Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Em informed me a few weeks ago that she is allowed to bring a birthday treat into school on the second to last day of school, since her birthday is in the summer. At first she requested "gooey brownies," then snickerdoodle-chip muffin tops, but then this morning when she was "eaves dropping" on my Googling for different flavors and recipes for whoopie pies, she decided that THAT was what she wanted. She especially liked the look of the red velvet ones, even though she's never actually had red velvet cake before. I didn't want to send her to school with a birthday treat that she might not like, so I told her before I got her on the bus this morning that I'd make her some for when she got home this afternoon.

Awhile back, around Christmastime, I found this recipe for Red Velvet Whoopie Pies in the Better Homes and Gardens magazine. I remembered it being a pretty easy recipe, and that the cookies baked up nice and pretty. I also remember them having more of a chocolate flavor than the ones I made today had; maybe next time I'll adjust the cocoa/flour.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies (Better Homes and Gardens)

2 c. flour

2 tbsp. cocoa

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 c. buttermilk (I never have buttermilk, so I used just under 1/2 c. milk and then added vinegar to make the whole 1/2 c.)

2 tbsp. liquid red food coloring (surprisingly I actually had this...I don't know why I had liquid, I usually only purchase gel or paste. If you are using paste, you'll have to eye ball it.)

Mix butter and brown sugar until light. Add egg and vanilla beat until fluffy.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk into butter, beating after each addition until just combined. Stir in food coloring.

Using an ice cream scoop (side note...if you do not own a good ice cream scoop for cookies, GET ONE! Seriously, it is huge time savor, and an easy way to get same size cookies.) drop cookie batter onto prepared baking sheets. Cookies do spread, so be careful not to place them too close together (I used 1/2 sheet pans, and fit 7 on each pan.)

Bake cookies in a 375 degree oven for about 10ish minutes, until the tops are set. Cool completely before filling.

For the filling, I used a 1/2 recipe of my normal buttercream, but added 2 oz. instant vanilla pudding mix combined with 2 oz. milk. I think I would of liked it better without the vanilla pudding, but when I was looking in my baking cupboard, I spotted it and thought...hey, why not?!!

We'll see when Em gets off the bus today if they pass her "quality testing" or if she will change her mind again between now and next week. She is my kid and so much like me, so chances are she'll like these cookies but STILL change her mind a few more times...and then go back to her original gooey brownies!!!!!