Vegan: Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

SHUT UP! These are so good I could actually eat them all in a day but I’m going to try really hard not to. 

Got this idea from Oh She Glows: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/11/04/peanut-butter-chocolate-pillows/ which will link you to: http://www.theppk.com/2009/03/peanut-butter-pillows/ for the recipe, which I’ll copy/paste here to make life easier for y’all!

HOLY CRAP THEY TASTE GOOD. 

I didn’t know what the heck “dutched cocoa” was, nor could I find it at the grocery store so I just used regular, organic, cocoa and they are perfect. I will note that the chocolate dough felt quite greasy, so much so that I was blotting it with a paper towel before wrapping the peanut butter but it baked perfectly so no worries! Also I used pretty crunchy peanut butter and it ended up being a tad more crumbly than I’d suspect creamy pb to be but both will definitely work and taste wonderful in your mouth! DELICIOUS! 

Recipe:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows
makes 2 dozen cookies

Chocolate dough:

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons non-dairy milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder

2 tablespoons black unsweetened cocoa or more dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

3/4 cup natural salted peanut butter, crunchy or creamy style

2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons soy creamer or non-dairy milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl combine oil, sugar, maple syrup, non-dairy milk and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, black cocoa if using, baking soda and salt. Mix to form a moist dough.

Make the filling. In another mixing bowl beat together peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons of soy creamer and vanilla extract to form a moist but firm dough. If peanut butter dough is too dry (as different natural peanut butters have different moisture content), stir in remaining tablespoon of non-dairy milk. If dough is too wet knead in a little extra powdered sugar.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bakings sheet with parchment paper.

Shape the cookies. Create the centers of the cookies by rolling the peanut butter dough into 24 balls. Scoop a generous tablespoon of chocolate dough, flatten into a disc and place a peanut butter ball in the center. Fold the sides of the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter center and roll the chocolate ball into an smooth ball between your palms. Place on a sheet of waxed paper and repeat with remaining doughs. If desired gently flatten cookies a little, but this is not necessary.

Place dough balls on lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and let cookies for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to complete cooling. Store cookies in tightly covered container. If desired warm cookies in a microwave for 10 to 12 seconds before serving.

~Stormy

Vegan chocolate cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting!!

YUM, you guys. This is SO GOOD. I’ve literally never baked a cake before in my life so to find the recipe, I googled “Easy vegan chocolate cake” and clicked the first link from Instrucables.com – Looked good to me! I got the icing recipe from the Daiyafoods.com site. I changed them both slightly to suit what I had in the kitchen so below is what I used:

CHOCOLATE CAKE: 

1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted) 
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with a fork, making sure it is really blended together.

Add the water, vanilla, oil, and vinegar, and again, mix together so that it’s really blended together. 

Pour into an 8×8 pan/dish and spread evenly. (I sprayed mine lightly with oil) 

Bake for 25-30 min. Do the toothpick test and remove when it comes out clean! 

I’m not 100% positive how this was meant to come out. I will note that mine seemed really flat, almost brownie like and I was initially disappointed. But this did not affect the flavor at all so I am happy!! 

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

*This recipe makes a LOT of frosting! If ONLY making it for the cake, I would cut it in half – I had so much left over! 

8 oz Strawberry Cream Cheese Style Spread

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup dairy-free butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

1 or 2 tbsp. dairy-free milk (I used unsweetend almond milk) 

*I added about a cup of mini chocolate chips and it was a really great idea! 

 

In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together dairy-free butter and Daiya Cream Cheese Style Spread. Blend on medium until well incorporated.

 

One cup at a time, mix in powdered sugar with mixer on low. Wait until sugar is fully incorporated before adding additional cups.

 

Once all powdered sugar is mixed in, add vanilla.

 

Slowly add dairy-free milk until frosting desired consistency is reached. With mixer on medium-high to high, mix frosting until it is light and fluffy. *Stir in chocolate chips if you like! 

 

This frosting is best kept refrigerated.

 

My mom, who isn’t fond of chocolate cake had a square of this and loved it! The chocolate is not overpowering, it’s light and fluffy (even though mine was flat) and I’m going to eat it all! 

 

EDITED TO ADD:
I later made this recipe again, as mini cupcakes and it worked our perfectly. I used half canola oil, half coconut and I added a tiny bit more baking soda and they couldn’t have been more perfect. Here’s a photo:
Really great texture in these little guys! Only needed to cook for about12 minutes 🙂

~Stormy