Earl Grey Tea Sandwich Cookies, Vegan and Gluten-Free + Giveaway

Ingredients

• heaping 60 ml (heaping 1/4 cup)cashews, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes and drained
• 7.5 ml (1/2 tablespoon)arrowroot powder
• 80 ml (1/3 cup)very strong Earl Grey tea
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)lemon juice
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)maple syrup
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)coconut oil
• fat from one 383 g (13.5 oz) canfull-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 packed cup (about 75 g)pitted dates
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)flax or chia meal (ground flax or chia)
• 90 g (1 cup)old-fashioned gluten-free rolled oats
• 55 g (1/2 cup) + 50 g (1/2 cup)ground walnuts or almond meal + ground oats or oat flour
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)baking powder
• 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon)bicarbonate of soda
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon), optionalloose-leaf Earl Grey tea, ground in a mortar and pestle
• pinch, to tastesea salt
• 240 ml (1 cup)nut butter, such as almond, cashew, peanut or sunflower, or tahini
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) + 15 ml (1 tablespoon), dividedmelted neutral coconut oil
• 170 g (1 cup)dairy-free dark chocolate chips
• as neededhot purified water, for soaking the dates
• 90 ml (6 tablespoons)purified water, for the flax or chia meal

Instructions

1. 1

   Blend the cream

   Add the cashews, arrowroot, Earl Grey tea, lemon juice, maple syrup and coconut oil to an upright blender. Blend until smooth.

2. 2

   Chill the cream

   Whisk the coconut fat in a medium bowl until slightly fluffy, then whisk in the blended mixture. Refrigerate for about 1 hour, until firm but still scoopable. There may be extra cream; freeze it for another use, or serve it with pancakes, waffles or crêpes.

3. 3

   Soak and gel

   Put the dates in a small heatproof bowl, cover with hot purified water and leave to soak for 10 minutes. In another small bowl, whisk the flax or chia meal with 6 tablespoons of purified water, then leave it to gel for 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Mix dry ingredients

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large bowl, combine the oats, ground walnuts or almond meal, ground oats or oat flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ground Earl Grey tea if using, and salt.

5. 5

   Make the dough

   Add the nut butter, 1/4 cup of coconut oil, drained dates and gelled flax or chia mixture to a food processor fitted with an S blade. Process until smooth, then stir this mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. The dough will be stiff and sticky.

6. 6

   Shape the cookies

   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into even portions with a small ice-cream scoop, or use about 2 tablespoons per cookie, leaving room to flatten them. With a lightly oiled hand, flatten each portion into an even circle about 6 mm (1/4 inch) thick.

7. 7

   Bake and cool

   Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the outsides feel dry to the touch. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5–7 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Bake in two batches if needed.

8. 8

   Fill the sandwiches

   Spoon a generous amount of Earl Grey cream into the centre of a cookie, then press a second cookie gently on top, bottoms facing in, so the cream spreads to the edges. Repeat with the remaining cookies and place them back on the baking sheet. Refrigerate while preparing the chocolate so the cream firms slightly.

9. 9

   Dip in chocolate

   Set up a drying rack with parchment underneath. Melt the chocolate chips with the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a small saucepan or bowl over a double boiler. Dip each sandwich about halfway into the chocolate, let the excess drip off and place it on the rack. Refrigerate for a few minutes to set the chocolate, then keep the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator or a cool room.

What are Earl Grey sandwich cookies?

Earl Grey is black tea scented with bergamot, a citrus fruit, and its fragrant flavour works well in both the filling and the cookie dough here. Sandwich cookies are made by enclosing a filling between two biscuits; this version finishes them with a dip in dark chocolate.

The recipe takes inspiration from tea-time biscuits and adapts them with plant-based ingredients and gluten-free oats. The chilled coconut-and-cashew cream provides a soft contrast to the hearty, nutty cookies.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1220 calories, 22g protein, 105g carbs, 87g fat.

The oats, dates and maple syrup provide much of the carbohydrate, while the nut butter, coconut oil, coconut fat and chocolate contribute most of the fat. The cashews, nut butter and seeds also provide some protein. Enjoy a cookie sandwich with fresh fruit for a brighter, more balanced plate.

Build the Earl Grey cream

Strong tea: use a concentrated brew so its bergamot aroma holds up against the coconut and cashews. Blend the tea mixture until smooth before adding it to the whipped coconut fat.

Chilled coconut: the recipe uses the solid fat from a can of full-fat coconut milk. Chill the finished cream until scoopable rather than runny; if it is too soft to stay between the cookies, give it more time in the fridge.

Get the cookie dough right

Nut butter: almond, cashew, peanut or sunflower butter, as well as tahini, can provide the dough’s rich base. Choose a smooth, well-stirred one to make it easier to process with the dates and gelled seeds.

Seed gel: the flax or chia meal mixed with water thickens as it rests. Give it the full 15 minutes, then process it with the dates until the mixture is smooth before combining it with the dry ingredients.

Shape for even baking

Even portions: a small scoop helps make cookies of similar size, while two tablespoons of dough is the stated alternative. Flatten each portion to about 6 mm thick so the cookies bake evenly and are easy to sandwich.

Room to spread: leave space between portions on the parchment-lined tray. The dough is stiff and sticky, so lightly oil your hand before flattening each cookie.

Know when they are done

Dry edges: bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes at 180°C, looking for outsides that feel dry to the touch. They may still be tender when hot, so avoid waiting for them to become firm in the oven.

Full cooling: let them rest on the tray for 5–7 minutes before transferring them to a rack. Cool them completely before filling, or the cream can soften and slide.

Fill and dip without a mess

Gentle pressure: place a generous amount of cream in the centre of one cookie and press its partner down lightly. The filling should reach the edges without being squeezed out.

Set the layers: chill the assembled sandwiches briefly while you melt the chocolate. Dip each one about halfway, let excess coating drip away, and refrigerate the rack for a few minutes to set.

Serve with tea or coffee

The citrusy tea flavour makes these a natural fit for a cup of Earl Grey, black tea or coffee. Their rich filling and chocolate coating also mean that a small serving of fresh fruit can make a useful contrast.

Because the recipe may leave extra cream, serve a little alongside the cookies if you like, or save it for another dessert. Keep the cookies cool so the filling and chocolate stay firm.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a strong Earl Grey brew so the tea flavour is noticeable in the cream.
• Drain the soaked cashews and dates well before blending or processing them.
• Let the flax or chia mixture sit for the full 15 minutes so it can gel.
• Use a lightly oiled hand to flatten the sticky dough without it clinging.
• Cool the cookies completely before adding the cream.
• Keep the assembled sandwiches chilled while dipping them in chocolate.

Variations

• Choose your nut butter: use almond, cashew, peanut or sunflower butter, or tahini, as listed in the recipe.
• Swap the ground nuts: use ground walnuts or almond meal for the nut component.
• Make them more tea-forward: add the optional ground loose-leaf Earl Grey to the dry ingredients.
• Use chia instead: choose chia meal in place of flax meal and let it gel in the water.
• Change the chocolate: use dairy-free dark chocolate chips with a different cocoa intensity.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Soft cream: chill it until scoopable before filling so it stays between the cookies.
• Uneven cookies: portion consistently and flatten each one to about 6 mm thick.
• Overbaking: take the cookies out when their outsides feel dry, even if they are still tender.
• Warm cookies: cool them completely before sandwiching so the filling does not soften.
• Too much pressure: press the top cookie gently to avoid forcing cream out at the edges.
• Runny chocolate coating: let excess chocolate drip off before placing each sandwich on the rack.

How to store

Keep the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in a cool room if serving soon. Bring them out briefly before serving if you prefer the filling slightly softer; avoid warming them enough to melt the chocolate.

Frequently asked questions