These delicious whoopie pies are a healthy twist on Maine's classic dessert and are ideal for a special occasion. Cherry-almond cookies sandwich a bright and fluffy berry cream filling. Aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) whips up into a frothy cream, while freeze-dried mixed berries add tang. Note: You’ll want to serve these within two hours of assembling them, but you can make the cookies and filling ahead of time (see tip, below).
Tips
To make ahead: Simply refrigerate the cookies and the filling in separate airtight containers for up to 24 hours. Assemble and let the cookies come to room temperature before serving.
For more inspiration, check out these tasty ideas:
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup unsweetened black cherry juice
- 3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1½ teaspoons regular or sodium-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 cup pitted and snipped fresh or frozen cherries (about 18 cherries)
- ¾ cup freeze-dried mixed berries (⅝ oz.)
- ¼ cup aquafaba (liquid from canned no-salt-added-chickpeas)
- 1 tablespoon pure cane sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl stir together cherry juice and flaxseed meal; let stand 5 minutes. In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl stir together flaxseed mixture and the next five ingredients (through almond extract) until well combined. Add to flour mixture; stir until combined. Stir in fresh or frozen cherries. Spoon 1½-tablespoon portions of batter onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Using wet hands, flatten each portion.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool cookies on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.
- For filling, in a small food processor process freeze-dried berries to a fine powder. (You will have about 3 tablespoon powder.)
- In a medium bowl combine aquafaba, sugar, and berry powder. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Beat with a mixer on medium to high until foamy. Continue beating on high 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).
- To assemble whoopie pies, spread filling over the flat sides of half of the cookies. Gently press the flat sides of the remaining cookies against filling. Serve within 2 hours.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving (1 whoopie pie), 148 calories, 28 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 2 g total fat, 152 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 11 g sugar
Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.
Will oat flour work as a replacement for the wheat flour?