Hazelnut Cacao Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies | Vegan

Directions

Prepare in Advance - Hazelnut Cacao "Dollops"

1. Stir the Cacao Spread thoroughly. Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper and drop dollops of the spread on the cookie sheet. It will spread naturally into a disk shape. Each dollop should be about 2 teaspoons in quantity. Repeat until all the Cacao Spread is used. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer until dollops are completely frozen.

2. This step should be done at least 4 hours ahead of baking, but can be done a day or even weeks in advance too. Store the frozen dollops in an airtight container for use when you are ready to bake.

Ready to Bake

1. In a large mixing bowl, prepare your "chia egg" by mixing the plant milk with the chia seeds and let sit for five minutes.

2. Then, add the butter, cashew butter, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly with a spatula.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon. Whisk or stir with a fork until the dry ingredients are fully mixed.

4. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until fully combined. Tip: Use a strong spatula, a stand mixer, or even your hands.

5. Add the chocolate chips and mix to combine.

6. Put the mixture in the refrigerator and chill for at least 15 minutes and up to one hour.

Assemble the Cookies

1. Remove the dough and the frozen cacao spread from the freezer.

2. Working quickly, take a 1 T size ball of dough and flatten it until it is slightly larger than one of the frozen dollops of cacao spread, then repeat again. Place the frozen cacao spread between the two pieces of dough and form the fough around the frozen cacao spread until the cacao spread is fully covered. You may need to add more dough, depending on the size of your frozen dollops of cacao spread. Place the cookie on the baking sheet.

3. Repeat this process until you've used all the dough, all the cacao spread, or both! If at any point the frozen dollops become too melted to work with, return them to the freezer to re-harden. (Store cookies in the refrigerator while you wait.)

4. Assemble all cookies on the baking sheet and then put them back in the freezer for 20 minutes to chill.

Bake the Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 375 Fahrenheit. Remove the cookies from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.

2. Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges start turning golden brown.

3. Remove from the oven and let sit on the tray for just a couple minutes. Sprinkle immediately with sea salt. You can also, at this point, lightly press down on the top of the cookies with a spatula to give them a slightly crackly, bakery look. This also helps press the sea salt in.

4. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.