Chocolate Peanut Butter Faux-reos

I’ve been meaning to post a sandwich cookie on here for the past few years. But life happens and I get side-tracked easily. Also, I sometimes get lazy when a recipe involves too many steps. But it’s the holidays and I thought you deserved to have this recipe in your life.

I took the idea of an oreo, omitted the fake chemical bullshit, made it actually taste good, then put my usual vegan/gluten free spin on it. I thought about going with a traditional white cream filling but the peanut butter was calling my name as soon as the cookies came out of the oven.  The entire recipe involves 10 ingredients total, one of which is salt. And, you can make them as fussy or as un-fussy as you want. For example, I didn’t take the time to smooth out the filling spilling over the sides. But they were still delicious albeit a little rustic looking 😉

These cookies keep well for a few days in an airtight container so they are well suited for gifting, but they can also be shared with family and friends over some laughs. Or, maybe you put your jammies on, cozy up on the couch with a movie, and eat these babies solo. Though the recipe requires a few more steps than a simple drop cookie, they are well worth the effort.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Faux-reos

for the cookies:
115g oat flour
25g cocoa powder
50g coconut sugar
pinch of sea salt
75g unsweetened applesauce
30g melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla

for the filling:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
3-4 tbsp plant milk
tiny pinch of sea salt

Whisk together the oat flour, cocoa, coconut sugar, and salt in a bowl until combined. Add the applesauce, coconut oil, and vanilla and mix until you have a cohesive cookie dough. If it seems too dry, add a splash or two of warm water. Divide the dough in two, then roll each half into a log about 4 or 5 inches long and roughly an inch and a half in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic then place the dough in the fridge to chill and firm up for 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silpat. Remove one log of dough from the fridge. Using a serrated knife, carefully cut off rounds of dough that are about 1/16th of an inch in thickness, then place them on the prepared baking sheet. Once you finish with the first log of dough, do the same process with the second log. The cookies can be placed relatively close together on the sheet as they will not really spread. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until firm. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet. Depending on how many cookies you are able to cut, you will get between 42 and 48 small cookies (21 to 24 cookies once filled and assembled).

To make the peanut butter filling, combine the powdered sugar, peanut butter, 3 tbsp of the milk, and the sea salt in a bowl. Whisk until you get a thick but creamy consistency. If it seems too stiff, add in the remaining tbsp of milk. To assemble the cookies, spread a good dollop of the peanut butter filling on a cookie, then press another cookie on top. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Makes about 21 to 24 filled cookies. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 or 5 days.