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Festive Christmas Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling Recipe

Oh, I’m so excited to share this Festive Christmas Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling Recipe with you! These little treats are like bite-sized holiday hugs wrapped in chocolatey cake softness with the fluffiest, sweetest marshmallow center. What makes these so special is their simplicity — using just a box of devil’s food cake mix, a few pantry staples, and a creamy homemade marshmallow filling that tastes way better than store-bought. I always find they bring an instant festive vibe to any gathering, whether it’s a casual family brunch or a holiday cookie exchange.

Trust me, this Festive Christmas Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling Recipe is foolproof and perfect for getting the kids involved too. It’s one of those recipes that’s fast enough for last-minute baking but fancy enough to impress guests. Plus, the little red and green swirls in the marshmallow filling add such a fun, seasonal pop that everyone asks for seconds. If you’ve been hunting for an easy but show-stopping Christmas dessert, you’ll love how these come together!

Ingredients You’ll Need

All these ingredients come together beautifully — you don’t have to be a baking pro to get the best results. Here’s a quick shopping tip: Make sure your cream cheese is fully softened for that smooth, creamy filling texture we’re aiming for.

  • Devil’s food cake mix: This gives you rich chocolate cakes with minimal effort. It’s great for keeping things moist and tender.
  • Eggs: They help bind the cake mixture together and add structure.
  • Oil: Vegetable or canola oil works best to keep the cakes soft and not dry.
  • Cream cheese: Room temperature is key — it blends seamlessly into the marshmallow filling for creamy richness.
  • Marshmallow fluff: This is the star of the filling, giving it that dreamy, cloud-like texture.
  • Vanilla extract: Just a splash to enhance all those sweet flavors.
  • Salt: A pinch balances the sweetness perfectly.
  • Red and green gel food coloring: These add festive holiday vibes without watering down the filling.

Variations

I love how versatile this Festive Christmas Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling Recipe is. You can easily tweak it to match your style or dietary needs. Here are some twists I’ve tried or recommend to keep your baking fun and fresh!

  • Vegan version: I’ve swapped out the eggs with flax eggs and used dairy-free cream cheese and marshmallow fluff. The texture’s slightly different but still deliciously festive!
  • Spiced filling: Adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the marshmallow cream gives the pies a cozy holiday flavor that I adore on chilly nights.
  • Minty twist: A drop of peppermint extract in the filling transforms it into a winter wonderland treat — perfect for holiday parties.
  • Funfetti cakes: Mixing in some red and green sprinkles into the cake batter adds a playful surprise.

How to Make Festive Christmas Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling Recipe

Step 1: Whip up the cake batter

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining a cookie sheet with parchment paper — this keeps things non-stick and cleanup easy. In a large bowl, mix the devil’s food cake mix, eggs, and oil until just combined. Don’t overmix here; you want a smooth batter but be careful not to beat it too much or your cakes might turn out tough. The batter will be thick and glossy, easy to scoop out.

Step 2: Pipe or spoon the cakes

Scoop or pipe tablespoon-sized rounds onto the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart since these will spread a little during baking. I like using a cookie scoop for uniform sizes — it helps the whoopie pies look extra cute and makes assembly a breeze.

Step 3: Bake until they’re perfectly puffed

Bake for about 10-12 minutes — you’ll know they’re ready when the cookies spring back lightly to the touch and start cracking a bit on top. Cool them completely on a wire rack; warm cakes can melt your filling if you try assembling too soon.

Step 4: Mix the festive marshmallow filling

While the cakes cool, beat together the room-temp cream cheese and marshmallow fluff until smooth, creamy, and fluffy. Add in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to balance sweetness. Now for the fun part — scoop out the filling into separate bowls and swish in a tiny bit of red gel food color in one and green in the other; give them just a few gentle folds so the colors swirl but don’t fully blend. That gives you those gorgeous festive ribbons inside.

Step 5: Assemble your whoopie pies

Spread or pipe a generous dollop of marshmallow filling on the flat side of one cake and gently press another cake on top to create a sandwich. You can even swirl a couple of colors together on your spatula for a marbled look inside. Keep your pies refrigerated once assembled to keep that filling nice and firm.

How to Serve Festive Christmas Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling Recipe

The image shows seven ingredients neatly arranged on a white marbled surface. There are four brown eggs in the top right corner with smooth shells. To the left of the eggs, there's a round white bowl filled with dark brown cocoa powder, fine and fluffy in texture. Below the cocoa powder, a small white bowl holds golden yellow melted butter with a shiny surface. At the center, a round white plate contains three rectangular sticks of pale yellow butter on it. In the bottom right corner, an oval white bowl is filled with white powdery flour, looking soft and loose. To the left of the flour, there is a round white bowl with thick white cream, swirled on top with a smooth and creamy texture. Finally, to the right of the butter sticks, a small round white bowl holds white granulated sugar. All the items are evenly spaced photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Garnishes

For extra holiday flair, I love dusting the tops with a little powdered sugar or grating some white chocolate over the top. Sometimes, I’ll add crushed peppermint candy on the edges of the filling for a delightful crunch and a pop of color. It’s those little touches that turn homemade into magnificent.

Side Dishes

Pairing these festive whoopie pies with a warm cup of spiced hot cocoa or a glass of eggnog makes the experience feel extra cozy. They also go surprisingly well with a fruit compote or even a simple bowl of mixed nuts if you’re serving a holiday dessert platter.

Creative Ways to Present

One Christmas, I arranged them in a big circle on a festive platter to look like a wreath, decorating the center with holly sprigs and mini candy canes. For parties, placing individual pies in colorful cupcake liners or cellophane bags tied with ribbon makes them perfect for gifting or impressing your guests with minimal fuss.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover whoopie pies in an airtight container in the fridge to keep the cream cheese filling fresh and firm. They stay delicious for up to 4 days, but honestly, they usually disappear faster than that!

Freezing

If you want to freeze these festive treats, I recommend assembling them first, then wrapping each whoopie pie individually in plastic wrap before placing them in a freezer-safe bag. When you thaw them overnight in the fridge, they maintain their texture almost perfectly — a lifesaver for busy holiday prep.

Reheating

Since these are best enjoyed cool or at room temperature, I usually don’t heat them. But if you want to warm the cakes slightly, just unwrap and microwave one pie for about 5-7 seconds — just enough to take the chill off without melting the marshmallow filling into a gooey mess.

FAQs

  1. Can I make Festive Christmas Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling Recipe without cream cheese?

    Absolutely! If you prefer a lighter filling or don’t have cream cheese on hand, you can try substituting it with softened butter or whipped heavy cream to mix with the marshmallow fluff. Keep in mind that the richness and slight tang of cream cheese add a nice balance to the sweetness, so the texture and flavor might be a little different but still tasty.

  2. What’s the best way to get perfect red and green swirls in the marshmallow filling?

    Use gel food coloring because it’s concentrated and won’t make your filling runny. Add tiny drops to separate portions of the filling and gently fold them with a spatula — don’t overmix, or the colors will blend completely. Swirling just a bit creates those beautiful marbled streaks that look so festive!

  3. Can I use a homemade chocolate cake batter instead of cake mix?

    You sure can! Homemade batter will work just fine as long as it’s not too thin. The cake mix here is a shortcut for convenience and consistency, but any rich chocolate cake batter that holds its structure when scooped will give you delicious results.

  4. How do I prevent the cakes from being too dry?

    Make sure not to overbake your cakes—keep an eye on them after 10 minutes. Also, using oil instead of butter keeps them moist. Cooling them on a wire rack allows air to circulate and keeps the bottoms from getting soggy.

Final Thoughts

I don’t say this lightly, but these Festive Christmas Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling Recipe are legitimately some of my favorite holiday treats to make and share. The combination of chocolatey cake and fluffy, colorful marshmallow cream just brings a smile to my face every time. If you’re looking for a stress-free recipe that still has that wow factor, this one’s a winner for sure. Go ahead, give it a whirl, and spread some sweet holiday cheer with these delightful little pies — you and your friends will be so glad you did!

Print

Festive Christmas Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Filling Recipe

These festive Christmas Whoopie Pies feature soft, rich devil’s food cake cookies sandwiched with a creamy marshmallow cream cheese filling tinted in vibrant red and green, perfect for holiday celebrations and gifting.

  • Author: Emma
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 1216 whoopie pies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

Cookies

  • 1 (15.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil

Marshmallow Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 7 oz marshmallow fluff
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • Red gel food color
  • Green gel food color

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Cookie Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the devil’s food cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil. Mix thoroughly until a smooth, thick batter forms suitable for piping or spooning onto baking sheets.
  2. Bake the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop spoonfuls or pipe rounds of batter onto the sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are set and spring back lightly when touched. Allow the cookies to cool completely on wire racks.
  3. Make the Marshmallow Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the marshmallow fluff, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt, mixing until fully combined and fluffy. Divide the filling into two portions. Add red gel food color to one portion and green gel food color to the other, stirring each until the color is evenly distributed.
  4. Assemble Whoopie Pies: Pair the cooled cookies by size. Spread or pipe a generous amount of colored marshmallow filling onto the flat side of one cookie, then sandwich with the matching cookie. Repeat alternating between red and green filling for a festive look.
  5. Chill and Serve: Place the assembled whoopie pies in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the filling to firm up. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store leftover pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Notes

  • Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature for easy mixing and a smooth filling.
  • Use gel food coloring; liquid food coloring may thin out the filling.
  • You can add festive sprinkles to the edges of the filling for extra holiday decoration before chilling.
  • For a dairy-free version, substitute cream cheese with a non-dairy alternative and verify the marshmallow fluff is vegan.

Keywords: Christmas whoopie pies, holiday desserts, devil’s food cake cookies, marshmallow filling, festive treats

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