Chloe O's

Baking calms me.

Everything around me could be crashing and burning down, but there is something about making a mess in my kitchen for the sake of playing with cookie dough that just rubs me the right way.

It took me this whole week to finish this recipe. I could only work in segments at a time in between work and school and watching my friends' gigs at the bars downtown (alcohol also calms me..what?).

These oreos are supposed to yield about 20 cookies, but at a certain point you get tired of eating cookie dough and you just want the real thing. So I made my cookie bases a bit bigger than they're probably supposed to be... They ended up like crunchy little moon pies though and were no less satiating.

Crunchy, chocolatey, creamy, sweet.. oh, sugar. you just GET me.

Chloe O's
Recipe by Chloe Coscarelli
from Chloe's Vegan Desserts

Makes about 23 sandwich cookies
(or 16 moon pies)

Sure, Oreos are technically vegan, but its much more fun to make Chloe O's from scratch! Plus, this recipe is all natural and great for kids with allergies. 

Make Ahead Tip:

Cookie dough can be made in advance or kept refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.

Cookies
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegan margarine
3 tablespoons soy, almond, or rice milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
1/4 cup vegan margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To make the cookies: In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda until combined. Add margarine, milk, and vanilla. Process until the mixture comes together and forms a dough. Chill the dough in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and place onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches between each ball. Evenly flatten the dough with the palm of your hand so that it is about 1/4 inch thick and bake for about 12 minutes. Let cool on the pan.

To make the filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat shortening and margarine until smooth and fluffy. With the mixer running on low, add powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Increase speed to high and beat for 2 more minutes until light and fluffy.

To assemble the cookies: Spread a layer of filling on the flat bottom side of a cookie. Place the flat bottom side of another cookie on top of the filling. Lightly press the cookies together. Repeat with remaining cookies.