Even William-Sonoma is getting in on the trend for all-things Amish. I was in the store the other day and saw this Whoopie Pie display.

And I noticed that Whole Foods is starting to sell Whoopie Pies in its bakery!

Just what is a Whoopie Pie? And how did it get its name?

First…the name:

Legend has it that when Pennsylvania Dutch children would find these traditional cream-cheese-icing filled chocolate cookie cakes in their lunches, they’d be so excited they’d cry, “Whoopee!”

Source: Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World, page 47.

Next…the recipe:

4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup cocoa
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup thick sour milk
1 cup hot water

Cream together sugar, salt, shortening, vanilla and eggs. Sift together flour, soda and cocoa. Add this to the first mixture alternately with water and sour milk. Add slightly more flour if milk is not thick. Drop by teaspoons. Bake in hot oven at 350% until done.

Source: an Amish cookbook

This recipe doesn’t have the filling in it, which you could add with whipped cream. If it seems too complicated, you could always to Williams-Sonoma and buy the mix!