I know what you’re thinking…
Erica has a baking recipe?! I’m not normally known for my baking credentials in the kitchen, but my 2019 goal is to refine my skills and really learn how to bake. Do you find yourself feeling happier and more relaxed after baking? If so, there’s a reason! Research shows spending time on creative goals such as baking helps reduce stress.
But, before you can benefit from mindful baking, you must learn the basics.
To help me learn to bake (and hopefully you too), I’ve teamed up with an iconic brand in the baking world, Nielsen Massey to learn how to better my bake with the help of their “Better Your Bake” campaign. Known for making high-quality vanilla extracts and flavors, Nielsen-Massey launched Better Your Bake. As your kitchen BFF, Nielsen-Massey is sharing baking tips, videos, recipes and more to help increase your confidence and baking skills so you can bake your way to a state of Zen. To help people learn how to bake, each video breaks down a need-to-know baking skill, step-by-step! The first three tips, “How to Separate Eggs and Whisk,” “How to Brown Butter,” and “How to Roll Cookie Dough” are already up on the website and have helped me tremendously.
As you’re learning, you can practice your skills by making some of the delicious recipes on the website – which also has pro-tips and even a Q&A, where you can submit a baking question you are stuck on to professional chef Marina Sousa.
This month, they are launching “How to Roll Cookie Dough” and I have used this tip to help me re-create one of my favorite childhood cookies (but make them whole lot healthier). These sandwich cookies come in at just 2 WW points and are FILLED with only good-for you ingredients. I’m talking no refined sugar, no gluten and I’ve even been able to make these dairy-free!
It all starts with an incredibly easy dough using a mix of oat flour, dutch cocoa powder, monk fruit sweetener, salt and baking powder placed in a large bowl.
Jump to Recipe
In a separate bowl, you combine the honey, grapeseed oil and of course, Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract.
.
Nielsen Massey Vanilla makes ALL the difference in this recipe (and any other recipe I’ve ever used vanilla in). The quality is honestly unmatched and the flavor is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. So pure and so delicious.
Then combine the wet and dry ingredients and form a dough. Freeze for 30 minutes.
The Better Your Bake “How to Roll Cookie Dough” tip really helped me with this recipe! Using two pieces of parchment paper with your dough in the center is incredibly helpful when rolling out dough because the dough doesn’t stick and use can use MUCH less flour. Less flour leads to less calories, yay!
The filling is a combination of zero-calorie sweetener, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste and some water. SO simple.
This recipe makes about 18 sandwich cookies!
For more tips and recipe inspiration, check out Nielsen Massey’s website and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
Homemade Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup Oat Flour
- 1/3 cup dutch cocoa, unsweetened
- 1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup grape-seed oil
- 3 tbsp almond milk, unsweetened
Cream Filling
- 1 cup of your favorite zero-calorie sweetener
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, monk fruit sweetener, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl, combine the honey, vanilla extract, oil and almond milk. Whisk well.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients together until well combined and form a ball. Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
- Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper (it will stick otherwise) and cut small circles using a cookie cutter the size of a silver dollar or standard cookie
- Bake for 10 minutes and let cool at least 10 minutes before filling.
- To make the filling, combine your favorite zero-calorie sweetener, water and vanilla paste until well combined.
- Build your sandwich cookies by spreading the filling onto one cookie and placing the other on top to make a sandwich. Enjoy!
Love always,
Erica
