Friday Feast: Chocolate Brownie Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

The brownie cookies are pretty decadent, so you could have them by themselves. The almond meal gives the brownies moisture which is sooo important for any epic dessert. I used coconut flour in the filling to firm up the peanut butter so it doesn’t melt at room temperature, but you can omit the flour and use straight up peanut butter.

YIELD: 10 TO 12 BROWNIE COOKIE SANDWICHES

FOR BROWNIE COOKIES

• 160 g coconut sugar
  
• 125 g almond meal
  
• 120 g white rice flour or all-purpose flour
  
• 35 g cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
  
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds or flaxseeds, ground
  
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• Pinch of salt
  
• 65 ml light-tasting vegetable oil, such as sunflower or canola
  
• 85 ml plant-based milk, such as almond, soya, or coconut
  

FOR PEANUT FILLING

• 190 g smooth or chunky peanut butter
  
• 35 g coconut flour
  
• Maple, rice malt syrup, or any other plant-based liquid sweetener, to taste
  

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, or gas mark 4.
   
2. To make the cookies: Add all the brownie cookie dry ingredients to a medium-size bowl. Mix until combined and there are no lumps. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl and mix and squeeze with your hands until combined. The mixture should be pliable enough to be rolled into balls. Add a dash of milk if necessary.
   
3. Grab about 2 tablespoons of the batter, roll into balls, and flatten on a lined baking tray. Leave some space in between the cookies for spreading. Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the brownie cookies are dry to the touch. Allow them to cool on the baking tray and to set further.
   
4. To make the peanut butter filling: Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and mix until combined. The filling should be like a wet dough.
   
5. To assemble: Scoop the peanut butter filling on top of half of the brownie cookies. Sandwich the filling with the remainder of the brownie cookies.
   
6. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
   

TIP If you don’t already have ground chia seeds or flaxseeds, combine them in a blender with the wet ingredients and blend. It can be difficult to grind the seeds by them- selves so it’s easier to blend them with lots of liquids.

For nut-free brownie cookies, substitute both flours with 200 g all-purpose flour and increase the oil to 85 ml. Use sunflower butter instead of peanut butter in the filling.

READ Incredible Plant-Based Desserts: Colourful Vegan Cakes, Cookies, Tarts, and other Epic Delights by Anthea Cheng

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