It’s been an amazing week. Working the cookbook photo shoot was so much fun and such an awesome change of pace from my usual schedule, I don’t even care I now have trucker’s tan from the Boulder-Denver commute every day.  Everyone’s been so laid back and we’ve all been collaborating and just creating beautiful food and beautiful shots (including the above which we did for fun!).

As a way to say thanks to everyone at the shoot, I knew I wanted to bring something sweet in on Friday to show my gratitude, but I couldn’t decide between breakfast pastry or dessert. And then I remembered reading a post on CakeSpy recently about how whoopie pies are the ‘big next thing’ on the pastry hot list.  Normally two chocolate spongey cookies with whipped glossy filling sandwiched between them, they’re like a froufrou Little Debbie snack in all the best ways. Although the original is amazing, since I just made chocolate chocolate CHOCOLATE cookies and try to use in-season fruit as much as possible, I wanted to go in a different direction.  And then I found these.

Based on the recipe from now infamous Baked bakery in Brooklyn, these whoopie pies are still ridiculously indulgent, sweet and over-the-top, but since they aren’t rich chocolate and have fruit in them, you don’t feel as guilty as you normally would eating a whoopie pie.

They aren’t the easiest thing in the world to make. The batter/dough has to chill, you have to use a double boiler to make the filling, multiple bowls will get dirty, etc.  But when you really want to say thanks, a fussy dessert that everyone can take home is worth it. Plus, they’re called whoopie pies. How can you not love them?

Strawberry Whoopie Pies

Based on the recipe from Baked bakery.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies, so 18 full whoopie pies.

This is the full recipe and I halved it when I made mine, and actually got about 30 cookies out of a half recipe, so I think they would make even more than the full recipe states.

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1 cup (about 5 ounces) cored and halved strawberries
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp salt
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• ½ cup plain full-fat yogurt
• 2 large eggs

For the filling:

• 1 cup (about 5 ounces) cored strawberries
• 5 egg whites
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 4 sticks butter at room temperature, cut into cubes

Optional: Red food coloring

Directions

For the cookies:

1.) Preheat oven to 350°.

2.) In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the strawberries 4-5 times until chopped and chunky, but not puréed. You want to be able to see chunks of them in the cookies. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and then set aside.

3.) In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil by hand, breaking up any clumps if necessary. Whisk in chopped strawberries and yogurt until just combined, then whisk in eggs, one at a time, also just until combined. Carefully fold in the flour mixture in two parts, being sure not to overmix. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Make the filling while the batter chills.

4.) Once the batter has chilled, line a few baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a measuring spoon, drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto sheets, spacing dollops about 2 inches apart since they will spread quite a bit. Bake 10-12 minutes per batch or until they’re springy when you gently press down on a cookie. Don’t overbake them – you want them cakey and spongey-soft. Remove cookies from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the filling:

1.) Using your food processor again, purée the other cup of strawberries until smooth.  Set aside.

2.) Using a double boiler, whisk the egg whites with the granulated sugar until dissolved and the mixture is milky white, about 2 minutes. If you don’t have an “official” double boiler, just put an inch of water in a pot and bring it to a boil, then place a metal bowl big enough so it can sit on the edge, but not touch the water and then cook the sugar and egg whites as indicated.

3.) Transfer the egg white mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form and mixture is glossy, about 2 minutes.

4.) Remove the whisk attachment and replace with the paddle attachment. Add butter a few tablespoons at a time and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

5.) Add reserved strawberry puree and about 3 to 5 drops food coloring if desired to make things pink. Beat again to mix in coloring if added, then set aside to assemble.

To assemble the cookies, smear a good amount of filling on one cookie and then top with a naked one. Distribute to friends, family and coworkers as thanks or appreciate yourself and devour them on your own.

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