The cookie falafel are based on tacos using vanilla oreos. When I saw the tacos I thought that they could easily convert to falafels, which are a popular food for Yom Haatzmaut. While I have never seen vanilla oreos where I live, I have seen vanilla sandwich cookies and figured that I would use those when I got around to making them.
Shopping While Social Distancing
However, I did not take into account COVID-19, social distancing rules and self quarantine. Nor the fact that I would end up making them before Passover, with supermarket shortages exacerbated by the changeover that happens in a supermarket pre-Pesach. So it took some improvisation with what I had on hand.
I was lucky to be able to get one package of Smiley face sandwich cookies for the project. They were not the ideal solution because they don’t break neatly and we lost a few cookies along the way. But we managed.
Ingredients:
- Vanilla Sandwich Cookies (if using sandwich cookies use them “inside out”
- Coconut colored by food coloring (representing chopped cucumbers)
- Cream cookie cream colored by a red food pen (tomatos)
- Date spread mixed with chocolate (for falafel balls)
- Cream cookie cream or white frosting (techina)
Cookie Falafel Instructions
Take apart the cookies carefully and cut them in half. Each cookie can make two falafels, if you don’t break them. Place the coconut in a bag with food coloring to color the coconut flakes. Take some cookie cream, color it red and cut into small pieces. Mix date spread and chocolate powder until it tastes good and is thick enough to roll into balls. Once it is thick enough, roll the balls. You may want to put the spread in the refrigerator before rolling the balls.
Assemble by placing most of the “cucumbers” and the “falafel balls” on one cookie half. Sprinkle with the “tomatoes”. Stick the two cookie halves together into a “V” with the cookie cream and “techina”.
They turned out better than expected and were immediately gobbled down by my kids.
Kid Made
My kids all loved the idea and all wanted me to make them one to eat. Even those of them who are not overly partial to date spread. My 9ish year old even decided he wanted to make his own:
Perhaps where you are you have access to better or fancier ingredients. Let us know what you come up with. If you have sandwich cookies and appropriate ingredients, there is a cactus oreo cookie project that would be great for Yom Haatzmaut. This is because Israelis are known as sabras, a particular type of cactus fruit, because they are prickely on the outside and sweet on the inside.
You may also want to make falafel yourself: Falafel Recipe from Tori Avey.
We are also planning on making our blue and white cornettos this year. Check out our other blue and white projects as well.
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