Chocolate whoopie pies are pillowy chocolate cakes filled with Bailey’s buttercream. They are a deliciously boozy treat for St. Patrick’s Day!

pink plate of chocolate whoopie pies with baileys buttercream frosting and one whoopie pie with a bite taken out of it

Oh man, my baking with Bailey’s Irish cream is alive and well my friends. I have been brainstorming quite a few recipes using the Irish cream liqueur and they are going to be ah-maze-ing. First off, let me tell you about these Bailey’s chocolate whoopie pies.

It’s been quite some time since I made whoopie pies. So it’s about time I baked a batch and I couldn’t think of a better star ingredient than Bailey’s.

chocolate whoopie pie ingredients in bowls labeled with text
photo collage demonstrating how to make chocolate whoopie pie batter in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer

Seriously though, the Irish cream liqueur is one of my favorite ingredients to bake with. It blends naturally with any chocolate dessert and adds a little kick with the alcohol content.

When I decided to make chocolate whoopie pies, my natural instinct was to make a buttercream filling flavored with Bailey’s. You could say I had St. Patrick’s Day in mind, but honestly I just happen to have a bottle of the liqueur in my fridge waiting to be consumed.

But before I go any further with my Bailey’s obsession, let me tell you about the chocolate whoopie pies.

baileys frosting ingredients in bowls labeled with text next to sheet pan of baked chocolate whoopie pies
photo collage demonstrating how to make baileys frosting for chocolate whoopie pies

These whoopie pies are perfection—soft, pillowy clouds of chocolate perfection. Have you ever taken a cupcake, broken off the bottom and placed it on top to create a cupcake sandwich? That is what I picture when I eat whoopie pies. The chocolate cakes were made to sandwich the buttercream after all.

Side note: if you haven’t tried that with a cupcake, do it. It will completely change your cupcake consuming experience.

When I made the batter for the chocolate whoopie pies, I couldn’t help but include a teaspoon of espresso powder to enhance the chocolate flavor. It also doesn’t hurt that the subtle taste of coffee pairs perfectly with Bailey’s.

baileys chocolate whoopie pies on white square plate on teal kitchen cloth

After all, the Bailey’s buttercream is the glue that holds these whoopie pies together. I used the same Bailey’s buttercream recipe that I did for my Guinness cupcakes and simply piped a generous amount between two chocolate cakes. The same frosting is spread over my Bailey’s brownies too!

Biting into one of these chocolate whoopie pies gives you a flashback to your childhood (remember eating whoopie pies as a kid?) and then quickly takes you back to the present as the booze-infused buttercream hits your tastebuds.

It’s the best of both worlds, right?

hand holding chocolate whoopie pie with baileys buttercream frosting

If you are looking for a St. Patrick’s Day dessert or are simply a lover of Irish cream liqueur like me, then try this recipe for Bailey’s chocolate whoopie pies. If you don’t have buttermilk, use my chocolate whoopie pie recipe, which uses regular milk! Either way you won’t be disappointed!

Did you love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and if you REALLY loved it, consider leaving a comment further down the page.

baileys chocolate whoopie pie with a bite on top of other whoopie pies on pink platter

Get the Recipe: Bailey’s Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Chocolate whoopie pies are pillowy chocolate cakes filled with Bailey’s buttercream. They are a deliciously boozy treat for St. Patrick’s Day!
4.88 (8 ratings)

Ingredients

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature

Bailey’s Buttercream Filling

  • ¾ cup (170 g or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 cups (480 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 4-6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur

Instructions 

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, espresso powder and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), cream together the butter and brown sugar, about 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with buttermilk (so add one third flour mixture, half cup buttermilk, another third flour mixture, half cup buttermilk and finish with remaining flour mixture). Combine well after each addition.
  • Transfer batter to a frosting bag fitted with a round tip.* Pipe batter into circles two inches in diameter on the prepared baking sheet (each about three inches apart as they will spread slightly). Bake until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before filling.

Bailey’s Buttercream Filling

  • In a bowl with a mixer, cream together butter, Baileys, and powdered sugar. Spoon frosting into a pastry bag fitted with desired tip and pipe it generously on flat side of the cakes. Top filled half with another cake to sandwich the buttercream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

*Alternatively, you can spoon batter onto the cookie sheet and use the spoon (or your fingers) to shape them into circles.
Serving: 1whoopie pie, Calories: 257kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 172mg, Potassium: 72mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 30g, Vitamin A: 322IU, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg

Chocolate whoopie pie recipe adapted from NYT Cooking.

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