Elvis Presley was inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on January 23, 1986. Just to honor this great occasion, I’ve created the Elvis Whoopie Pie.

Inspired by the flavors of the King’s favorite sandwich, the Elvis Whoopie Pie is kind of like the hip swiveling, larger than life version of the traditional treat.

Comprised of two fat, cakey banana cookies sandwiched with a lavish amount of honey peanut butter buttercream, these substantial treats are then studded along the sides with bits of bacon, forming a sweet and salty masterpiece that is truly fit for a king.

Prep time: 1 hour and 10 min (includes 1 hour chilling time)
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Yields: 12 sandwiches

Ingredients

For the cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 large, or 3 small, mashed very ripe bananas
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

For the filling
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
¾ cup The Bee’s Knees peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4-6 tablespoons milk

For the garnish (optional)
1-2 strips thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled into small pieces

Procedure

1. Make the cookies. Mix butter, sugar, and eggs thoroughly. Stir in the bananas, milk, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, soda, and salt; stir in, bit by bit, until the mixture is fully combined. Let the dough chill for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Using an ice cream scoop, drop rounds of dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between cookies as they will spread a bit. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges. Let cool completely on a wire sheet before adding the filling.

3. Make the filling. Cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add Bee’s Knees peanut butter and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Add about three cups of the sugar, bit by bit, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. If needed, add the remaining sugar until the frosting has reached an easily spreadable, but not runny, consistency.

4. Put a healthy dollop of peanut butter frosting on one cookie half, and put another on top to sandwich. Do not press too hard or your filling will shoot out the sides and you don’t want to lose one blessed bit. Lightly sprinkle bacon bits on the frosted sides (I rolled the first one, but it was way too bacon-y; a few sprinkles of bacon on the side really go a long way).
Serve immediately after adding the bacon.