These rustic Mountain Fudge Cookies pack everything I love about sandwich cookies into one tender, nutty, fudge-chocolate-filled bite.
Chocolate Fudge + Walnuts. Rich vegan chocolate filling is squished between two cinnamon-accented, tender, walnut cookies. Toss a few of these cookies in your pouch as you scale the mountain climbs of your day..
I just slathered the fudgey filling inside .. no need for perfection. These are mountain cookies! So they can be a little rough around the edges. Literally..
My favorite cookie as a kid: EL Fudge sandwich cookies.
You know the little elves. I liked the chocolate filling / vanilla cookie combo.
These cookies kinda reminded me of those. The fudgey filling is what does it.
Of course my Mountain Fudge Cookies are a bit healthier. Vegan. Packed with healthy-delicious ingredients..
Nutrition Bonus. Dark Chocolate is rich in antioxidants. Walnuts are rich in healthy fats including omega-3 fatty acids. Virgin coconut oil is a healthy vegan alternative to "butter" (and shortening) for use in baking recipes.
Shopping Tips: For the chocolate chips to make the fudge filling, use a high quality chip! One you like to nibble on its own. Test out a few brands so you can find your go-to vegan baking favorites. Make sure the dark chocolate chips are vegan/dairy-free. If you are truly allergic to dairy, make sure the chips were not manufactured in dairy-use facilities. Read those labels, they will let you know. EnjoyLife brand is a wonderful allergy-approved vegan chocolate chip. I also love the Whole Foods 365 brand vegan chocolate chips. And a few mainstream brands (like Ghiradelli and Scherffenberger Chocolate) actually do dairy-free bittersweet dark chocolate chips too.
Mountain Fudge Cookies
vegan, makes about 12-14 mini sandwich cookies (24-28 mini cookies total) - you can also make larger cookies if desired
Nutty Spice Cookies:
1 cup spelt flour (sub with white or whole wheat flour if necessary)
¾ cup walnut meal (raw walnuts, processed until fine to chunky)
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup organic sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional - but amazing!)
¼ cup soy or almond or rice milk (warmed to room temperature)
⅓ cup melted virgin coconut oil
Chocolate Fudge Filling:
¾ cup dark chocolate chips, vegan
2 tablespoon coconut milk
¼ cup virgin coconut oil
pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all the cookie ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Fold until a wet ball forms. Place bowl in the fridge to chill for 15-20 minutes.
3. Your dough should have firmed up enough for you to gently press out the dough on a floured surface OR wax paper OR stone and cup out circles for the cookies.
NOTE: You do not have to do "cut out" circle round for the cookies. You could also just roll into balls and flatten for more "messy" style Mountain Fudge Cookies! I did both and both were delicious.
4. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Allow to fully cool on a cooking rack or glass plate.
5. To make the fudge filling, melt the ingredients together. You can do this on your stove or in the microwave. Stir until the chocolate is glossy and thin. Place this chocolate filling bowl in the fridge. Check on it every 20 minutes until it has cooled to a state that is much like chilled peanut butter.
TIP! For easiest cookie assembly, chill your cookies in the fridge before adding fudge.
6. Slather the fudge filling on a cooled cookie. Place another cookie on top. Continue until all the cookies are prepared.
I store these cookies in the freezer and grab one to "thaw" about 5 minutes before I want to eat it. They taste delicious chilled or warmed so the fudge melts a bit.
