Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

These red velvet whoopie pies are a delightful holiday treat. With rich red velvet cake cookies and a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting, they’re the perfect holiday treat.

If you know me, then you know that Red Velvet Cake with Butter Roux Frosting is my all-time favorite cake. It’s my birthday cake request every year. My family is definitely team butter roux, or ermine frosting, when it comes to red velvet cake. Sorry, no cream cheese frosting here.

But, when it comes to making red velvet whoopie pies, butter roux frosting isn’t quite stable enough to hold up in a whoopie pie. So, this recipe is using my trusty vanilla buttercream frosting, as we used as a base in the maple buttercream frosting on my maple bacon spice cupcakes. Of course, if you absolutely want cream cheese frosting, feel free to use your own.

Ingredients needed for red velvet whoopie pies

• 1 Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix
• 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter – softened and divided
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

How to make red velvet whoopie pies

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, red velvet cake mix, 1 Tbsp. flour, and 2 eggs. Mix on medium until well-combined. The dough will be THICK.
3. Line your baking sheet with a silicone mat or similar, then spoon the red velvet dough into 1-inch balls. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool. Continue until all the dough has been used.
4. While the cookies are chilling, make the vanilla buttercream frosting. Add 1 cup softened unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth.
5. Once the cookies have cooled, pipe the frosting onto the bottom-side of one cookie, then top with another cookie. You can also simply spread the frosting on rather than piping, if preferred.
6. Continue until all whoopie pies have been assembled. Store in an air-tight container. Refrigerate if keeping longer than one day.

Recipe FAQs and Variations

Does red velvet cake need to be refrigerated?

The cake cookie part of these red velvet whoopie pies do not need to be refrigerated. However, the buttercream frosting would need to be refrigerated if storing beyond one day.

Can I use butter roux or ermine frosting for red velvet whoopie pies?

If kept refrigerated, you could possibly use that frosting. However, it’s a very unstable frosting as it warms, so that’s why I chose to use a thicker frosting like buttercream.

Can I make red velvet whoopie pies ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble the entire red velvet whoopie pie ahead of time and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. I always throw in a slice of bread with my cookies to keep them soft. Or, you can make the cookies and the icing ahead of time, and then assemble just before serving. If you refrigerate your buttercream before frosting, be sure to bring it to room temperature before piping onto the cookies.

Recommended kitchen resources for this recipe

Wanderlust and Wellness participates in the Amazon affiliate program. Please see my affiliate disclaimer. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Enjoy these other sweet treats!

• Gluten-free Lemon Bars – a delicious citrus treat
• White Chocolate Strawberry Rosé Truffles – say yes way, rosé with these truffles!
• Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake – another citrus-inspired dessert
• Lemon Blueberry Shortbread Tart – a simple and easy tart recipe

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies