Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches (Vegan Gluten-Free)
These thick, melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches have a rich 5-ingredient peanut butter cookie filled with a dairy-free chocolate cream cheese ganache. These cookies are vegan, gluten-free and made with wholefoods.
It is no surprise that I love peanut butter and I love chocolate so why not combine them in cookie form! These cookies are just that: rich and peanut buttery biscuits filled with a chocolate cream cheese ganache and a hidden peanut butter middle. They literally melt in your mouth they are that tasty!
How delicious are these cookies?
These cookie sandwiches are amazing, they are:
- Rich and peanut buttery
- A melt-in-your-mouth texture
- Filled with a rich yet easy chocolate ganache filling
- Made with simple wholefood ingredients
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free
- With nut-free (peanut-free) options
- A great dessert or snack
If you already love these peanut butter and chocolate cookies, skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, let’s discus the ingredients and method in more detail.
What ingredients go into these Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches?
The recipe is divided into two parts; the cookies and the filling. Let’s start with the cookies:
- Peanut butter: the obvious ingredient for peanut butter cookies. As these are butter and oil-free, we use a lot of peanut butter. Runny, smooth peanut butter is best here and make sure it’s your favourite tasting one as the peanut it a strong flavour. In the UK, I love brands like Pics, Manilife and Pip&Nut which are 100% nut. If you are looking to make these nut or peanut free, use a different nut or seed butter (more info below).
- Coconut or caster sugar: I use coconut sugar which lends these cookies a richer, more caramel-like flavour and colour but caster or golden caster sugar will work too.
- Vanilla essence: for the sweet cookie flavour. I recently have started using a higher quality vanilla extract rather than the cheaper vanilla essence and the difference is amazing, it adds so much better quality vanilla flavour.
- Oat flour: no need to buy your own, simply blend your oats (gluten-free where needed) to a fine flour texture.
- Baking powder and salt: for rise and taste.
And onto the filling:
- Dairy-free cream cheese: this is the base for the middle ganache and is best to let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so before using. My favourite is from NUSH.
- Icing sugar: just a little bit for texture and sweetness.
- Dark chocolate: I used an 85% dark chocolate bar from Divine Chocolate as it works really well with the cookies but other chocolate like dairy-free milk or a flavoured dark chocolate will also work.
- Peanut butter: as above, use a runny, smooth kind or opt for nut/peanut-free spreads. This is just a little bit for inside the chocolate ganache filling as a little surprise.
How do I make these delicious cookie sandwiches?
They are so easy to make in just a few steps and require no chill-time, either.
- Stir together all the cookie dough ingredients: to a thick and smooth batter.
- Divide into 12 balls: and flatten each ball slightly onto a baking tray.
- Press a fork in a criss-cross pattern: on top of each cookie.
- Bake till golden brown and crisping at the edges: allow to cool for 20 minutes as they are delicate straight from the oven.
- Move onto the filling: melt the chocolate and allow to cool (for 5 minutes or so).
- Beat the cream cheese with the icing sugar: till smooth.
- Pour the chocolate into the cream cheese: and work quickly as it will start to thicken.
- Pipe a ring of chocolate ganache: onto 6 cookies.
- Fill the middle with some peanut butter: and then sandwich together with a second cookie.
How long will these Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches last?
They keep well for 3-5 days at room temperature or in the fridge if it’s warm. They will start to soften because of the filling. You can keep un-filled cookies for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Defrost at room temperature and enjoy plain or fill with the chocolate.
Are these cookies gluten-free?
Yes, just make sure your oats are gluten-free certified.
Can I make these nut-free?
Yes, you can although they will no longer be Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches. You can use another nut butter like almond, cashew or pecan butter to keep these peanut-free or you can use sunflower seed butter or tahini for a nut-free option. I have recently tried Wow Butter which is nut and seed free and made from soya, but I really didn’t like it and it left a funny after taste.
I love cookies, what others can I make?
I hope you are going to love these cookie sandwiches as much as we do, and for more cookie inspiration, how about my:
- Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches
- Vegan Monster Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Vegan Brownie Cookies
- Peanut Butter Stuffed Cookies
- Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Cookies
Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches (Vegan Gluten-Free)
These thick, melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches have a rich 5-ingredient peanut butter cookie filled with a dairy-free chocolate cream cheese ganache. These cookies are vegan, gluten-free and made with wholefoods.
Ingredients
- For the cookies:
- 240g runny, smooth peanut butter
- 80g coconut or caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 80g oat flour (oats blended into a flour)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- A pinch of salt For the filling:
- 100g dairy-free cream cheese, room temperature
- 50g icing sugar
- 50g dark chocolate
- 1-2 tbsp runny, smooth peanut butter
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180*C and line 1-2 baking trays with parchment paper.
- Make the cookies: stir together the peanut butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
- Add in the oat flour, baking powder and salt and stir to a thick, sticky batter.
- Divide into 12 balls and place each cookie ball on the tray(s) with a little room around each one. Use a fork to press a criss-cross pattern onto the top of each cookie.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden and crisping at the sides. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before moving the cookies as they will be delicate then cool fully on a wire rack.
- Once cool, make the chocolate filling: allow the cream cheese to rest at room temperature so it’s not too cold then beat until smooth with the icing sugar.
- Melt the chocolate then allow to cool down (so it’s not too hot) and once cool, quickly stir into the cream cheese mix. The frosting will start to thicken as it cools, so work quickly. If it becomes too hard, warm up for a few seconds in the microwave.
- Transfer the mix to a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle and pipe on the underside of 6 cookies, leaving a small gap in the middle. Fill the gap with the peanut butter and sandwich together with the other cookies.
- Eat straight away or keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 3-5 days. The cookies alone will keep for 5-7 days and can be frozen for up to 1 month.
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Chocolate Filled Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches so please let me know in the comments below. If you do make these cookies, I would love to see them so please tag me in your bakes, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I am also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With chocolate PB cookie sandwich love x
Those look soo yummy. I will be trying this with the grands.
YAY I hope you are going to love the cookies!