Stunning to look at and hard to resist, red velvet whoopie pies boast 2 cakey cookies sandwiching smooth cream cheese frosting. They’re almost too pretty to eat.

Aerial view of red velvet whoopie pies scattered on the counter.

The Best Red Velvet Whoopie Pie Recipe

Red velvet whoopie pies are my newest version of the popular treat! Perfectly decadent and super pretty, my red velvet whoopie pie recipe yields deliciously cakey cookies and a superb cream cheese frosting filling that will have you swooning.

If you’d rather wait until Christmas or Valentine’s Day to make this festive treat, check out my pumpkin whoopie pies or my classic chocolate whoopie pies. No matter what flavor you try, you’re sure to shout “whoopie!” (Okay, yes, I know that was lame, but that’s supposedly how they got their name, according to the Amish).

A completed red velvet whoopie pie stacked on top of the red velvet cookies on a cookie sheet.

What Ingredients are in Red Velvet Whoopie Pies?

Salted butter, partially melted – I always use salted butter! You can sub unsalted – just add a pinch of salt to the dough.
Brown sugar – Just brown sugar in this recipe so your cookies stay nice and moist.
Eggs
vanilla extract – It’s a lot of vanilla but trust me, it really enhances the cocoa.
All-purpose flour
Cornstarch – The cornstarch will help the whoopie pies stay nice and soft.
Unsweetened cocoa powder – I like Ghirardelli brand of cocoa but use whatever cocoa you have on hand!
Baking soda
Salt
Buttermilk – The buttermilk will react with the baking soda to give the whoopie pies that cake like texture. #science.
Red gel food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting Filling:

Cream cheese – I actually like to make my cream cheese frosting with pretty cold cream cheese (I know, this goes against everything everyone has ever said) but cream cheese frosting tends to get really soft, even with no extra liquid added, so making the frosting with cold cream cheese keeps everything nice and thick for us.
Salted butter, softened – Again, salted.
Powdered sugar
Clear vanilla extract – Okay, you could use vanilla that isn’t clear in the frosting but the frosting will have an off white look instead of a bright white.
Salt

Aerial view of red velvet whoopie pies stacked in a basket with striped towels.

How to Make Whoopie Pies

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, combine the partially melted butter and brown sugar until combined.
Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing well.
Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda and salt to the bowl. Slowly start mixing.
As the dry ingredients are mixing in, slowly add in the buttermilk.
Mix until a thick batter forms.
Add the red food coloring, mixing and adding a little more at a time until you have reached your desired color.
Add the batter to a piping bag. Pipe round circles equal in size onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving room for the cookies to bake and spread. Alternatively you can scoop the batter onto the pan.
Bake at 375° F for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies have spread and no longer look wet and underbaked in the center of the cookie.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan.
While the cookies are cooling, make the filling.
To make the filling, slowly cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, until all 3 cups of powdered sugar have been added.
Next, add in the clear vanilla extract.
Add the filling to a piping bag. Pipe the filling onto the bottom of a cooled red velvet cookie and top it with another cookie to create the whoopie pie. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the fridge.
Enjoy!

Red velvet whoopie pie dough piped onto a cookie sheet.

How do I thin out my frosting?

If your frosting is a little too thick for your liking, you can add a tiny amount of heavy whipping cream and mix until it is your desired thickness.

How should I store?

Once cooled, store your cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 3-5 days! These cookies also freeze really well and can be stored in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. I have a post all about how to freeze cookies if you need more guidance!

How do I make neat whoopie pies?

A piping bag is your best friend here! Instead of scooping the batter onto the pan, Add your batter to a piping bag. Pipe round circles equal in size onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving room for the cookies to bake and spread.

Then, once your cookies are cooled, add your filling to a piping bag and pipe it onto the bottom of one red velvet cookie. Press a second red velvet cookie on top to make your whoopie pie!

What is a whoopie pie?

Native to New England and sometimes mistaken as homemade oreos, whoopie pies are extremely cakey sandwich cookies, stuffed with decadent frosting. A traditional whoopie pie recipe takes two chocolate cake rounds and fills them with a buttercream/marshmallow fluff mixture to create a hand-held dessert sandwich. But today, states like Maine and Pennsylvania are famous for mixing it up with a myriad of delicious flavors.

A close up of red velvet whoope pies. Across the middle it says "red velvet whoopie pies" in text.

Other Whoopie Pies to Check Out