual afternoon snack, a festive addition to holiday platters, or even a celebratory birthday treat. They’re not just easy to make, they’re also incredibly fun, and this recipe has been meticulously tested multiple times to guarantee a consistently easy-to-follow process and a mouth-wateringly delicious result every single time.
This post was originally published on June 1, 2023. It was updated with new recipe information on February 5, 2024.
Why Choose Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies?
For those navigating gluten sensitivities or celiac disease, finding a dessert that truly satisfies can be a challenge. Often, gluten-free baked goods can be dry, crumbly, or lacking in the texture and flavor of their traditional counterparts. This recipe for **Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies** is specifically designed to overcome those hurdles, delivering a superior texture and taste experience. You won’t miss the gluten one bit! The soft, almost cake-like cookies sandwiching a rich, creamy filling create a delightful contrast that makes these treats utterly irresistible. They prove that living gluten-free doesn’t mean sacrificing on indulgence, especially when it comes to classic American desserts.
Key Ingredients for Perfect Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies
Crafting exceptional **gluten-free chocolate whoopie pies** relies on a few specific ingredients that contribute to their unique texture and flavor profile. Here are some essential notes on what you’ll need to create these delectable treats:
- Gluten-Free Flour: The foundation of our gluten-free whoopie pies! A high-quality 1-to-1 or measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend is absolutely crucial for success. Brands like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour are formulated to mimic the properties of wheat flour, meaning you can substitute it directly without needing complex adjustments. These blends often contain a mix of different gluten-free flours (like rice flour, sorghum flour) and binders (like xanthan gum) to achieve the best texture. To deepen your understanding of these versatile ingredients, explore this comprehensive post about gluten-free flours.
- Cornstarch: A secret weapon for achieving that coveted light and airy texture. Adding a small amount of cornstarch to the flour blend helps to tenderize the cake, preventing it from becoming dense or gummy, which can sometimes be a concern with gluten-free baking. It contributes to the delicate crumb that makes whoopie pies so enjoyable.
- Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder: This type of cocoa powder has been treated with an alkali to reduce its acidity, resulting in a darker color and a smoother, less bitter chocolate flavor. Because this recipe already calls for buttermilk (which is acidic), using Dutch-processed cocoa ensures the perfect chemical balance with the baking soda and baking powder for optimal rise and a beautifully rich chocolate taste. There’s no need to use natural cocoa here, as its higher acidity would disrupt the leavening process.
- Unsalted Butter: Butter is essential for flavor and richness in both the cake and the filling. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the total amount of salt in the recipe. For those preferring a dairy-free option, high-quality vegan butter sticks work wonderfully as a direct substitute, ensuring the same luxurious texture.
- Oil: While butter provides flavor, a neutral-flavored oil like avocado oil or light olive oil adds essential moisture and tenderness to the whoopie pie cakes. Oil helps keep the cakes moist for longer and contributes to a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that complements the butter perfectly. Feel free to use your preferred neutral oil.
- Instant Espresso (optional): Don’t worry, this won’t make your whoopie pies taste like coffee! Instant espresso powder is a fantastic flavor enhancer for chocolate. It deepens and intensifies the chocolate notes, making the cakes taste even more rich and decadent. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, decaffeinated instant espresso works just as well, or you can simply omit it if preferred.
- Buttermilk: A key ingredient for super tender and moist chocolate whoopie pie cakes. The acidity in buttermilk reacts with the baking soda, creating air bubbles that contribute to a soft, fluffy crumb. It also helps to break down gluten (even in gluten-free flours, it contributes to overall tenderness) and enhances the buttery flavor. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, it’s incredibly easy to make your own: simply add 1 tablespoon of distilled vinegar (or lemon juice) to a 1-cup measuring cup, then fill the rest with dairy or non-dairy milk to the 1-cup line. Stir gently and let it sit for 3-5 minutes until it slightly thickens and curdles before using.
Achieving Perfection: Essential Tips for Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies
Baking delicious **gluten-free whoopie pies** is a straightforward process, but a few key techniques can elevate your results from good to absolutely fantastic. Keep these tips in mind for consistently perfect soft chocolate cakes and creamy vanilla filling:
- Carefully Weigh the Flour: This is arguably the most crucial tip for any gluten-free baking. Gluten-free flour blends can vary significantly in density, and simply scooping with measuring cups can lead to wildly inaccurate amounts. Too much flour will result in dense, dry, and crumbly pies that spread poorly, while too little can make them overly wet and prone to excessive spreading. For the most accurate and consistent results, always use a kitchen scale to weigh your gluten-free flour. If a scale isn’t available, gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing, then level it off with a straight edge without packing it down.
- Dividing the Whoopie Pie Batter Evenly: Uniformity is key for perfectly matched whoopie pies. To ensure your chocolate cakes are all the same size and bake evenly, use a cookie scoop to portion out the batter. A scoop of about 1½ tablespoons is ideal for standard-sized whoopie pies. Alternatively, for extreme precision, you can weigh each dollop of batter as you scoop it onto the baking sheet. Evenly sized cakes will result in visually appealing and well-balanced sandwich cookies.
- Filling Piping Tips: The luscious vanilla buttercream is what brings these whoopie pies together. For the best piping experience, ensure your filling is at room temperature. Refrigerated whoopie pie filling can become too stiff and firm, making it difficult to pipe smoothly. If you don’t have a dedicated piping bag, a sturdy Ziploc bag makes an excellent substitute; simply snip off one corner to create an opening for piping. For an even simpler approach, an offset spatula can be used to spread the filling onto one cake half before sandwiching it with another.
- Serve the Whoopie Pies at Room Temperature: While tempting to devour them straight from the fridge, these whoopie pies truly shine when served at room temperature. This allows the soft, cakey texture of the chocolate cookies to return to its optimal tenderness and ensures the vanilla filling is light, creamy, and smooth. The flavors also meld together beautifully at this temperature, offering the most enjoyable eating experience.
Gluten-Free Whoopie Pie Recipe
Print
Pin
Rate
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
- 1¾ cup gluten-free 1-to-1 flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup oil avocado or light olive oil
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso optional
Vanilla buttercream frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup shortening
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
Chocolate cake
-
In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, and instant espresso, if using.
-
Add one egg at a time, beating after each addition.
-
Add the buttermilk and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Set aside.
-
In a separate bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until smooth. Let this batter rest for 30 minutes.
-
While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Scoop the batter using a cookie scoop (about 1½ tablespoons) and place them on the parchment paper leaving 2 inches between.
-
Bake the cakes for 8 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before taking them off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla buttercream frosting
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and shortening until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
-
Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and continue beating. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula after each addition. Taste to see if it’s sweet to your liking. Add more sugar if you’d like.
-
Add the salt and vanilla and beat again until combined.
-
Using a piping bag, or a spatula, put some frosting onto the bottom of one cake, and top with another, making a sandwich. Repeat with the rest of the cakes.
Notes
Nutrition
Storage Directions for Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies
Proper storage is essential to keep your homemade **gluten-free whoopie pies** fresh and delicious for as long as possible. Whether you plan to enjoy them within a few days or save them for a future treat, here’s how to store them effectively:
- Refrigeration: For immediate enjoyment, leftover whoopie pies should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will help maintain their freshness, prevent them from drying out, and keep the vanilla filling stable. They will remain delicious for 3-4 days when stored this way. Bringing them back to room temperature for about 15-30 minutes before serving will restore their optimal soft and tender texture.
- Freezing: Whoopie pies freeze exceptionally well, making them a fantastic make-ahead dessert. You can freeze the assembled pies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For the best results and to prevent them from sticking together or getting freezer burn, individually wrap each whoopie pie tightly in parchment paper or plastic wrap before placing them in the container. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply remove them from the freezer and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature for a few hours. The filling may need a quick re-whip with a hand mixer if it separates slightly after thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies
Also affectionately known as gobs, chocolate gobs, or Amish whoopie pies, a whoopie pie is a beloved American dessert featuring two soft, cakey cookies (traditionally chocolate) sandwiched around a creamy, old-fashioned vanilla frosting filling. Believed to have originated from German settlers or farmers in Pennsylvania and Maine, with many Amish communities also having their unique recipes, whoopie pies were historically created from leftover cake batter. These delightful treats are known for being portable, rich in chocolate flavor, buttery, and perfectly sweet, offering a delightful bite of nostalgia with every sandwich cookie.
The primary reason **gluten-free whoopie pies** might spread excessively is overmixing the batter. While gluten-free flours don’t develop gluten in the same way wheat flour does, overworking the batter can still introduce too much air or break down the starches, leading to a thinner consistency that spreads during baking. To ensure perfectly risen and fluffy whoopie pie cookies, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients only until the last streaks of flour have just disappeared. Stop mixing as soon as the batter is combined to maintain its ideal consistency.
Whoopie pies, with their soft, cake-like texture, can sometimes be prone to sticking to the baking sheet. To prevent this common issue and ensure easy removal, always line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Parchment paper creates a non-stick surface, allowing the delicate cakes to release cleanly. Additionally, it’s crucial to let the pies cool completely on the baking sheet for a minute or two, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool fully before handling or filling them. Cooling completely helps the cakes set and firm up, minimizing stickiness.
Yes, you can absolutely freeze the vanilla buttercream filling for your **gluten-free whoopie pies**! It’s a great way to prepare components in advance. The filling can be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use it, simply defrost the filling in the refrigerator until it’s completely thawed, which usually takes about 2-4 hours. Once thawed, give it a good re-whip with a hand mixer or stand mixer to restore its fluffy consistency before piping or spreading it onto your cooled whoopie pie cakes.
While both are popular sandwich cookies, Moon Pies and whoopie pies are distinctly different. Moon Pies are a specific brand of commercially produced sandwich cookie, typically consisting of two vanilla graham-style cookies (or sometimes other flavors) filled with a marshmallow crème and then dipped in a chocolate glaze. **Gluten-Free Whoopie Pies**, on the other hand, are traditionally homemade delights made from two soft, thick chocolate cake halves (or sometimes pumpkin or other flavors) that are sandwiched around a rich, creamy vanilla filling, which can sometimes be marshmallow-based but is often a buttercream or “fluff” style frosting. The key difference lies in the cake-like texture of whoopie pies versus the cookie texture of Moon Pies, and the nature of their fillings and coatings.
More Delightful Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes to Enjoy
If these **gluten-free whoopie pies** have sparked your craving for more sweet, gluten-free treats, you’re in luck! Here are some other fantastic dessert recipes that are perfect for any occasion, all easily adaptable or already designed to be gluten-free:
- If you’re feeling the heat and need a refreshing cool-down, make these gluten-free ice cream sandwiches! You can customize them with your favorite store-bought ice cream or use the simple no-churn ice cream recipe I’ve included for an extra special touch.
- This icebox cake is another perfect no-bake option for those days when it’s just too hot to turn on the oven, but you’re still craving a wonderfully sweet and creamy dessert!
- For a truly satisfying cookie experience, these chewy oatmeal cookie sandwiches are, hands down, some of my absolute favorite sandwich cookies! Just remember to use a gluten-free flour blend to ensure they are completely gluten-free.
- Love intense chocolate flavors? These fudgy double chocolate chip cookies are incredibly rich and delicious! They turn out perfectly moist and chewy when made with a gluten-free flour blend, too.
- If you’re looking for a reliably fool-proof cake recipe that always impresses, try this gluten-free chocolate cake. It’s renowned for being incredibly moist and consistently receives rave reviews every single time it’s served!