Orayo Cookies

A fun take on Oreo cookies, which incidentally tend to be vegan anyway. The homemade variety still has tons of sugar and fat, but at least no preservatives.

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup EarthBalance butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1-1/4 cups flour

up to 1/2 cup soymilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar, butter, salt and vanilla. Add cocoa and flour and mix well, adding just enough soy milk so that the dough comes together (it should be dry, but rollable). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to very thin - maybe 1/8 inch thick. Cut with round cookie-cutters to about 2 to 3 inches in diameter and score or imprint the top with some pattern. Transfer to cookie sheet and bake for about 8 minutes. Let sit on cookie sheet for about a minute before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely.

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 teaspoon salt, dissolved in water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

up to 2 cups powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening; add salt water, vanilla extract and some of the sugar and mix well. Continue adding sugar and beating until mixture is the desired consistency. Spread over half of the cookie rounds, topping with a second round to make a cookie sandwich. Press down lightly; refrigerate until filling is firm.