Chocolate Peanut Butter Pillow Cookies (Vegan)

By luvs2cook

Ingredients

• For the chocolate dough:
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 tbsp nondairy milk (can use regular milk)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• For the filling:
• 3/4 cup natural salted peanut butter, crunchy or creamy style (I used creamy)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tbsp nondairy milk (can use regular milk)
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix to form a moist dough.

2. Make the peanut butter filling: In another mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together peanut butter, powdered sugar, 2 tbsp of the milk, and vanilla to form a moist but firm dough. If peanut butter dough is dry and crumbly (natural peanut butters have varying moisture contents), stir in the remaining tablespoon of milk. If dough is too wet knead in a little extra powdered sugar.

3. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Shape the cookies:
1. Create the centers of the cookies by rolling the peanut butter dough into 24 balls (try dividing dough in half, then each part in half again and roll each portion into six balls). Scoop a generous tablespoon of chocolate dough, flatten into a thin disc, and place peanut butter ball in the center. Fold the sides of the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter center and roll into a smooth ball between your palms. Place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart, and repeat with remaining dough. If desired, gently flatten cookies slightly, but this is not necessary.

2. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the sheet from the oven and let the cookies stand for 5 minutes before moving them to wire racks to complete cooling. Store cookies in tightly covered container.