Go Bananas Whoopie Pies

By Addie

I love anything with peanut butter, so when I saw this recipe for soft banana cookies with a yummy peanut butter filling, I had to make them. Using a cookie scoop keeps them nicely rounded and all the same size. —Jessie Sarrazin, Livingston, Montana

Ingredients

• COOKIES:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• .................................................
• FILLING:
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Additional confectioners' sugar

Preparation

Step 1

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine banana and buttermilk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture.


Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.


For filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and butter until fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread filling on the bottoms of half of the cookies, about 1 tablespoon on each; top with remaining cookies. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2 dozen.
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REVIEWS:

Loved these!

I have made these twice now because they got such rave reviews when I took them to work the first time. I have also made the Lemony Gingerbread and the Red Velvet version (all in the February mag), and these were the favorite of all three.

This recipe is very easy to make. the pies were a big hit at my husband's coffee club.

The "cookies" were soft and slightly sticky. The filling was good and easy to work with. It is stiff so will not "squirt" out the cookie. My friends preferred this filling and the cookie of the Chocolae Dream Whoopie Pies. This is a big cookie and you can probably eat just one so best made for a crowd.

We love this! Yummy bananas and peanutbutter!

I made these for our annual Superbowl party and they were gone in no time! I also made a second batch and this time added some choclate ganach on one of the ssides.. they were better then the first batch!

They make great cookies, especially when eaten still warm. I didn't enjoy the filling. I thought it make too big of a serving for one person. I'll make them again as cookies!

This were OK-- & probably more than that IF you called them Go Peanut Butter instead of Go Bananas. The subtle banana flavor was definitely overpowered by the peanut butter. If you're a huge fan of traditional whoopie pies, these will not satisfy.

I made these for a Super Bowl food day at my work and they were gone in an hour. Had several requests for the recipe--they were very soft and yummy. I had quite a bit of extra filling, which I think I might use to stuff some chocolate cupcakes! I will definitely make again. They are better at room temp. even though you need to refrigerate because of the cream cheese and butter.

The whoopie pie is soft and chewy, but has little flavor and the filling is not peanut buttery enough. I may make it again, but after severe tweeks to the recipe!

Very yummy! I made them a little too big and didnt get 24, but they were easy and very good!

Yes, I made these today and they were awesome! Though I didn't know they had that many calories! Great Cookies!

These were terrific. I only used 1/2 of the filling.