A Moonpie is a biscuit topped with marshmallow, and then coated entirely with chocolate.
It is 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide.
The biscuit, which tastes a bit like a Graham wafer, is softer and less crunchy than that used in a Wagon Wheel.
They now come in double-layer sizes called “double-deckers.” The original single-layer ones, now called “single-deckers”, weigh 2 oz (60 g); double-decker 2.75 oz (77 g.)
There are also mini ones.
The coating may be just chocolate-flavoured; banana, orange, lemon and strawberry-flavoured coatings are also available.
Vanilla-Raspberry ones are filled with marshmallow and raspberry jam, then coated in vanilla icing.
It is traditional to drink a bottle of RC Cola while eating a Moonpie (even though RC Cola didn’t come along until 1934.)
They are made by Chattanooga Bakeries.
Tunnock’s Teacakes, Mallomar Cookies, Whippet Cookies, Moonpies and Krembos are quite similar. Whippets are the longest-made of these.
Cooking Tips
Fans like to microwave them briefly to heat them, then serve them in a bowl with a scoop of ice cream on top.
History Notes
Moonpies were reputedly invented by Earl Mitchell, Sr. in 1917.
He intended them as lunch pail snacks for people such as miners in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia.
Originally, they were a few inches thick, and weighed about 8 oz. They have shrunk over the years.