Chocolate Strawberry Cookie Sandwiches (vegan)

This was a last minute, but very fun idea. Here were my thoughts - I want something super chocolatey. Maybe a cookie sandwich! But not choc on choc. How about a fruit frosting? Strawberry would be perfect! - And here we are.🍓

So it doesn't taste like a true chocolate covered strawberry. But it's just as sweet! And they're adorable, right?! That beautiful pink is all natural, by the way. Keep reading to get some details about what went into this recipe..

Like I said, a fun idea. But messy too! I'll blame the frosting for it, and make it a future goal to perfect it : Vegan Strawberry Frosting. But for now, it does have a lovely taste. And no food coloring, only strawberries. No artificial flavors either. Just the pretty pink color Mama Earth produces on her own. 😍

Okay, THIS COOKIE RECIPE THOUGH. I've had issues with chocolate cookies getting hard and crunchy, but these guys are perfect. They're like brownie cookies! A bit more crumbly than brownies, but just as chocolatey. They're chewy too, and just the right amount of chewy. And the choc chips inside are a great touch, but optional of course. 

The cookie has a base of vegan butter + brown sugar, with plenty of cocoa of course. The rest of the ingredients are predictable - milk, vanilla, salt, baking soda, flour. And no chilling! I like to avoid having to chill dough whenever possible, mostly because I'm impatient and busy. But that's okay! The sooner they're ready, the sooner we can eat them.

Go ahead and try these if you get a chance -  I think they're super fun, and would be great to have with friends/family. Do you have any cookie sandwich flavor suggestions? They're super fun, and I'd love to try more combos.😋 See you soon!!

Chocolate Strawberry Cookie Sandwiches

Makes about 6 sandwiches (12ish cookies)

Ingredients

For the cookies

• 1/2 cup of soft vegan butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 Tbs vegan milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1.5 cups + 2 Tbs flour
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

For the frosting:

• 1/4 cup soft vegan butter
• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vegan milk
• 2 Tbs strawberries (2-3 berries)

Directions

1. To make the frosting blend the strawberries in a food processor to create a puree type of texture.
2. Beat together the butter, milk, and sugar in a small bowl to create a light, smooth buttercream. 
3. Then beat in the strawberries until they are spread throughout the mixture, and have created a nice pink color as shown in photos above.
4. Fold the frosting into itself just to smooth it out, before placing it in the fridge uncovered to chill for about an hour and a half.
5. To make the cookies preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Mix the soft butter and brown sugar together with a spoon or spatula in a medium sized bowl until smooth. 
7. Fold in the milk and vanilla completely.
8. Pour in the salt, baking soda, and cocoa, and mix to disperse evenly. The batter should be a deep brown color now.
9. Gently fold in the flour until the dough is completely and thoroughly mixed, then mix in chocolate chips if you would like. 
10. Scoop out and roll together 1.5 Tbs of dough for each cookie. Place them on baking sheets, then press down the center with your palm to flatten the ball (image above). 
11. Bake for 10-12 minutes and then allow them to cool COMPLETELY.
12. To assemble place a dollop of chilled frosting on the inside of half of the cookies. Place the other cookies on top of the frosting to create sandwiches. The amount of frosting really depends on how much you want. My advice it just to not put on so much that it falls off the sides when you press the cookies together.
13. Once you have assembled all of the sandwiches, you are done! Enjoy, and share with a friend :))