Sweet Mini Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Here is my go-to recipe for mini red velvet whoopie pies, with soft, cake-like cookies sandwiched together with a smooth cream cheese filling that has just the right amount of sweetness.

These little treats have become a regular at my kids’ bake sales and birthday parties. I usually make a double batch because they disappear so quickly – and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love having a few extra whoopie pies stashed away for late-night snacking?

What Kind of Cocoa Powder Should I Use?

This recipe specifically calls for black cocoa powder, which is a super-dark Dutch-processed cocoa that gives classic treats like Oreos their distinctive color and flavor. If you can’t find black cocoa powder, you can use regular Dutch-processed cocoa powder instead, though your whoopie pies won’t have quite the same deep, dark color. Natural cocoa powder can work in a pinch, but it might affect the texture slightly since it’s more acidic than Dutch-processed varieties. Just remember that whatever type you choose, make sure it’s fresh and hasn’t been sitting in your pantry for years – cocoa powder can lose its punch over time.

Options for Substitutions

Let’s talk about how you can adjust this recipe if you’re missing some ingredients:

• Black cocoa powder: Regular unsweetened cocoa powder works fine here – your whoopie pies will just be a bit lighter in color. Dutch-processed cocoa is another good option.
• Buttermilk: No buttermilk? Make your own by adding 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
• Red food coloring paste: Liquid food coloring can replace the paste – you’ll need about 2-3 teaspoons. For a natural option, try beetroot powder, but you’ll need to reduce the liquid in the recipe slightly.
• Cream cheese: The cream cheese is pretty important for that classic flavor, but in a pinch, you could use mascarpone cheese. Just avoid using low-fat cream cheese as it can make the filling too runny.
• Vanilla essence: Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste work perfectly here. If using vanilla bean paste, use the same amount as stated for essence.
• Icing sugar: Also known as powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar – they’re all the same thing, so use whichever you can find.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The success of whoopie pies heavily depends on temperature control – using cold ingredients will lead to uneven mixing and lumpy batter, so make sure your buttermilk, eggs, and butter are truly at room temperature before starting.

When piping the cookies, a common mistake is making them too large or uneven – use a template drawn on parchment paper underneath your baking sheet to ensure consistent sizing, and pipe from directly above to create perfect circles.

The filling can become too soft if you overbeat the cream cheese, so keep the cream cheese chilled and mix just until combined with the butter and sugar – if it gets too soft, pop it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before piping.

For the perfect texture, avoid overbaking these little treats – they should be set around the edges but still slightly soft in the middle when you take them out, as they’ll continue to firm up while cooling on the baking sheet.

What to Serve With Whoopie Pies?

These cute little red velvet whoopie pies are perfect for serving alongside a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee – the combination just makes sense! If you’re putting together a dessert spread, these treats work really well with other small sweets like chocolate-covered strawberries or vanilla macarons. For a fun party setup, try serving them with some vanilla ice cream on the side – you can even make mini ice cream sandwiches with them. Remember to keep these little guys chilled until about 15 minutes before serving so the cream cheese filling stays nice and firm.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These mini red velvet whoopie pies stay best when kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Place them in a single layer or separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They’ll keep well for up to 5 days, though the cream cheese filling might soften a bit over time.

Freeze: Want to save some for later? You can freeze these little treats for up to 2 months! Just wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. This way, you can grab one whenever you’re craving something sweet.

Make Ahead: You can make the cake parts a day ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. The cream cheese filling can also be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge. Just assemble them when you’re ready to serve. This makes party prep so much easier!

Serve: If you’re pulling these out of the fridge or freezer, let them sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving. This helps the filling soften up just right and brings out the best flavor in the cake parts.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	8-10 minutes
Total Time	28-40 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2800-3000
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 150-160 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-370 g

Ingredients

• 280 grams plain flour
• 15 grams black cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 170 grams buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon red food coloring paste
• 113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 200 grams white sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 113 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 ounces firm cream cheese, chilled
• 170 grams sifted icing sugar

Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Sheets and Template

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Create a template by tracing 2-inch circles, spaced about 1 inch apart, onto a separate piece of parchment paper.

This will help ensure your whoopie pies are evenly sized.

Step 2: Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, black cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Set this mixture aside.

In a glass measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, white vinegar, and food gel.

Set aside as well.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy.

Add in the egg and vanilla, and mix well.

Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate all the ingredients.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and blend until just combined.

Pour in the buttermilk mixture, followed by the remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Do not overmix.

Step 5: Pipe and Bake the Whoopie Pies

Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a medium piping tip (such as Ateco 806).

Place your template under the parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Pipe the batter to fill in each circle, keeping the bag perpendicular to the sheet.

Gently pat down any peaks with your finger, then remove the template and repeat the process for all the batter.

Bake the whoopie pies for about 8 minutes.

Allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet.

Step 6: Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting

In a clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed until smooth.

Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low speed until fully integrated.

Beat on low speed until the frosting is smooth with no lumps or air pockets.

Step 7: Assemble the Whoopie Pies

Pair up the whoopie pies by size.

Transfer the cream cheese frosting to a piping bag with a small round piping tip (like Ateco 804).

Pipe the frosting onto the flat side of one whoopie pie and gently press the paired top whoopie pie onto the frosting to create a sandwich.

Serve the whoopie pies at room temperature or chilled.

Enjoy your delightful treats!