What is the difference between a whoopie pie and moon pie?

These two sandwiched treats might look similar, but they're quite different: Moon pies consist of graham cracker cookies and a marshmallow filling, coated with chocolate or a flavored coating. Whoopie pies are made with two soft, cake-like cookies sandwiched together with a marshmallow filling or frosting. They typically are not coated.

Are moon pies soft or hard?

Graham cracker cookies and a marshmallow filling make moon pies soft and chewy. They're all wrapped up with a luscious chocolate coating.

Can I make homemade moon pies ahead?

You can refrigerate or freeze the moon pies for longer storage: they'll remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to two months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

How can I keep the marshmallow filling from oozing out of the moon pies?

To keep the marshmallow creme in place, take care not to overfill, and freeze until firm before coating with chocolate.

Homemade Moon Pies Recipe

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 45 mins

Servings:

We've tried to recreate variations of Moon Pies in the past with our Over the Moon Chocolate Pie, but nothing tastes as good as a homemade moon pie. So Ivy Odom took inspiration from the classic MoonPies and created a delicious scratch-made recipe.

Ivy starts with the essential ingredients like Ghirardelli chocolate, graham cracker mixture, and marshmallow creme, and she adds in a few pantry staples to create this dreamy delight. Can these homemade moon pies taste like the real deal? The verdict is out: They taste even better than an actual MoonPie—as Ivy states, "12 out of 10" in deliciousness.

Learn how to make a homemade moon pie recipe. Serve these handheld treats at your next neighborhood gathering, or make them during the week for an irresistible mid-week sweet. But, don't forget to serve a refreshing RC Cola on the side—everyone knows that no MoonPie is complete without a refreshing RC Cola to wash it down.

What Are Moon Pies?

MoonPies, also known as "America's Original Marshmallow Sandwich," have been enjoyed since 1917 when the Chattanooga Bakery in Tennessee first created the convenient snack. Meant to be a handheld snack for coal miners, a bakery salesman was rumored to have said that the treats were as "big as the moon," leading to the name "MoonPies".

MoonPies consist of a marshmallow filling sandwiched by two round graham cracker cookies, all coated in a thin layer of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, or other flavored coatings.

Costing only a nickel, they quickly become a popular treat. When Cracker Jack boxes were finally deemed too hard to throw during Mardi Gras parades, tender, economical MoonPies were subbed in, skyrocketing their demand.

Ingredients for Homemade Moon Pies

A quick graham cracker dough is baked into rounds, filled with store-bought marshmallow creme, and dipped in melted chocolate for this homemade version of the classic Southern treat. To make homemade moon pies, you'll need:

Whole-wheat pastry flour: Gives the graham crackers cookies structure and a traditional nutty flavor.
All-purpose flour: Cuts the whole-wheat flour for a soft, tender cookie that won't fall apart.
Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness and light notes of molasses.
Baking soda: Leavens the graham cracker cookies.
Kosher salt: Enhances the flavor of the cookies.
Ground cinnamon: For a hint of classic graham cracker spice.
Salted butter: Gives the cookie richness and flavor.
Honey: Adds sweetness and moisture for a soft, chewy texture.
Water: Binds and hydrates the dough.
Vanilla extract: Adds depth of flavor.
Marshmallow creme: A store-bought shortcut for a classic moon pie marshmallow filling.
Semisweet chocolate: For coating the moon pies. Can substitute with other types of chocolate, including dark or white chocolate, if preferred.
Canola oil: Thins the melted chocolate for a thin coating.

How To Make Homemade Moon Pies

Why buy store-bought moon pies when you can pack in the flavor with eight homemade moon pies in just 30 minutes of active time? Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

Step 1. Prepare oven and baking sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Step 2. Make dough: Stir to combine flours, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until pea-sized. Stir in honey, water, and vanilla.
Step 3. Roll out dough: Pat dough into a ball, and roll half the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness.
Step 4. Cut rounds, and add to baking sheet: Cut out 8, 2 1/2-inch rounds of dough, rerolling scraps as necessary. Transfer to 1 prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
Step 5. Bake: Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are just set, rotating halfway through. Cool on pans 3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Step 6. Assemble cookies, and freeze: Top half the cookies with 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons marshmallow creme. Sandwich with remaining cookies. Freeze until marshmallow is set.
Step 7. Melt chocolate: Microwave chocolate and oil to melt, stirring every 30 seconds.

Step 8. Dip cookies: Dip 1 sandwich cookie at a time into melted chocolate and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let chocolate set before serving.

Homemade Moon Pies Variations

These moon pies are delicious as written, but you can also feel free to get creative. To change them up, consider these variations:

Spices: Add apple or pumpkin pie spice, ground ginger, or nutmeg to the cookies or filling for an extra hint of spice.
Layers: Coat one cookie with peanut butter, almond butter, chocolate-hazelnut spread, or jam before topping with marshmallow creme.
Extracts: Flavor the marshmallow filling by mixing in vanilla, peppermint, almond, or other extracts.
Coatings: Dip the sandwiches in melted white, milk, or dark chocolate, or candy melts for a colorful finish.
Toppings: Sprinkle the dipped moon pies with sprinkles, chopped nuts, coconut flakes, or other garnishes before the chocolate sets.
Make it mini: Turn the moon pies into bite-size treats by cutting out 1 or 1 1/2-inch rounds of dough before baking.

How To Store Homemade Moon Pies

Once the chocolate has set, store homemade moon pies in an airtight container, stacking between layers of parchment paper if needed, in a cool spot for up to 2 days. You can also refrigerate or freeze the moon pies for longer storage; they'll remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Tips for the Best Homemade Moon Pies

For the best, most consistent homemade moon pies, keep these simple tips in mind:

Use both flours: While you can substitute the whole-wheat pastry flour with all-purpose flour if needed, you'll miss out on that classic graham cracker flavor.
Don't overwork the dough: Overworked dough may shrink in the oven, and could lose its tender texture.
Cut out rounds: Cut out the rounds before and after baking for the most uniform shapes.
Cool completely: Cool the cookies completely before sandwiching to keep the marshmallow creme nice and neat.
Melt chocolate gently: Melt the chocolate in short spurts to prevent overheating or scorching it.
Warm the chocolate: If your chocolate begins to firm up as you dip, return to the microwave for a short spurt to warm it for easy coating.

More Nostalgic Dessert Recipes You'll Love

From millionaire pie and magic cookie bars to a decadent ice cream sandwich cake, these nostalgic dessert recipes are crowd-pleasers for adults and kids alike:

Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup (4 1/4 oz.) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup cold salted butter, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup marshmallow creme
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. canola oil

Directions

Prepare oven and baking sheets:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Make dough:

Stir together flours, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl until well combined. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until butter pieces are pea-sized and fully coated in flour. Fold in honey, water, and vanilla until dough just comes together.
Roll out dough:

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Pat dough together until a cohesive ball is formed, and no dry bits of flour remain. Roll half of dough 1/4-inch thick.
Cut rounds, and add to baking sheet:

Using a 21/2-inch round cutter, cut 8 rounds of dough, rerolling scraps as necessary. Place dough rounds on 1 prepared baking sheet; repeat with remaining half of dough and baking sheet.
Bake:

Bake in preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes or until tops are just set, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cool on pans 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Assemble cookies, and freeze:

Once cookies are cooled, spread about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons marshmallow creme on the flat sides of 8 of the cookies. Place remaining 8 cookies on top of marshmallow creme, creating 8 sandwiches. Place sandwich cookies on a baking sheet and freeze 30 minutes or until marshmallow creme is set.
Melt chocolate:

Meanwhile, place chocolate and canola oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power until melted, stirring at 30 second intervals, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Dip cookies:

Once sandwich cookies are chilled, dip 1 sandwich cookie at a time in melted chocolate. Transfer dipped moon pie to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cookies. Let chocolate fully set before serving, about 30 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a whoopie pie and moon pie?

These two sandwiched treats might look similar, but they're quite different: Moon pies consist of graham cracker cookies and a marshmallow filling, coated with chocolate or a flavored coating. Whoopie pies are made with two soft, cake-like cookies sandwiched together with a marshmallow filling or frosting. They typically are not coated.
Are moon pies soft or hard?

Graham cracker cookies and a marshmallow filling make moon pies soft and chewy. They're all wrapped up with a luscious chocolate coating.
Can I make homemade moon pies ahead?

You can refrigerate or freeze the moon pies for longer storage: they'll remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to two months. Bring to room temperature before serving.
How can I keep the marshmallow filling from oozing out of the moon pies?

To keep the marshmallow creme in place, take care not to overfill, and freeze until firm before coating with chocolate.