Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies: National Peanut Day

Today is National Peanut Day. I have many fond memories of the Peanut. My nickname as a child was Peanut. Only one person called me that, but she was so special to me. All these years later I can still hear her chuckle as she called me Peanut. 

I also loved Mr. Peanut. I couldn't wait to see him when we went down the shore. Mr. Peanut would walk the boardwalk in Atlantic City, shaking hands with all and sundry. I'm sure I believed he was a large peanut.... but that's for another post. So if you want to celebrate National Peanut Day, eat some chocolate covered peanuts. It's easy to dip them in chocolate.. of course, remove the shell. The saltiness of the peanuts goes so well with dark chocolate.

But if you want to take it a step further, make this recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies and serve them on a bed of salted peanuts! I love Whoopie Pies whatever their origin. See a previous post on Whoopie Pies. The following recipe is from Martha Stewart's recipe for miniature Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies. As always use the very best chocolate, and in this case the best cocoa, too. Same goes for the peanut butter. The better the products, the better the taste.

Here's a tip for Presentation: Serve the Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies on a bed of peanuts. And, you can also sprinkle the Whoopie Pies with confectionary sugar!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

For the Cookies:
1 - 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder, not Dutch-process  (I use Ghirardelli)
1- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (Kosher salt)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:
3/4 cup cream peanut butter

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Coarse salt, optional

Directions

Make cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in small bowl; set aside.
Put butter, shortening, and sugars in bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half flour mixture, then milk, and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.

Or you can use a Whoopie Pie Pan (I have several): Whoopie Pie Pan post

Make filling: Put peanut butter and butter in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add confectioners' sugar; mix until combined. Raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, if desired.

Assemble cookies: Spread 1 scant tablespoon filling on bottom of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.