Vegan Samoas/Caramel deLites
1 cup soy butter (such as Earth Balance Original Spread)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Coconut, Caramel, Chocolate Topping:
3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
15-oz soft vegan caramels, or make your own
3 tablespoons soy milk (or almond)
8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix together the soy butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). In a separate bowl, combine together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar. At a low speed add the soy milk and vanilla.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or in a Tupperware container. Refrigerate until the dough is as firm as a stick of butter (at least 1 hour and up to overnight).
While the cookie dough is in the refrigerator, toast the shredded coconut on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Once the dough is as firm as a stick of butter, remove from the refrigerator while the coconut cools.
Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface (don’t be afraid to use too much flour). Cut out your desired shapes with a biscuit cutter, or two different-sized round cutters to make a donut shape. Or do what I did and use a glass to make the outer circle and a knife to jaggedly cut the inner. Place the cut-out cookies on an un-greased baking sheet for 5-6 minutes then rotate the cookie sheet 180 degrees and bake for another 5-6 minutes.
As the cookies are baking. Place the caramel, soy milk, and salt in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave for another minute, and repeat until the mixture is melted. Or you can place in a saucepan and heat on the stove over low heat until melted. Stir the toasted coconuts into the caramel mixture. Using a knife, spread the caramel mixture on top of the baked cookies.
Lay out a sheet of waxed paper for the cookies to sit on once they have been dipped in chocolate. Chop up the chocolate and melt in the microwave for 1 minute, or until melted, or you can melt over a double-broiler on the stove. Dip the bottoms of the cookies into the chocolate and place on waxed paper.Using the remaining melted chocolate to drizzle stripes over the cookies.
Store in an air-tight container and enjoy!
