With sweet peanut butter cookies and a rich peanut butter filling, these Vegan Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies are the ultimate plant-based finger-food dessert. Plant-based, gluten-free, and oil-free.
Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies sandwiching sweet, creamy peanut butter. Do I need to write anything else?
I guess I can tell you the story of how these creations came into the world. When I was on vacation a couple months ago, my family and I went to an amazing vegan restaurant. They had SO MANY plant-based desserts. I'm a peanut butter fan so I went for their version of these sandwiches.
There were two giant cookies with a smothering of peanut butter inside. It was delicious. Ever since then I've been thinking about those decadent cookie sandwiches.
I loved the concept, but I knew I could make a healthier version.
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2. In a large bowl, whisk the applesauce, cashew butter, date sugar, and vanilla extract.
Step 3. Add the flaxseeds, oat flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined.
Step 4. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Step 5. Scoop into 2-teaspoon sized balls (I used a #70 cookie scoop) and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Use your hand to flatten to a 2" diameter - you want them to be as flat as possible for the sandwiches.
Step 6. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the cookies are slightly brown around the edges and solid enough to pick up - a crisp cookie is ideal for sandwiches. Let the cookies cool completely.
Step 7. While the cookies cool, make the peanut butter filling. In a small bowl whisk the peanut butter and date sugar.
Step 8. When the cookies are completely cool, spread 2 teaspoons of the peanut butter filling on the bottom of half of the cookies and create sandwiches.
I use date sugar in my baking because it is made from fruit. Date sugar is dried dates, ground into a sugar consistency. So it is much healthier than any other sugar.
Date sugar is much different in baking than other sugars - it does not dissolve. So if you would like to use a different sugar, you need to use less sugar. I have tested this recipe using 1/3 cup of coconut sugar in place of the date sugar.
I have only tested these cookies using coconut sugar but I expect other sugars would work similarly.
The sugar in the peanut butter filling can be subbed 1:1. To avoid a runny filling, I recommend using the thicker part of the peanut butter for the filling.
I highly recommend buying cookie scoops! They make portioning cookies, muffins, and cupcakes so much easier! I used cookie scoops all the time when I worked at a vegan bakery and I've never gone back.
Cookie scoops make perfectly identical cookies and can help keep your hands clean when baking.
Store these cookies in in an air-tight container at room temperature. The peanut butter filling is stable enough to stay at room temperature and the sandwiches will not fall apart when stacked. So stack away!
You can also freeze these cookies. Place in a zip top bag and freeze for up to six months. (Also, a cold cookie sandwich straight from the freezer is delicious!)
These cookies will last 7-10 days if properly stored in an air-tight container.
Jesus, thank you for delicious and decadent desserts. Let us enjoy them in moderation while celebrating the health benefits of plant-based foods. Amen.
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With sweet peanut butter cookies and a rich peanut butter filling, these Vegan Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies are the ultimate plant-based finger-food dessert. Plant-based, gluten-free, and oil-free.
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