Allergy-free Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Again, thanks to Cybele Pascal and her wonderful cookbook, 'The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook,' I discovered a delicious recipe for chocolate sandwich cookies.  They are like old-fashioned whoopie pies - yum!  These would be a great addition to your allergy-free Christmas baking!

Like most cookie recipes, this one starts off with creaming the sugar and shortening:

The Ener-G 'egg,' applesauce and vanilla are then mixed in until the mixture is fluffy:

The dry ingredients are whisked together and stirred into the creamed mixture.  The dough is divided in two, wrapped in plastic wrap, and chilled in the fridge for 2 hours. Do NOT chill overnight -  because these are gluten-free, that will result in a very dry, crumbly mess.

Once the dough is chilled, simply unwrap, slice into 1/4-inch rounds, and bake on a parchment-covered cookie sheet.

When the cookies are cool, fill them with the cream filling.  These are like soft Oreo cookies.  You can make them festive by adding some peppermint extract to the cream filling or stirring in some crushed candy canes.  They store in a sealed container for a few days, but I guarantee they won't be around that long!

Shared on: Gluten-free Mondays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten-free Fridays

Recipe: (From Cybele Pascal's 'The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook'):

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

(makes 24 2-inch cookies)

Ingredients

• 1/2 c plus 1 T dairy-free, soy-free shortening (I use Spectrum)
• 3/4 c sugar
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 3 T unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/2 T Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 2 T dairy-free milk
• 1 1/2 c Gluen-free flour mix (I used Pamela's Artisan mix)
• 3/4 t xanthan gum (omit if GF mix contains xanthan or guar gum)
• 1/4 c + 3 T cocoa
• 3/4 t baking powder
• 3/4 t baking soda
• 1/8 t salt

Cream Filling

• 2 T dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1 1/2 T hot water

Cooking Directions

1. For the cookies, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, applesauce, and egg replacer and mix for about 30 seconds.
2. Whisk together the remaining dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture. Mix until smooth, about 20 seconds.
3. Lay out 2 sheets of plastic wrap, each about 15 inches long. Divide the dough in half. Place half of the dough on each sheet of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the dough, and shape it into a log 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Flatten the ends of the log, and wrap the plastic wrap at each end, folding it over tightly. Put the log in the fridge to chill. Repeat with the other half of dough. Let chill for at least 2 hours. It needs to be firm to slice easily.
4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Remove one log from the fridge. Roll it on the counter to reshape, if necessary. Unwrap, and using a thin, sharp knife, cut into 24 1/4-inch slices. You can do this by cutting the log in half, then into quarters, then cutting each quarter into 6 slices. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake for 9 minutes, until just set around the edges. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
6. Repeat with the other log of dough.
7. To make the cream filling, combine all the filling ingredients in a medium bowl, mixing on medium speed, until smooth and creamy. If it is not creamy enough to spread easily, add a little more hot water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Spread the filling on one side of a cookie and cover with another cookie.
8. Store in an airtight container.

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