Miss Opal's Whoopie Pies

Miss Opal’s Whoopie Pies

DSCF4600

When I first moved to Peachtree City 25 years ago, I was active as a volunteer with our church youth group.  We decided to have a garage sale as a fundraiser and it just happened to be held at my house.  Garage sales are easy when everyone else brings over their discards and you have 20 teens pricing and selling.  I think the ease of that sale gave me false sense of easy breezy optimism for yard sales of the future.

It was a hot summer day in our un-air-conditioned Georgia garage and we were a sweaty lot. Then, who came walking up the drive with a big tray of goodies? Miss Opal, of course.  We thought she brought them to sell, but she insisted that they were for the workers.  I still remember how delightful they tasted on that hot, summer day.

Bringing a tray of cookies to a church outing may not seem like a big deal but you have to understand the Miss Opal was in her 80’s and she had not been asked to bring anything to the event.   She took it upon herself to brighten the day of the church youth that hot afternoon.  She also set an example that I know I remember 25 years later and I would imagine some of those teens do, too. Miss Opal helped us see the specialness and importance of unsolicited acts of kindness. In my opinion, they are the best.

Sadly, Miss Opal is no longer with us. She passed away several years ago.  Before she died, she had moved to a nursing home closer to her son in Wisconsin.  A few years after she left Peachtree City, I was charged with the task of putting together our church cookbook.  I got Miss Opal’s address and asked if she would share her recipe for Whoopie Pies. She couldn’t believe I remembered eating those treats that day and said she said she would be delighted to share it.  Her daughter from Florida sent me the recipe that week. I have made the recipe many times and think of her every time.

Miss Opal’s Whoopie Pies

2/3 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup Nestles Quick Chocolate flavored mix

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup milk

Filling:

3/4 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups marshmallow creme

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together the shortening and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients alternating with  the milk.  Drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Let cookies cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack.  While cookies are cooling, cream together butter, sugar, marshmallow creme and vanilla.  Spread marshmallow mixture between 2 cookies making a cookie sandwich.

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
No comments yet.

Leave a Reply

1 × 2 =