Vegan Peanut Butter Pillows

Ingredients (Makes 2 dozen cookies)

For the Chocolate Dough

• ½ cup canola oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons nondairy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons black unsweetened cocoa powder or more regular unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Filling

• 3/4 cup natural salted peanut butter, crunchy or creamy style
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons soy creamer or nondairy milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, maple syrup, nondairy milk, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Sift in flour, cocoa pow¬der, black cocoa powder if using, 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 tablespoons of the soy creamer, 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 nondairy milk. If dough is too wet knead in a little extra powdered sugar.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment pa¬per.

1. Create the centers of the cookies by rolling the peanut butter dough into twenty-four 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 a 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 a sheet of waxed paper and repeat with remaining dough. If desired, gently flatten cookies slightly, but this is not necessary.
2. Place the dough balls on lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart and 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. If desired, warm cookies in a microwave for 10 to 12 seconds before serving.