Coconut Choc Chip Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches

I was just going to whip up a batch of cookies to eat, but I had leftover cream cheese frosting in the fridge so I thought why not make these into fancy cookie sandwiches! 

Chewy oatmeal cookies with delicious cream cheese frosting in the middle! SUCH a good combo. 

The cookie recipe is adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, with a few of my favourite add ins - coconut and chocolate!

I made a cream cheese filling, but vanilla frosting would be good too! 

Keep them refrigerated, because the cream cheese filling becomes firm so you can bite into the sandwich without it spilling out the edges.

Cookies

1/3 cup almond or soy milk

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup melted coconut oil (or canola)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F (180C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the soy milk and ground flax seeds.

Whisk in the sugar, oil and vanilla extract. Sift in the flour, spices and salt and mix until just combined.

Fold in the coconut, oats and chocolate chips.

Roll or scoop the dough to form small balls onto the baking trays. Flatten slightly and bake for 10-12 minutes just until the edges are golden. Let cool on the baking sheets and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Cream cheese filling

1/4 cup vegan butter


1/4 cup vegan cream cheese


2 cups sifted powdered sugar


1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Beat or whisk the butter and cream cheese together until well combined. Beat in the sugar in batches and mix until smooth, and then add the vanilla.

Assemble the cookie sandwiches with 1 or 2 tablespoons of frosting, refrigerate for 30 minutes, then eat!

Vanilla Raspberry Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for my new housemates!
The base recipes are from the trusty Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World book.
For the raspberry frosting I defrosted a cup of frozen raspberries and beat them into the frosting, it turned out delicious! Frozen berries work best because they become soft and mushy when defrosted, so they are easy to incorporate into the frosting.
These would be even more amazing with white chocolate chips stirred into the batter, if you have some on hand! :)


Vanilla cupakes
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch 
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix soy milk and vinegar together and let sit for a few minutes to curdle.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, soda and salt.
Whisk the vanilla, sugar and oil into the soy milk mixture.
Fold wet into dry, and mix until combined.
Fill cupcakes 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool completely before frosting.

Raspberry frosting

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine
1/2 cup refined coconut oil or nonhydrogenated shortening
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup defrosted frozen raspberries
Soy or almond milk to thin

Beat the margarine and shortening until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.
Add the vanilla, then beat in the raspberries until well combined. 
Add a splash of soy milk if it's too thick, and beat for about 5 minutes until it's nice and fluffy.