"Peanut" Butter Cookies

Do you have cravings for things? I'm talking about the kinds of cravings you get that just seem to niggle and pester you like a mosquito buzzing in your ear. You swat at it, and it goes away for awhile, but it also comes back. Again and again. Well, I've been craving a peanut butter sweet for weeks now. I keep pushing it away, but then it comes back again. Even though peanut butter is one of my staple foods, something I probably eat way too much of, I still had this craving to do something fantastic; chewy, yet crisp with just a bit of sweetness. I have some of my "Peanut" Butter Cups in the freezer, and I even considered making my "Peanut" Butter Swirl Bars, but I have been having to cut back on the chocolate lately and I wanted a stand alone, very peanutty, peanut butter cookie. Then I considered the peanut butter cookies my grandmother used to make. Just peanut butter, sugar, and egg, it's a great recipe but they lack the crisp and chewy texture I wanted. They also tend to be a bit more fragile, especially with the egg substitution, and they can be a bit heavy with only the peanut butter providing substance. I kept avoiding it and pushing it away. I know sugar is my downfall, so I try not to do much baking. I know, this blog is full of sweets, but those are definitely the occasional, and special occasional sweets.






Well, as you might have guessed, I finally gave in to that craving. What else do you do when the sky opens up and dumps over two feet of snow on you in less than 24 hours? Baking sounded good to me! AND I have one of my beauties home for spring break...yeah two feet of snow for SPRING break...so of course I had to bake cookies for her. I mean she did come home to this winter wonderland instead of jetting off to a warm and sunny locale. There should be some perks to landing back at home mid- semester. And we made her take a four and a half hour train ride instead of driving to get her. I think the cookies more than made up for any mom guilt I may have had, though she says she isn't sure. Apparently she needs to try a few more before she can decide. ;)

OK, on to the recipe. This I wanted to be more of a hearty cookie and I think the peanut butter accomplishes that, but this is also the kind of cookie you could throw some roasted whole peanuts into and really have something special. Yet you can also make these with sun butter or soy butter and have them completely peanut free. I keep them in the freezer, and I can just take one or two out when I need a little something-something. My sugar attacks tend to come sometime around midday, and not everyday, so keeping these in the freezer where I can reach in and grab one every now and then makes me a happy lady. Less baking, less mess, less sugar overload. (And when they are hiding in the freezer the 'work from home hubby' doesn't OD on them either- so win-win!)

"Peanut" Butter Cookies

Gluten Free

Corn Free

Allergen Free for: Egg, Soy, Tree Nut, Wheat, Shellfish, Fish

May contain peanut-source: peanut butter for: texture

peanut substitutions: sun butter or soy butter

May Contain Dairy- source: butter for: texture; browning

dairy substitutions: nondairy butter; shortening; coconut oil-melted

If using your own flour blend: Flour = 155 grams; approximately 1 cup + 2 TBSP of a gluten free blend

Prepare the flax eggs in a small bowl
2 flax eggs (2TBSP finely ground flaxseed + 6 TBSP water)

in a separate bowl, blend:
65 grams white rice flour
35 grams arrowroot
55 grams sorghum

mix in:
1tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
2 TBSP. ground flax
1/4 tsp. salt

in a separate large bowl, combine:

2/3 cup peanut butter or sun butter
3 TBSP soft butter; or butter substitute (if using shortening or coconut oil- decrease by 1TBSP)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cup white sugar
beat until creamy- use a mixer

Whisk the flax eggs with a fork until it is thick and foamy

add to the large bowl
the well beaten flax eggs
1 tsp vanilla
beat, again with mixer

Add dry ingredients and blend into PB mixture

form dough into 1 inch balls, place on cookie sheet, slightly flatten


Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees