Introduction

These heart-shaped red velvet whoopie pies are a delightful twist on a classic treat, perfect for special occasions or anytime you want to impress. Soft, red velvet cakes sandwich a creamy, tangy cream cheese filling, creating a delicious balance of flavors and textures.

The image shows a white plate with a red floral pattern around the edge, holding six red velvet heart-shaped cookies with a smooth white cream filling in the middle, stacked in two layers. The cookies have a soft, velvety texture on the red outer layer and a thick creamy middle layer. In the background, there is a small white bowl filled with a red sauce and a white marbled surface under everything, with a black and white checkered cloth partially visible to one side. Small red heart-shaped sprinkles are scattered on the white marbled surface near the plate. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup salted butter, softened (for batter)
⅔ cup granulated sugar
⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1¼ cups buttermilk, room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red gel food coloring (or more for deeper red)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup salted butter, softened (for filling)
2½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: Create a heart-shaped stencil by tracing a small heart-shaped cookie cutter evenly across the parchment paper, leaving about an inch between each. Flip the parchment paper to avoid pencil marks on the batter.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
Step 4: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar using a mixer on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until fluffy.
Step 5: Beat in the eggs until smooth. Add the buttermilk and red food coloring, mixing just until incorporated.
Step 6: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing.
Step 7: Gently stir in the white vinegar and vanilla extract, ensuring the batter remains thick but pipeable.
Step 8: Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1A round tip or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off.
Step 9: Pipe the batter onto the stenciled hearts, maintaining about an inch of space between each. Outline each heart and fill in, smoothing with an offset spatula if desired.
Step 10: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cakes lose their shine and spring back slightly when touched. Let them cool on the pans for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Step 11: To make the filling, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 12: Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating for 1-2 minutes after each addition until the frosting is silky smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a Wilton 1A tip.
Step 13: Match the cakes by shape and size. Pipe about 2 tablespoons of filling onto one half, then sandwich with the matching cake. Repeat for all whoopie pies.

Tips & Variations

For a deeper red color, add more red gel food coloring a little at a time until you reach your desired hue.
Use full-fat cream cheese and butter for a richer, smoother filling.
Try adding a pinch of cinnamon or espresso powder to the batter to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Substitute buttermilk with regular milk plus 1 tablespoon vinegar if you don’t have buttermilk on hand.

Storage

Store the assembled whoopie pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture. They can also be frozen separately (cakes and filling) for up to 1 month; thaw completely before assembling.

How to Serve

The image shows a white patterned plate with a stack of red heart-shaped sandwich cookies. There are six cookies in total, each with two smooth, bright red layers on the top and bottom and a thick middle layer of creamy white filling. The plate sits on a white marbled surface. Small red heart-shaped sprinkles are scattered around the plate, adding to the sweet theme. In the background, a white bowl filled with red sauce sits slightly blurred. The setting includes a black and white checkered cloth partly visible at the top left corner. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the batter ahead of time?

It’s best to prepare the batter fresh and bake immediately for the best texture and rise. However, you can refrigerate the batter for a few hours if needed, but bring it back to room temperature before piping.

What if I don’t have a heart-shaped cookie cutter?

You can freehand the heart shapes with a piping bag or use any other shape stencil you prefer. Alternatively, pipe small circles for traditional whoopie pies.