Description
Baking is one of the most heartwarming activities you can do, especially when the scent of warm spices and sweet apple fills your kitchen. These Apple Cider Whoopie Pies with Caramel Filling embody the essence of autumn, marrying the richness of traditional whoopie pies with bright and refreshing apple flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup apple cider (for reduction)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for buttercream)
- Additional cider reduction (for buttercream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for buttercream)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (for buttercream)
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce (for filling)
- Flaky sea salt (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Apple Cider Reduction: Begin by pouring 1 cup of apple cider into a small saucepan and place it on the stove over medium heat. Allow it to simmer while stirring occasionally. The goal is to reduce the cider down to ¼ cup, which should take about 10-15 minutes. Once it has thickened and cooled down, you’ll mix it into both the cake batter and the buttercream.
- Make the Whoopie Pie Batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare your baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves). In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter with brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which usually takes about 3-5 minutes. Add in the egg, vanilla extract, and your cooled apple cider reduction. Mix until combined, then introduce the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with whole milk.
- Create the Buttercream Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar until it’s fully incorporated, mix in your apple cider reduction and vanilla extract, and add salt to balance sweetness.
- Assemble the Whoopie Pies: Match cookie halves that are of similar size, pipe buttercream onto one cookie half, drizzle caramel sauce over the filling, and top with another cookie half.
Notes
Don’t overmix the batter as that may lead to dense cookies.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
Nutrition
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Protein: 2 g