Cookie Cookies!

I'd heard about sandwich-cookie-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies a few years ago, but forget all about them until flipping through recipes in a recent cookbook acquisition. Rather than attempt the cookies suggested in the cookbook in question, I thought I'd attempt a version which uses my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. Success! I like the difference in textures that the Big Name sandwich cookies offer in the middle of the soft and gooey chocolate chip cookie, but if I'm really being honest, I prefer the chocolate chip cookies in their standalone versions. Still, they make for a helluva picture!

I have achieved the impossible!

You are looking at a vegan, gluten-free, refined-sugar-free, fudge-y, delicious brownie!

• 18 dates, soaked and drained
• 1 c. aseptically-packaged coconut milk (I think the stabilizers help with the texture of the brownie, so it's best to avoid the canned stuff for this recipe)
• 1 t. cider vinegar
• 2 t. vanilla
• ¼ c. coconut oil
• 2 T. ground flax seed
• pinch salt
• ¾ c. cocoa
• 1 c. all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
• ½ t. baking powder

Preheat oven to 350°. Add the cider vinegar to the coconut milk. In a food processor, blend the dates, adding the coconut milk mixture. Add the vanilla, coconut oil, flax seed and salt and blend again until smooth. If clumpy, sift the cocoa powder (I found I didn't need to follow this step). In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. Pour the dry ingredients into the food processor and blend briefly, taking care not to overmix. Pour/scrape the batter into a lightly-greased pan (I used a round cake pan) and bake for about 25 minutes -- this brownie should fail the "toothpick test".

These are excellent chilled!