Raspberry Heaven

It's cookie baking season and every year I try to come up with a new cookie to share with friends and readers. Tonight I made a batch of creamy raspberry filled, white chocolate whoopie pies and OMG are they good!  They're a bit time consuming, but with the stereo blasting I could have made another batch or two, no problem. I have been making whoopie pies for quite a while, but this time I added white chocolate to the cookie dough, Polaner All Fruit raspberry preserves to the filling and  used Splenda Brown Sugar Blend. A few less calories, but the taste is full flavor for sure. I've been dreaming about these cookies and am so happy to share my recipe.

Creamy Raspberry Filled Whoopie Pies
makes about 16 servings

Filling:
8 oz neufchatel cheese softened to room temp
1/2 cup butter softened
3 T confectioner's sugar
1 T Splenda Brown Sugar for baking
1/3 cup Polaner All Fruit raspberry preserves

Cookie dough:
3/4 cup butter softened
3/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 large eggs room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups AP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, chopped (I used my spice mill)

Confectioners sugar for dusting finished cookies

To make the filling: In medium size bowl combine all ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge while you prepare and bake the cookies.

To make the cookies: Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In medium size bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir with a fork or spoon to combine. Set aside.

In large bowl , with hand or stand mixer combine butter and brown sugar and mix until smooth and airy (2-3 minutes). Add eggs and vanilla and continue to mix. Add half the dry ingredients into the wet and mix on low. Add the rest of the dry ingredients until dough is smooth. Add the crushed white chocolate and stir to combine. The dough will be very sticky. Place dough in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to let it firm up.

Form dough into small balls about 1 inch each. Place on baking sheets. These cookies spread a lot, so make sure there's enough room on your baking sheet to let them do their thing. Bake 11 minutes. Remove from oven and cool slightly on cooling rack, then remove to paper or kitchen towels to cool completely. You should get 34-36 single cookies.

Remove raspberry filling from fridge. Now the fun begins! Take a tablespoon or two of the filling and place on the flat side of a cookie.

Now take a second cookie and cover the filling to make a sandwich. 

Keep going, until you've matched up all the cookies with a mate. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and enjoy! I refrigerate them, take them out 30 minutes before serving and give another sprinkle of sugar.