Another type of cookie extravaganza. I so do love baking, but really hate how long I have to stand around to make things. But, really, everything I make takes a long time so why that should be an issue I don’t know. And with how many steps are listed below you would think this would be like an all-day event. It wasn’t. Here is my vegan and gluten-free Fruit Cookie Sandwich.

This cookie sandwich was inspired by the Fig Newton, which I love and had not had in many years. But, it was there, sitting and staring at me recently and I ate one. And salivated. And wanted more. I knew I wanted to try and make something similar but had no figs to give it a shot with, but I did have this jar of Eden fruit butter – apple and cherry fruit butter to be exact. I also wanted the cookie to be more healthy then the super-sweet newton and the fruit butter had no added sugar in it so that was going to be my innards. This cookie was not as soft and crumbly as the newton or as I had hoped for, but was so good that I totally overlooked it and almost ate all of them all up. Thankfully I made them for one of the Father’s Day desserts and others helped to consume them.

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There are a ton of steps for these little sandwiches, but it takes no time at all to get all the ingredients together. Only 15 minutes to be exact. Then you the refrigeration time of an hour, rolling the dough about 10, and baking for 30. Not too bad or tough. Start first by making your non-egg, I used the Vegg, and let it start to thicken as you get everything else going. Mix all your dry ingredients in a small bowl, then your sugar and applesauce in a larger bowl. Mix that until well combined then add the Vegg, 1 tbsp vanilla soy milk, and vanilla and mix all that together. Add the dry ingredients and mix. Once that is done sprinkle flour over a clean and dry surface and drop the dough onto it. No kneading necessary, just roll it around in the flour to smooth everything out. Wrap in plastic then refrigerate one hour.

After an hour heat oven to 350 degrees and take out your baking dish and parchment paper. Tear a piece big enough to leave extra over the top. Take your dough out of fridge and cut in half after taking off the plastic wrap; sprinkle more flour and get your rolling pin. Be sure to sprinkle flour over top of dough and on pin. Spread thinnish, then cut into fourths. Use a knife to get the dough off counter then lay on bottom of parchment covered dish. Continue then press all dough together. In a small bowl pour the butter and 2 tbsp Splenda to sweeten the butter up a little – it will still be tart and yummy. Spread the butter over the dough then roll out the second half of dough then cut and lay on butter. Gently press the dough, but just laying it on top is fine. As you can see from mine the ends won’t melt down into each other, but it doesn’t deter from the awesome cookie, just not as pretty as the newton.

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Fruit Cookie Sandwiches

1 1/4 C Bobs Red Mill GF All-Purpose Flour
1 C Bobs Red Mill Oat Flour
1 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 C Splenda
1/2 C Applesauce
1 Vegg
1/4 C + 1 Tbsp Silk Light Vanilla Soy Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Jar Eden Foods Apple and Cherry Fruit Butter
2 Tbsp Splenda

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1. Mix 1 tsp Vegg and 1/4 cup soy milk and let sit until ready.
2. Mix all dry ingredients in small bowl.
3. Mix Splenda and applesauce until combined then add Vegg, 1 tbsp soy milk, and vanilla and mix.
4. Add dry to wet mixture and mix.
5. Sprinkle flour on clean dry surface and dump dough on it. Turn dough to coat with flour and and smooth dough – no kneading just pressing.
6. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and set in fridge 1 hour.
7. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
8. Take dough out of fridge and cut in half. Lay parchment paper in baking dish.
9. On clean and dry floured surface, roll 1st half of dough out thinnish then cut into 1/4s to handle better. Use your knife to gently lift up from surface.
10. Lay dough on parchment then press all together once all on bottom.
11. In small bowl pour fruit butter and 2 tbsp Splenda. Mix then pour and spread over dough in dish.
12. Roll out second half of dough and lay on top of butter. Gently press together.
13. Bake 30 minutes.
14. Take out and cool a little then put in fridge about 4-5 hours.
15. Take dish out of fridge then parchment out of dish. Cut cookies and enjoy. These will need to be refrigerated after cutting.