Mix the sugar and vegan buttery spread together with a hand mixer or in a food processor. Mix in the applesauce.

Add in the flour, coconut, salt, and vanilla extract until a dough forms. Shape it into a large mound and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Pour 2/3 cup of shredded coconut in a small bowl. Form a 1-inch ball of dough, and roll it in the coconut. Flatten the cookie out a little on a baking sheet, and make a thumb imprint in the center of the cookie. You are going to fill chocolate in that imprint later.

Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn a little golden brown. Some of the imprints may lose a little bit of shape during the baking process, but that's okay. Let the cookies cool while you prepare the chocolate filling.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips. Microwave it for a minute, and continue microwaving at 10 to 15 second increments until all the chocolate chips are glossy. They don't need to be completely melted. Stir the glossy chips to get a smooth pool of liquid chocolate.

Fill the center of each cookie with chocolate. I filled some with strawberry jam and drizzled chocolate over a few cookies for some extra fun. The chocolate will harden when it cools.

Store them at room temperature in an airtight container. Enjoy!