The Ultimate Maine Whoopie Pies – Yum!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cut and set aside 25 pieces of plastic wrap about 5 inches square.

For cookies, beat 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, 2 cups milk, 2 cups sugar, the eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract together in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.

In a separate bowl, whisk 4 cups flour with 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. Beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until smooth.

Scoop up the batter by teaspoons, and drop onto ungreased baking sheets in small round dollops about 2 inches apart. Recipe should make about 50 cookies. Cookies will rise and expand a lot.

Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are set in the middle, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheets for several minutes before removing to finish cooling on racks.

To make the filling, place 1 cup milk in a microwave-safe measuring cup, and microwave until hot but not simmering, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour heated milk into a large mixing bowl. Add 1 cup room temperature butter, 1 cup vegetable shortening, 2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and marshmallow creme. Beat the mixture on high speed until the frosting is fluffy, 5 to 10 minutes. At first the frosting will appear lumpy, but keep beating.

To fill cookies, choose 2 cookies that are about the same size, and spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons of frosting onto the flat bottom of a cookie. Top with the other cookie, flat-side down, and wrap the filled cookie in a sheet of plastic wrap. Place filled cookie in the freezer. Repeat with remaining cookies and frosting, wrapping each whoopie pie in plastic wrap and freezing.

To serve, remove whoopie pies from the freezer and allow to thaw until very cold but not frozen, 10 to 15 minutes.