Chocolate Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies

These are homemade whoopie pies by another name. Soft, cakey chocolate rounds sandwiched around a sweet marshmallow cream filling. Lunchbox legend, bake sale bestseller, and the cookie that disappears first at any kids’ party.

The cookies are technically more cake than cookie. The cocoa-and-shortening batter is loose and spreads on the sheet, which is why the directions warn to use only a teaspoon per drop. Too much batter and you get one giant cookie sheet pancake. Watch the spread.

A hot 400°F (200°C) oven is essential. The high heat sets the edges before the centers finish rising, which is how you get the puffy domed cookie shape that pairs with a sandwich filling.

The marshmallow cream filling is half butter and half marshmallow fluff, beaten until light and airy. Spread it thick on one cookie, top with another, and press gently. The filling spreads slightly out the edges, which is the entire point of a marshmallow sandwich cookie.

Let the cookies cool completely before filling. Warm cookies melt the filling into a slumped puddle.

Pro Tips

• Drop the batter on parchment-lined sheets. Ungreased cookie sheets work but parchment makes cleanup painless.
• Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for even baking. Multiple sheets at once gives uneven cookies.
• Pull at 7 minutes if your oven runs hot. Overbaked cookies turn dry and lose the soft cakey texture that makes these sandwiches work.
• Store in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 3 days. The cookies soften over time, which is fine for these.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients for a deeper mocha-style cookie.
• Roll the filled edges in mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, or chopped peanuts for a decorated look.
• Use peanut butter buttercream instead of marshmallow filling for chocolate-peanut butter sandwich cookies.