Chocolate Pretzel Whoopie Pies

Photo courtesy of Petite Sweets

From: Susan Molzan, Petite Sweets, Houston. Yield: 17 whoopie pies.

Whoopie Pie:
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup cocoa powder
1½ cups flour
1½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt

Whoopie Pie Vanilla Filling:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ lb. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 7-oz. jar marshmallow cream
½ tsp. salt
3 cups crushed pretzels

For whoopie pies: Stir sugar with oil, egg, milk and vanilla. Sift together the flour, cocoa, soda, powder and salt. Mix dry ingredients into wet mixture. Do not over-mix. Do this by hand rather than in an electric mixer. Scoop into pans with ¾-oz. scoop. Bake at 325°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Yields 34 pieces or 17 whoopie pies.

For whoopie pie vanilla filling: Mix butter and confectioners’ sugar together. Add salt and vanilla. When mixed well, add marshmallow cream. Mix well. Fill whoopie pie with filling and then pat the crushed pretzels around the edges.