Chocolate Whoopie Pies

I am officially in love with caramel frosting. The chocolate cake, in my opinion, is the perfect accent to the frosting. It is a very easy dessert and worth the little effort it takes. I promise!

Chocolate Whoopie Pies 

Recipe Source: MarthaStewart.com

For the Cookies:

1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour

3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Coarse Salt

1 Tablespoon Butter, softened

1/4 cup Vegetable Shortening

1/2 cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar

1 large Egg

1 cup Whole Milk

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl; set aside.

2. Put butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an 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 the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.

3. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 11 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. 

4. Transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.

For the Frosting:

1/4 cup Caramel Sauce, cooled

3/4 cup Butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

In a bowl, beat together caramel and butter until smooth; gradually beat in confectioners sugar until smooth. Spread frosting on flat sides of half the cookies and top with remaining cookies.