Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (Whoopie Pies)

(Shared recipe submitted by Heather Hostetler.)

Heather writes: "This is another one of the cookie recipes that Emma, my sister-in-law gave me. I hope you like them."

Ingredients

• 1 cup margarine or butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup sour milk (see notes below)
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• Filling (choose one of the fillings below)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cream margarine or butter; add sugar and eggs. Beat. Sift all dry ingredients except baking soda. Add dry ingredients with sour milk and vanilla. Put baking soda in hot water and add last. (You can bake one cookie to see if it is too flat. If it is, add more flour.) Bake until the center springs back to the touch. Cool completely.

Spread filling thickly between 2 cookies. One batch of either filling is enough to fill one batch of cookies.

Filling #1

"This filling is Emma's family favorite, but my husband doesn't think that it is heavy enough."

Place 3 tablespoons flour and 2/3 cup milk in saucepan; cook until thick. Cool. Cream together 3/4 cup vegetable shortening, such as Crisco, and 3/4 cup white sugar. Mix all together. Beat vigorously until smooth.

Filling #2

Beat 2 egg whites. Add 1 tablespoon vanilla, 4 tablespoons flour and 4 tablespoons milk. Beat. Add 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat and cream. Add an additional 2 cups of powdered sugar and 1-1/2 cups vegetable shortening. Mix well.

Notes: Sour milk is not milk that has turned sour. Substitute buttermilk if it is not available. To make your own, mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice and enough milk to make 1 cup and let set for 5 to 10 minutes.

About Heather: Heather's e-mail address is hostetlerh@windstream.net.

Additional recipes submitted by Heather: