Vegan Month of Food, Day 10: Brown Sugar and Apple Butter Sandwich Cookies

These are based on a cookie I made a lot growing up. I healthied it up and made it vegan, and I’m really liking the gentle, wholesome flavour this incarnation has. I used homemade apple butter in which I had put no added sugar, so they will be sweeter if you use storebought or sweetened apple butter.

This recipe will make about 18-20 cookies depending on size of cutter. I got 19.

Ingredients:

1/2 c shortening
1/2 c butter
2 c whole wheat flour
1 c white flour
1 c brown sugar
1 Ener-G Egg
2 T soy or other non-dairy milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

In a mixing bowl beat shortening and butter on low speed until softened.

Add half the flour. Add brown sugar, egg, milk, vanilla, soda, ginger, salt, and nutmeg to butter mixture. Beat until combined. Add the rest of the flour.

Cover bowl and place in fridge to chill until hard. (I left mine overnight.)

Roll out dough on floured board to 1/8″ thick. Cut out whole cookies and then in half of them cut out a shape from the center for the filling to show through.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 375 oven, about 8 minutes for the window ones and 10 for the whole ones. (This will vary, of course, depending on the size of your cutters!) until light brown and firm around the edge.

Cool on cookie sheet for a minute or two before transferring to wire rack.

To assemble:

Spread apple butter on the wrong side of a whole cookie. I used around a tablespoon. Lay the window cookie right side up on top. If desired, drizzle with the glaze below.

Glaze (optional):
3 T vegan margarine
1/3 c packed brown sugar
2/3 c powdered sugar
1-2 T non-dairy milk

Melt butter in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Stir in brown sugar and bring to a boil.

Remove from heat, stir in powdered sugar, and add milk.

Use a spoon to drizzle in zigzags over the tops of the cookies.