Introduction

Valentine’s Red Velvet Whoopie Pies are a delightful treat perfect for sharing with someone special. These soft, cocoa-flavored red velvet cookies sandwich a creamy, sweet cream cheese filling that’s simply irresistible. They’re charming, festive, and surprisingly easy to make at home.

Valentine’s Red Velvet Whoopie Pies Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 tablespoon (1 oz.) red gel food coloring
6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

Step 1: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter or a stencil made from a card, draw hearts spaced about one inch apart on the parchment (with the paper side up). This helps guide piping since the cookies will spread during baking. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
Step 3: In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter on medium-high speed for about 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Add the brown sugar to the butter and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract and egg, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Step 5: Beat in the buttermilk and red gel food coloring. Then, on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
Step 6: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip. If you don’t have one, a zip-lock bag with a corner snipped off works well. Pipe a simple “V” shape inside each drawn heart outline on the parchment. Do not fill the entire heart; the batter will spread during baking.
Step 7: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the centers appear set. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling.
Step 8: For the filling, beat the softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.
Step 9: Transfer the filling to a piping bag with a large round tip (or use a zip-lock bag with a cut corner).
Step 10: Pair the cooled cookies by size and shape. Pipe filling onto the flat side of one cookie, leaving a small border around the edges. Top with the matching cookie, flat side down, and gently press so the filling spreads to the edges.
Step 11: Store the finished whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Tips & Variations

For a brighter red color, use a good-quality red gel food coloring instead of liquid dye.
Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature to ensure smooth batter and filling.
If you don’t have a heart stencil, freehand the “V” shapes inside round cookies for a simpler version.
Try adding a pinch of espresso powder to the batter to enhance the chocolate flavor.
For a festive twist, decorate the edges of the filled whoopie pies with colored sprinkles or edible glitter.

Storage

Store whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For best texture, bring them to room temperature before serving. You can also freeze assembled pies for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge overnight.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular food coloring instead of gel?

Regular liquid food coloring can be used but gel coloring provides a more vibrant red without thinning the batter.

How do I prevent the cookies from spreading too much?

Chilling the piped batter briefly before baking and piping only a “V” shape (not filling the entire heart) helps control spreading. Also, keeping the oven temperature accurate ensures proper baking.

Valentine’s Red Velvet Whoopie Pies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 65 reviews

These Valentine’s Red Velvet Whoopie Pies are adorable heart-shaped sandwich cookies filled with a creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfectly soft and moist with a subtle cocoa flavor, vibrant red color, and a smooth, sweet filling, they make a charming treat for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion.

Author: Marco
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: About 16–20 whoopie pies 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

Red Velvet Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder (natural unsweetened)
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 Tablespoon (1 oz.) red gel food coloring

Cream Cheese Filling

6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

Prepare Baking Sheets and Oven: Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter or a card template stencil, draw hearts spaced about one inch apart on the parchment to guide piping. Place parchment with stencil facing down so piping is done on the blank side. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
Cream Butter: In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for about 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
Add Sugar and Wet Flavors: Add the light brown sugar to the butter and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and well combined. Then add the vanilla extract and the egg, mixing thoroughly while scraping down the bowl sides as needed.
Incorporate Buttermilk and Food Coloring: Beat in the buttermilk and the red gel food coloring. Mix until the color is uniform.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep the batter tender.
Pipe the Cookies: Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch round tip or use a zip-lock bag with the corner cut off. Pipe a simple ‘V’ shape inside each heart stencil on the parchment paper. The batter will spread during baking, so filling just a V shape is sufficient.
Bake: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the centers appear set. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes.
Cool Completely: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling to prevent filling from melting.
Make the Filling: Beat together the softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat until fluffy and creamy.
Assemble the Whoopie Pies: Transfer the filling to a piping bag with a large round tip or use a zip-lock bag with the corner cut. Pair cookies by similar shape and size. Pipe the filling onto the flat side of one cookie, leaving a little border around the edge. Top with the matching cookie, flat side down, and gently press so the filling reaches the edges.
Store: Place assembled whoopie pies in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients help create a smooth batter and filling.
If you don’t have a piping bag, zip-lock bags with the corners cut off work well for piping batter and filling.
The ‘V’ shape piped inside the heart stencils ensures cookies spread evenly into the heart shape during baking.
Let cookies cool completely before filling to avoid melting the cream cheese frosting.
Store whoopie pies refrigerated to keep the filling fresh; consume within 3-4 days for best taste.
You can substitute buttermilk with milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar if needed.

Keywords: red velvet, whoopie pies, Valentine’s Day dessert, cream cheese filling, heart-shaped cookies, baked treats