Vegan Chocolate Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies

🧂 Ingredients

• ½ c + 2 tbsp/ powdered sugar

  plus more for dusting
• ¼ c/ cocoa powder

  Dutch-process
• 1 tsp/5ml vanilla extract
• ¼ c/60ml coconut oil

  melted and cooled
• 3 tsbp/45ml water
• ¼ tsp/2g salt
• ¼ tsp/2g baking soda
• ¼ tsp/2g cinnamon
• ¾ c + 2 tbsp/105g all-purpose flour
• ½ c/100g granulated sugar*
• 1 tbsp/15ml coconut oil
• 6 tbsp/90ml coconut cream
• ¼ tsp/2g salt
• 1 tsp/5ml vanilla extract

Instructions

• 1 Combine powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add
  coconut oil, water, and vanilla extract. Mix until a smooth syrup forms without
  lumps.
• 2 Add flour and baking soda. Mix in with a spatula until completely combined. Mix
  a couple of extra times to bring everything together.
• 3 Create a 1”/2.5cm thick disk out of the dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place
  in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
• 4 Preheat oven to 325° F/160 C. Line baking trays with parchment.
• 5 Remove dough from the fridge. Lightly flour both sides of the disc. Between two
  sheets of baking parchment, roll dough to ¼”/6mm thick.
• 6 Use a 2”/5cm round cutter to stamp out as many cookies as possible. If the dough
  has not warmed too much, remove the excess from around the cookies and transfer
  them to the baking sheets with 1”/2.5cm between them. If cookies are too
  fragile, place the cut dough in the fridge while still on the baking parchment
  for 3-4 minutes before attempting to transfer the cookies. 
• 7 Using a ½”- ¾”/12-18mm round cutter (or the wide opening of a piping nozzle),
  cut circles from the center of half the cookies. Use the tip of a knife to
  remove the excess dough.
• 8 Bring all the scraps of dough together and repeat the rolling and cutting
  process.**
• 9 Chill cut dough in the fridge for 4-5 minutes before baking to prevent
  spreading.
• 10 Bake for 14-15 minutes, until dry to the touch. Allow to cool on the pan for 5
  minutes before moving to a rack to cool completely.
• 11 In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, spread the sugar in an even layer.
• 12 Melt over low heat without stirring. This will take some time. You can
  occasionally swirl the sugar to redistribute it as parts start to melt.
• 13 Once sugar is completely melted, stir slightly with a silicon spatula or metal
  spoon*** to get final crystals distributed. 
• 14 Remove from heat (but leave the burner on) and stir in coconut oil. The mixture
  will bubble up and spit a little bit. The oil will not completely combine at
  this point, just stir until everything is smooth.
• 15 Add coconut cream. Stir vigorously and return to heat. Continue stirring gently
  while heating until all the lumps are smooth and dissolved again. Stop stirring
  and continue heating until a candy or instant-read thermometer reaches 250-255°
  F/121-123 C. 
• 16 Remove from heat and wait for bubbling to settle. Once it has stopped bubbling,
  add vanilla and salt, stirring until combined. Pour into a glass container and
  set aside to cool completely.****
• 17 Place the cut-out cookies (the top portion) on a cooling rack. Dust with
  powdered sugar.
• 18 Place ¾ – 1 tsp/5ml caramel on each of the complete round cookies (the bottom
  half). Handling gently by the edges, place a powdered cut-out on top of each
  caramel dollop, centering as much as possible.
• 19 Allow caramel to settle. Some dripping will occur (see note about firmer caramel
  if preferred).
• 20 Best eaten the same day, or can be stored in a single layer in an air-tight
  container at room temperature for a couple of days.
  
• 21
  

Nutrition Info