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Strawberry Shortbread Sandwich Cookies (Vegan)

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Local strawberries have arrived at the Co-op and the possibilities for scrumptious strawberry desserts are endless. We decided to make these adorably delicious sandwich cookies using freshly sliced strawberries and vegan ingredients so everyone can have a bite. Serve them for dessert or as a sweet treat on a sunny afternoon

 

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cups powdered sugar
1 ¼ cups softened vegan butter (unsalted)
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 T water

 

For the filling:

½ cup vegetable shortening or soft vegan butter (unsalted)
2 cups powdered sugar
1.2 tsp vanilla extract
½ T water
10-12 thinly sliced strawberries

 

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 325°. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add your flour and powdered sugar. Mix them to combine.
Add your softened vegan butter and vanilla.

Mix the dough with a hand mixer on medium speed until the dough is blended together. It will be
crumbly but just barely stick together.

Add your tablespoon of water. This will help prevent the dough from crumbling too much when you roll it and cut out your cookies.

Roll out your dough into a ¼ inch thick sheet. Make sure your rolling pin and surface are floured well to keep the dough from sticking. You can also roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper if desired.

Use the cookie cutter of your choice to cut out your cookie shapes. Place your cookies on the prepared baking sheet.

You may continue rolling and cutting out cookies using the leftover dough. Depending on the size of your cookie cutter, you should have about 24 cookies. Make sure you have an even number of cookies to sandwich them in the final step.

Bake the cookies for 14-16 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies are slightly golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool for 30 minutes.

While your cookies are cooling, you can make your filling.

In a medium sized bowl, add your powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water.

With a hand mixer, mix them on low speed until combined. Set aside.

Slice your strawberries and set them aside.

To assemble your sandwich cookies, spread about a tablespoon of frosting on the inside of each cookie. You can do this using a butterknife or a pastry bag.

For half of the cookies, place 2-3 slices of strawberry on top of the filling to create a layer.

Gently press another cookie on top of the cookies with strawberries inside. The filling will create a glue to hold the cookies together and keep the strawberry in place.

After you’ve assembled your cookies, place them in the refrigerator to help the filling set.

These cookies will hold up for 24 hours in the refrigerator if made ahead. Enjoy!

Lime Bars (Vegan)

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A sweet and tangy treat is a great way to celebrate the warmer weather. These bars are a summertime twist on a springtime favorite, the lemon bar. They’re tart with just the right balance of sweetness, and they’re perfect for enjoying while sitting in the sunshine. I hope you enjoy these delicious lime bars!

These lime bars are vegan, substituting eggs and butter for coconut milk and vegan butter. You can also use melted coconut oil or vegetable shortening in your crust recipe. If you’re gluten-free, substituting your flour for gluten-free all-purpose flour will work wonderfully in this recipe. I wouldn’t recommend using a different non-dairy milk in this recipe. Canned coconut milk has a high fat content compared to other non-dairy milks, which helps the filling set and gives it a silky texture.

 

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1 cup melted vegan butter
½ cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt

 

For the filling:
½ cup lime juice (about 4 limes)
2 T lime zest (roughly the zest from 2 limes)
1 ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk (one 13-14 oz can)
1 ½ cup sugar
6 T cornstarch
¼ tsp vanilla extract

 

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°.

Grease the bottom and sides of your chosen pan. You can use an 8×8 square pan, a 10-inch springform pan, or a 10-inch cake pan for this recipe.

Melt your vegan butter. You can do this in a small microwave safe bowl or over the stovetop.

Add your flour, sugar, salt, and melted vegan butter. Mix them to combine. Your dough will be thick and moldable.

Press the dough into the bottom of your pan. Spread it out and pat it down to create an even layer in your pan.

Let your crust bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes. When it’s done baking, set it aside until your filling is ready. Don’t turn off your oven, as you’ll need it in the final steps of this recipe.

While your crust is baking, you can begin making your lime filling.

In a large saucepan on medium heat, add your coconut milk, lime juice, lime zest, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir it to combine.

Add your cornstarch and mix it well until it’s dissolved into your filling mixture.

Stir the filling constantly over medium heat with a whisk. This will keep the cornstarch from settling at the bottom of your pot and help it cook evenly. Continue this for 5 to 8 minutes, until the filling begins to thicken.

Your filling is ready when it becomes thick and gelatinous. It will be difficult to stir, and it will no longer simmer over the stove.

When your filling is done, pour it on top of your crust. Spread it out evenly and smooth out the top. You can also tap the pan on top of your counter to release any air bubbles trapped inside of the filling.

Bake your lime bars for 15 minutes at 350°.

When your lime bars have finished baking, allow them to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Once cooled, transfer your lime bars to the refrigerator to help them set. They will need to chill for at least 3 hours before serving or chilled overnight.

Cut them into squares or slices and enjoy!