Sorry Hostess, but These Vegan Whoopie Pies Take the Cake

As a ’90s kid, there always seemed to be a jar of marshmallow fluff in the pantry in my house growing up. It was paired with peanut butter for sandwiches, or with hot chocolate in the winter, and of course, it served as the sticky middle for whoopie pies.

If whoopie pies weren’t a part of your childhood, basically they’re made of two cookie-cakes sandwiched together with delicious filling (like marshmallow fluff or frosting). It’s absolutely as delicious as it sounds—especially when heated in the microwave for about 15 seconds. While sometimes it’s impossible to improve on a classic, other times a revamp is even better than the original. This vegan whoopie pie recipe by The Plant Life Chose Us creator Rose Lopiano is definitely an example of the latter.

Instead of using marshmallow fluff, Lopiano gives her version a strawberry-flavored twist using Monty’s vegan strawberry cream cheese, which Lopiano was sent after winning an Instagram giveaway. As for the cookie-cake bookends, Lopiano added apple cider vinegar and baking soda to the almond flour base to make a light, airy cake. “Together, they act like buttermilk, breaking down the proteins in the flour,” she says. Adding a flax egg also gives the cookie ends their cake-y texture, while still keeping the recipe 100 percent vegan. “Flax eggs have been my go-to for egg replacement for 12 years,” Lopiano says. “They help bind everything together.”

However, she says that a little bit of the batter can go a long way, so measure accordingly. “The first time I tested this recipe, I scooped out more than one tablespoon of batter on the pan which resulted in giant pies,” she says. “I actually had to cut them with a circular mold to make them smaller. Remember that the batter will spread out so put a smaller amount on the pan than you think.”

Scroll down to get see her vegan whoopie pie recipe so you can make them at home.

Vegan whoopie pies

Makes 4 pies

Ingredients
For the pie:
1/2 cups soy milk1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar2 flax eggs (3 tsp ground flax seeds + 5 Tbsp water, stirred into gel)1/4 cup melted Monty’s plant based butter3/4 cup applesauce1/3 cup maple syrup1 Tbsp vanilla extract1/4 tsp salt1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup almond flour1 1/2 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp baking powder

For the filling:Strawberry-flavored cashew cream cheese (such as Monty’s)

1. Prepare your flax eggs in a mixing bowl and set them aside to rest. In a separate mixing bowl, gently stir the soy milk, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar together. Set aside to curdle.

2. Combine the melted butter and maple syrup to the flax egg and whisk to combine. Then, add the applesauce, vanilla, soy milk mixture, and salt. Whisk until everything is mixed. Then add your dry ingredients and whisk until no large clumps remain. Do not overmix.

3. Set batter in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Once the oven is preheated, scoop out about a tablespoon of batter onto the pan. Smooth the batter in circular motions with the back of your spoon. Repeat on both baking sheets until no more batter is left. Note: Batter will spread in the oven so make sure to leave room in between.

5. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. They will resemble pancakes. Let cool and stuff with Monty’s cream cheese.

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