Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 200g dairy-free block butter, cold and cubed
- 100g caster sugar
- 300g all purpose/plain flour
- 4 tablespoons caster sugar (for dusting)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice (a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice)
Filling and Topping
- 1 jar vegan Nutella (such as Natures Store or similar dairy-free chocolate-hazelnut spread)
- Extra pumpkin spice mixed with sugar (for coating)
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the cold, cubed dairy-free butter and 100g caster sugar until pale and fluffy. This will create a light base for your cookie dough.
- Form the Dough: Sift the 300g flour into the bowl and mix until the dough comes together into a thick consistency. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or baking paper and chill in the fridge for at least 40 minutes to 1 hour, allowing it to firm up for easier rolling.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Tray: When the dough is ready, preheat your oven to 170°C fan (approximately 338°F). Line a baking tray with greaseproof or parchment paper to prevent sticking during baking.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: On a heavily floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ½ cm thickness. Use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the shapes. Place the cut cookies carefully onto the prepared baking tray, spacing them slightly apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the center of the oven for 12-15 minutes until the edges turn golden brown. For even baking, you may want to turn the tray halfway through the baking time.
- Cool the Cookies: Remove the tray from the oven and allow the cookies to cool slightly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the rolling, cutting, and baking until all dough is used.
- Prepare Pumpkin Sugar: In a small bowl, mix the 4 tablespoons caster sugar together with 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice thoroughly. This will be used to coat half of the cookies which will serve as the top pieces.
- Coat Top Cookies: Lightly coat half of the cookies with the pumpkin sugar mixture. These coated cookies will be placed on top in the sandwich, ensuring the vegan Nutella adheres to the uncoated base cookie.
- Pipe the Nutella Filling: Spoon a few tablespoons of vegan Nutella into a piping bag and snip off the tip. Pipe a generous bulb of the spread onto the underside of the uncoated half of the cookies.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Gently press a sugar-coated cookie on top of each Nutella-topped cookie, sandwiching them together. Press down lightly so some of the chocolate filling peeks through any pumpkin-shaped cutouts or gaps.
- Serve and Enjoy: Your festive Nutella pumpkin cookies are now ready to be enjoyed. Store any leftovers in an airtight container to keep fresh.
Notes
- Use a quality vegan chocolate-hazelnut spread for the best flavor and consistency.
- You can make your own pumpkin spice by combining cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice if you don’t have a pre-made mix.
- Chilling the dough is essential to firm it up and make rolling easier, preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- These cookies are perfect for seasonal holidays such as Halloween or Thanksgiving.
- Ensure only the top cookies are coated with the pumpkin sugar so the vegan Nutella sticks well to the bottom cookie.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Western
- Diet: Vegan
