These healthier whoopie pies are moist and tender, just like classic Maine whoopie pies! They’re made with less sugar and butter than traditional whoopie pies, but they are definitely not lacking in flavor! My favorite part is the ricotta filling, which is super creamy and decadent, but made with less processed ingredients. Plus, the ricotta adds some extra protein!
Why I Love These Healthier Chocolate Whoopie Pies
Flavor: I love the combination of the rich, slightly bitter chocolate with the light vanilla ricotta filling. I also love adding a pinch of espresso powder to really bring out the chocolate flavor. These whoopie pies are perfectly sweetened and not cloying, like some commercial desserts. Ricotta cheese brings a delicious dairy/cream flavor and doesn’t taste “cheesy” at all!
Texture: These whoopie pies have such an amazing texture! They’re the perfect cross between a moist chocolate cake and a fluffy pancake. You could even try adding some chocolate chips for melty pockets of chocolate and a fudgier texture. The pies are so good that sometimes I make them without the filling and eat them by themselves! The whipped ricotta filling is super light and creamy. The texture is denser than whipped cream, but lighter than cream cheese frosting.
Nutrition: Although I wouldn’t go as far as to call these whoopie pies a health food, they’re definitely healthier than traditional whoopie pies. They’re made with much less sugar and processed ingredients compared to most whoopie pies (which usually have a marshmallow fluff filling). The ricotta filling also adds some extra protein! These whoopie pies are satisfying, and I love enjoying one for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
What Are Whoopie Pies?
As a New Englander, I thought whoopie pies were common knowledge! It wasn’t until later that I realized whoopie pies are a regional treat and many people have never had one. Whoopie pies are desserts made of two moist and fluffy cakes with a layer of cream filling in between. However, the cakes are baked on a baking sheet like cookies, not in a cake pan. Traditionally, whoopie pies are made with chocolate cakes and a marshmallow fluff filling, but so many different versions exist! I’ve seen pumpkin whoopie pies, red velvet whoopie pies, and apple cider whoopie pies. Fun fact: whoopie pies are the official state dessert of Maine!
The Whipped Ricotta Filling
Don’t worry – you won’t taste any cheesy flavor in this filling! Ricotta cheese has a super delicious dairy/cream flavor that pairs perfectly with vanilla. The ricotta is blended to make a super smooth and airy filling that has a texture in thicker than whipped cream but lighter than buttercream. I love how the ricotta filling has less sugar and more protein than the traditional marshmallow fluff filling. Blending is essential to getting rid of the graininess of ricotta, but you can also try this recipe without blending for a cannoli-style filling.
Draining the Ricotta Cheese
It is essential that the ricotta cheese is drained for at least 4 hours to remove excess moisture. If the ricotta is not drained, the filling may come out too runny. To drain the ricotta, I like to line a colander or fine mesh strainer with cheese cloth or a coffee filter.
Key Ingredients In These Healthier Chocolate Whoopie Pies
- All purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: make sure you are using unsweetened pure cocoa powder, not hot cocoa mix which already has sugar added.
- Baking soda: double check to make sure it’s not expired!
- Baking powder: double check to make sure it’s not expired!
- Salt: don’t skimp on the salt! It really brings out the flavor of the chocolate.
- Unsalted butter: make sure the butter is at room temperature for easy creaming.
- Brown sugar: I love the deeper, caramel flavor of brown sugar, but you can also substitute white sugar in a pinch.
- Eggs: make sure the eggs are at room temperature for easy mixing and the best texture.
- Espresso powder: espresso powder or instant coffee help bring out the flavor of the chocolate, but you won’t taste coffee in the final whoopie pies! Feel free to leave it out if you don’t have any.
- Vanilla extract
- Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt helps to keep these whoopie pies extra moist. You can use any type of plain Greek yogurt (nonfat, lowfat, or whole milk). You could also try substituting sour cream.
- Milk: you can use whatever milk you have on hand (nonfat, skim, or whole milk).
- Lemon juice or vinegar: these acidic ingredients are extremely important, so don’t skip them! The acid reacts with the baking soda to create lots of bubbles and a super fluffy pie.
- Whole milk ricotta cheese: the ricotta cheese must be drained for at least 4 hours for best results. If it is not strained, the filling may come out too runny.
- Powdered sugar: The recipe calls for 1/2 cup powdered sugar, which results in a lightly sweetened filling. For a more decadent whoopie pie, increase the sugar to 3/4 cup.
Tips and Techniques for Making These Healthier Chocolate Whoopie Pies
- Make sure your baking soda and baking powder aren’t expired! These are common pantry staples, but they don’t last forever. If you have issues with flat or thin cakes, double check your leaveners.
- Use room temperature ingredients (especially butter!) Using softened butter makes creaming so much easier. If your butter is cold, it might not cream completely and won’t emulsify. Room temperature ingredients also result in a better rise in the oven.
- Creaming until light and fluffy: Make sure you cream the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy. This incorporates air into the batter for fluffier whoopie pies!
- Don’t skip the lemon juice! The acid reacts with the baking soda to make bubbles, which results in a super fluffy whoopie pie.
- Avoid over mixing: We want these whoopie pies to be super soft and tender, so make sure you don’t over work the batter, which can develop too much gluten. Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together until everything is just combined. It’s ok if there are some small lumps!
- Avoid over baking: To tell if the whoopie pies are ready, lightly poke one. Once fully baked, the indent should bounce right back!
- Strain the ricotta cheese: For a super thick and creamy filling, I recommend straining the ricotta overnight to get rid of excess liquid. I like to line a sieve/colander with a cheese cloth or coffee filter and letting the ricotta drip overnight.
- Avoid over-blending the ricotta: As you blend the ricotta, it releases moisture and becomes runnier. For a creamy and thick filling, blend just until the ricotta is completely smooth.
- Wait to fill until ready to serve: To prevent soggy whoopie pies, I recommend waiting to fill these whoopie pies until right before serving.
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations for these Healthier Chocolate Whoopie Pies
- Sugar: If you don’t have brown sugar, feel free to substitute granulated sugar.
- Milk: Feel free to use whatever milk you have on hand. Nonfat, skim, and whole milk all work in this recipe. You could even use water in a pinch!
- Buttermilk: Instead of the Greek yogurt, milk, and lemon juice, you could substitute 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons buttermilk.
- Chocolate chips: For a fudgier texture with pockets of rich chocolate, try adding 1/3 cup of chocolate chips.
- Nuts: Pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pecans all pair perfectly with chocolate. Try adding 1/3 cup of chopped nuts to these whoopie pies!
If You Liked These Healthier Chocolate Whoopie Pies, You Might Also Like…
- Healthier Blueberry Whoopie Pies
- Healthier Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Soft and Chewy Double Chocolate Cookies
- Secret Ingredient Fudgy Chocolate Cookies
- Healthier Double Chocolate Muffins
- Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Healthier Chocolate Whoopie Pies
Ingredients
For the chocolate whoopie pies:
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup whole or skim milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
For the whipped ricotta filling:
- 32 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese drained
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the whoopie pies:
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until very well combined. Add the espresso powder and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the Greek yogurt, milk, and lemon juice. Sift half of the dry ingredients and pour half of the yogurt mixture into the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed until just combined, scraping the bowl as necessary. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients and add the remaining yogurt mixture to the batter. Beat on low or stir with spatula until just combined. The batter should be thick and fluffy.
- Spoon small mounds of batter, around 2 tablespoons each, onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave room for the pies to spread (I like to do 12 pies per large baking sheet). Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the top is dry to the touch and springs back when gently poked. Let the pies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the whipped ricotta filling:
- Using a blender, stick blender, or food processor, blend the drained ricotta, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract just until smooth and creamy. Do not over whip which releases too much liquid. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble:
- Once the pies are completely cooled, spoon around 3-4 tablespoons of the ricotta filling onto the flat side of a pie and top with another. The filling can make these whoopie pies soggy over time, so I recommend filling these whoopie pies right before serving. Enjoy!
