Sand-wich.

Happy Wednesday y'all!

Let's talk about something that I rarely focus on: sandwiches. I don't know about y'all, but during the summer months I crave sandwiches! I think it has something to do with visiting my Mawmaw during the summer when I was younger. My sister and I would beg her to make us sandwiches for lunch, because, honestly, she makes the best damn sandwiches ever. I don't know if it was the dense toasted potato bread or the creamy, tangy, slather of Miracle Whip, but the woman knows how to make a mean sandwich. 

Or maybe my love for sandwiches comes from my summer trips to Splash Town Water Park, or to the beach, with my cousins. We would load up the car, fill the cooler with our favorite drinks, snacks, and homemade sandwiches, then hit the water slides or the beach for a couple of hours before breaking for lunch. 

To me, sandwiches are 10 times better after you have been running around burning energy at a water park, or spending hours burying your cousins in the sand and building sandcastles. 

While actual meat and cheese sandwiches are not on the menu today, let's talk about the best kind of sandwiches, dessert sandwiches, more specifically, cookie sandwiches.

O yes.

Would you believe me if I told you that this cookie is made with absolutely no butter?

Yep, that's coconut oil up there people!

BOOM!

 Oh, and would you believe that these cookies are also gluten-free?

Surprise, surprise!

So, you roll the oatmeal-walnut cookie batter into tiny little balls

which benefits us all, because it is safe to have 5 small cookie sandwiches now...right?

 Ummm, so yea, then I made a creamy peanut butter filling.

We all know how I feel about peanut butter.

It's no secret.

I'm obsessed.

This cookie is everything I hoped for and more...the oatmeal cookie is chewy on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside, with a bit of crunch from the chopped walnuts, and the flavor is insane...cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar...need I say more?

The peanut butter filling...

 

that speaks for itself.

Now, who wants to pack these up and go to the beach with me?

Let's build sandcastles!

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies with Creamy Peanut Butter Filling (recipe adapted from Joy the Baker):

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

1 1/4 c. gluten-free rolled oats

1/2 c. oat flour (you can buy this at most grocery stores or pulse gf oats in a food processor until you reach a powdery flour-like substance)

1/2 c. buckwheat flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1/2 c. coconut oil, not melted, at room temperature

1 c. light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 t. pure vanilla extract

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

For the filling:

3 T. coconut oil, not melted, at room temperature

1/2 c. smooth peanut butter

1 c. powdered sugar

pure vanilla extract, as needed

3-4 T. non-dairy milk (I used coconut milk)

Instructions:

For the cookies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, oat flour, buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the coconut oil and brown sugar together until creamy, about 2 minutes. 

4. Add the egg and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute.

5. Add the vanilla and beat again until just incorporated.

6. Working in two batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold in the walnuts.

7. Portion 1 teaspoon of cookie dough in your hand, roll it into a ball, and place on the baking sheet.

8. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown. I took them out around 11 minutes and let them cool on the baking sheet.

For the filling:

1. While the cookies are baking, in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the coconut oil, peanut butter, and powdered sugar together on medium speed. Drizzle in a bit of vanilla extract as you go along.

2. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you achieve a desired consistency. 

3. When the cookies are finished cooling, flip over and spread half of the cookie bottoms with the peanut butter filling. Top with a similar size cookie. Devour.

Makes about 30 cookies or 15 cookie sandwiches.

MANGIA!!!