vegan & gluten-free peanut butter cookies

 

I'm ALWAYS looking for healthy alternatives when it comes to baking. And when I stumbled upon Blissful Basil's Soft and Tender Peanut Butter Cookies that were vegan AND gluten free, I quickly gathered up the ingredients. These cookies are so friggin' good that you don't miss the butter or all-purpose flour in their taste or texture. The oily natural peanut butter keeps them moist and the oat flour gives them a toothsome chew. I found some helpful hints from the original recipe and totally rolled with them. Also bumping up the salt because I love salty-n-sweet.

Vegan & Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
HUGE THANKS to Ashley at Blissful Basil for blogging this recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 cup peanut butter ***Use the oily, natural, no-stir stuff!***
1 cup brown sugar ***Apparently not all brown sugars are gluten-free. Check your labels.***
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup oat flour ***Grind your own oat flour by pulsing gluten-free whole oats in your food processor. 2 - 3 minutes for a fine flour or 1 - 2 minutes for flour with a little texture.***
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup almond milk

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the peanut butter and brown sugar for 1 minute. Add in the vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds. ***I used my stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.***

In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients - oat flour, baking soda, and kosher salt.

On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture. Mix until a crumbly dough forms. Add the almond milk and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Do not over mix.

With a 3/4 ounce cookie scoop (1-1/2 tablespoons), scoop out dough and roll into balls. Place on parchment lined sheets approximately 3 inches apart. With the tines of a folk, gently flatten one way and then the other to create a crisscross pattern.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown. ***All ovens are different. I baked mine for 14 minutes, but keep your eye on them.*** Remove from oven. After a couple of minutes, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Makes approximately 24 cookies.

peanut butter blossoms

Peanut butter blossoms need no introduction to most cookie-eaters. They're usually baked around the Christmas holiday and I really don't know why because what's not to love about peanut butter and chocolate any time of the year?

The poor Hershey's Kiss.....It gets kicked to the candy curb when there are other yummy candies in the candy dish. But these sweet kisses should never go to waste or be forgotten! Peanut butter blossom cookies are easy to make,  pretty to look at, and just darn tasty.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

courtesy of Land O Lakes

makes 4 dozen+ cookies

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar - firmly packed

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter - softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter ***I used an all-natural and organic peanut butter, but you can use whatever peanut butter you like***

1 large egg - at room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

48+ kisses

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda. In a large bowl and with a hand held mixer or your stand mixer, cream butter and both sugars. Add peanut butter and mix until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture in two stages. Scraping down sides of bowl after the first addition of flour.

***If the dough seems too soft, set in frig for 15-30 minutes while you unwrap the chocolate kisses***

Roll small pieces of dough into 1-inch round balls. Roll the balls in the reserved 1/4 cup sugar and place on your prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 8 - 10 minutes.

After 8 minutes, the cookies should be puffy and have a crackled top. Immediately after removing from the oven, press a chocolate kiss into the middle of each cookie. Work quickly. Set on a wire rack and to cool completely or enjoy them warm.....

whole wheat, peanut butter & banana breakfast cookies

Breakfast to go? Bake up a batch of these whole wheat, peanut butter and banana cookies.....

adapted from A Few Short Cuts

makes 18 cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 bananas - ripe
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup canola oil ***I used coconut oil***
1 cup brown sugar ***I used a combination of 1/2 cup date sugar and 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar***
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups whole rolled oats
1/4 cup all-purpose flour ***I used whole wheat flour. But you can also use a gluten free mix but make sure all of your other ingredients are also gluten free.***
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350° and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, mash bananas and add peanut butter. Mix until combined. Add oil and vanilla. Mix again. Add sugar and mix until until everything is thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly fold the oat mixture into the banana mixture until everything is combined. Using a 2 ounce cookie scoop, scoop mounds of dough onto your prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Gently press down your cookies so that they are flattened slightly. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, rotating your sheets halfway through baking time. Leave on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. 

These breakfast cookies aren't too sweet and have a chewy granola bar texture. 

Try turning them into breakfast thumbprint cookies by adding a little natural jam in their centers. 

Or substitute almond butter for the peanut butter. 

And if you're feeling naughty, add a few chocolate chips.

Individually wrap them in pieces of parchment paper and store them in your freezer. 

peanut butter chocolate chip cookies - recipe #3 of 7 days of sweets

If you live in NYC you are surrounded by famous and not-so-famous bakeries, restaurants with a bakery attached, and corner bodegas that also tap into the "homemade" sweet treat. I bake on a regular basis (obviously) but I do try and sample the best of the best or attempt to make the best in my very own kitchen. Now this recipe was introduced to me by my good friend who is also a baker and I trusted her taste palette and gave these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies a go.....

I have a couple of friends with nut allergies but I feel most like or love peanut butter cookies. Add some chocolate and it's a win win situation. This recipe for peanut butter chocolate chip cookies comes from one of my favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen via Magnolia Bakery Cookbook. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

via Smitten Kitchen and Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup peanut butter, at room temperature ***I used Trader Joe's Organic Chunky Peanut Butter***

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup chocolate chips ***I didn't have any chocolate chips but I chopped up chunks from my Pound Plus Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate bar. I'd also recommend bittersweet chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet.***

1 - 2 tablespoons sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 

In a large bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter together until fluffy. ***This can be done in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, a hand held mixer, or with a wooden spoon and your own muscles. *** Add both of the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and mix thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips and chocolate chips/ chunks.

Place remaining 1 -2 tablespoons of sugar in a shallow dish or plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar and roll around to coat. ***I used a 1-ounce cookie scoop.*** Place onto prepared baking sheets, leaving a few inches between for expansion. ***BTW....If you're using a 1-ounce scoop, this recipe will yield 3 dozen cookies.....***

Using a fork, lightly indent with a criss-cross pattern but do not overly flatten cookies. ***Smitten Kitchen used a small offset spatula to keep it smooth on top and so did I.***

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. ***11 minutes was just perfect.*** Do not overbake. Cookies will appear to be underdone, but they're not. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. ***I sometimes bake two sheets of cookies at a time, but since this was my first time baking these cookies, I baked one sheet at a time on the middle rack of my oven.***

If you or your sweetheart love crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, then make these for Valentine's Day. Who needs a box of chocolates anyway.....

peanut butter-n-jelly bars and a happy new year!!!

It's New Year's Eve Eve and it's time to bust out your resolutions. A lot of people have dieting on their lists, but before you start your New Year's diet, go into your kitchen and make these. Now! 

When I was tasting them earlier I was kinda convincing myself that these would be a great breakfast item. Yeah, right?! These peanut butter-n-jelly bars are just wrong.....but in a good way.

Peanut Butter-n-Jelly Bars
2001 Holiday Cookie Issue by Martha Stewart

Makes about 3 dozen

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter @ room temperature, plus more for pan
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter ***Other recipes called for Skippy, but I went with a natural and organic peanut butter***
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs @ room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt ***I used kosher salt***
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups strawberry jam ***I like raspberry***
1 cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped 

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper, dust with flour, and tap out the excess; set aside. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add peanut butter and vanilla and mix to combine. Add eggs one at a time; incorporating each egg until it's creamy and a homogeneous mixture, about 2 minutes.

2. Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture, and beat on low speed until combined. Transfer two-thirds of the mixture to your prepared pan. Press down dough evenly with your fingers or an offset spatula. Using your offset spatula, spread 1 cup of jam on top peanut butter mixture. With the remaining third of dough, drop small clumps/dollops of peanut butter dough on top of jam. Sometimes the jam is completely covered by the third of the peanut butter dough. Not to worry, here is where you would dollop the remainder 1/2 cup of jam in tablespoons on top of the peanut butter clumps. Sprinkle with chopped salted peanuts.

3. Bake until golden, 45 to 60 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Run a knife around the edges and refrigerate, 1 to 2 hours. Cut into about thirty-six 1 1/2-by-2-inch pieces.

For Chris, Sarah, Eddie & Marilyn.....Happy New Year!!!

munchie mix

If you've ever checked out the back of a Chex cereal box you'll find easy snack recipes that take less than 15 minutes to make. One of my favorites is the Chex Muddy Buddie recipe which I renamed "Munchie Mix" because once you start munchin' on it, you just can't stop.


This recipe is also all over the internet, but some have really unappetizing names. Like puppy chow or puppy food? Who wants to eat something that sounds like dog food? Monkey mix? I actually liked this name but after I thought about it, none of the ingredients have anything to do with monkeys. "Munchie mix" it is! So make some this holiday and munch away.....


Munchie Mix
start to finish: 15 minutes - 18 servings (1/2 cup each)


INGREDIENTS
9 cups Chex cereal - rice, corn, or a combination of both. ***I used rice cereal to keep it a gluten-free recipe***
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips ***I substituted Belgium 72% dark chocolate and chopped it into small pieces. I would also recommend bittersweet chocolate chips/chunks because this recipe has a fair amount of powdered sugar in it***
1/2 cup peanut butter ***Use smooth, unsalted and natural peanut butter. Organic doesn't hurt either***
1/4 cup butter ***Again, unsalted and organic***
1 teaspoon vanilla extract***Use the real stuff - no imitations here!***
pinch of kosher salt ***my added touch***
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar ***I used Trader Joe's Organic Powdered Sugar***


1. In a large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.


2. In a 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate, peanut butter and butter uncovered for 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and kosher salt. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into a 2-gallon ziplock food-storage plastic bag.


3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread onto a parchment paper or wax paper lined baking sheet to cool and dry. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

homemade peanut butter cups and a very happy birthday to brandon!!!

It's August 30th and it's my husband's birthday!!! He's been gone (on vacation, yes...without me) for a little over a month and has come home just in time for celebrations and homemade peanut butter cups. 


I can't remember where I got this particular recipe, but there are others online and I especially like this one, from the blog Sweetest Kitchen. This blog is super easy to read and let's face it......her pictures blow doors over mine! But gimme a break!!! I'm using my trusty iPhone for cheese sake and soon (hopefully soon) I will have my fancy shmancy camera to take some quality pics.


Now let's get back to what is really important here....Homemade peanut butter cups!!!! So I went a little OTT (just like in the blog) and hand painted the chocolate coating into cupcake wrappers. This is totally not necessary, but it makes them look like the real deal fo' realz! 


Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
This recipe makes about 20 cups and so much more if you choose to cut them into squares


1 cup butter - melted ***I used unsalted butter and added a hefty pinch of kosher salt***
2 cups graham cracker crumbs ***I ground my own***
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter ***Any ol' kind will do. I chose all natural, no salt and organic***
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips ***This time I picked up a bag of Hershey's Chocolate Chips, but use what you like***
4 tablespoons peanut butter ***Again...natural, no salt and organic***


In a medium bowl, mix together melted butter and 1 cup of peanut butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs and a hefty pinch of salt if you're using unsalted peanut butter. Press into an ungreased 9x13 inch pan. You can line it with parchment paper or go OTT like me and use cupcake liners.


Melt chocolate chips with the 4 tablespoons of peanut butter. Either in the microwave or over a double boiler. At this stage you can either spread it over the peanut butter that's been already pressed into your pan OR coat cupcake liners halfway and refrigerate until firm. Once firm enough to press peanut butter mixture in, drop in roughly 2 tablespoons, press slightly and then cover with chocolate and refrigerate. If you decided to go with the "pan" peanut butter cups, spread the chocolate over the peanut butter mixture and also refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour before cutting. 


These keep well in the frig.....


HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANDON!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!

recipe testing #1 - peanut butter cookies

So it seems as if my summer hiatus from my oven has been put on hold due to the glorious weather Mother Nature has decided to put upon NYC today! Plus I have been jonesing for some sugary treats which makes it the perfect excuse to bake something.


Yesterday I listed a few recipes that I was planning to test with all of my new organic, whole and natural ingredients. I was planning on making these peanut butter cookies, but then I came across this recipe.


I'm not gonna lie.....These cookies aren't mind blowing. But they are good. Good if you're a parent and you don't want to introduce or continue with white sugar in your kid's diet or just trying to eat less or omitting processed white sugar altogether.  


I didn't follow the recipe entirely and made my own substitutions with the ingredients that I had. Again, a good cookie but don't expect over-the-top or OMG when you take your first bite.....These peanut butter cookies are more "hippie" in flavor and texture.


Peanut Butter Cookies
adapted from the beautifully photographed blog...101 Cookbooks


Notes from the original recipe ***Spelt flour bakes into a slightly darker cookie, whole wheat pastry flour is slightly blonder - more traditional in appearance in the end. Finish the cookies with chopped nuts or a sprinkling of flaky salt. I'd also recommend seeking out peanut butter that is well combined, and not super-oily (extra slick) looking - to avoid problems with the cookie batter.*** 


INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, spelt flour or unbleached all-purpose flour ***I used whole wheat pastry flour***
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 cup organic, chunky peanut butter ***Creamy peanut butter is totally fine***
1 cup maple syrup ***I wanted to test out my organic whole cane sugar here. I used 1/2 cup here plus 1/4 cup maple syrup***
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil ***I substituted organic coconut oil and added an additional 2 tablespoons***
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350F. Place racks in the top third of oven.


In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate and larger bowl combine the peanut butter, maple syrup (other sweeteners if using), olive oil (or other oil) and vanilla. Stir until combined. Pour the flour mixture over the peanut butter mixture and stir until barely combined - still a bit dusty looking. Let sit for five minutes, give one more quick stir, just a stroke or two. ***Since I didn't use the whole cup of maple syrup, my dough was a little dry - that's why I added the additional coconut oil*** Now drop heaping tablespoons onto a parchment lined baking sheet. ***Again, my dough was SUPER DRY! I had to gather up the crumbly dough and pressed them into balls*** Press down gently with back of fork. It's a loose dough (mine was NOT!), so if you're set on doing a criss-cross pattern, go ahead and chill the dough for an hour or so before this step. ***Again, I didn't have this problem*** Bake for 10, maybe 11 minutes - but don't over bake or they will be dry. ***I baked mine for 10 minutes. My cookies are a bit dry but I don't think it was because I over baked them*** Let cool five minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.
Makes 2 - 3 dozen

OK, these peanut butter cookies aren't going to knock your socks off that's for sure!!! So that is why I took them there and melted my bar of GREEN & BLACK'S 70% Dark chocolate bar and drizzled it on top.

bouchon bakery's "nutter butter" cookies

This may sound crazy, but I'm giving up eating anything made with processed sugar for the rest of the month. Going "au naturel". Luckily I have MANY blog postings ready from previous baking binges to satisfy your sweet tooth. But before doing this and before the temperature outside reached pass the point of baking inside, I made Bouchon Bakery's "Nutter Butter"cookie recipe. I've posted about other delicious morsels from Thomas Keller's gastronomic empire before, but thankfully back in December 2006, The New York Times featured this recipe. Lucky me! Lucky husband! And lucky friends whom I've shared these cookies with!


I have fond childhood memories of eating these peanut-shaped sandwich cookies by Nabisco. Although these cookies can't easily be coaxed into a peanut shape and their taste and texture are completely opposite to the original. 

Bouchon Bakery's Nutter Butter Cookies
Thank you, thank you, thank you The Times and Bouchon Bakery!!!  ***I did not stray too far away from this original recipe other than using a higher quality of peanut butter***

Time: 45 minutes plus cooling

FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter, preferably Skippy ***Again, I used a higher quality of peanut butter, also natural peanut butter to prevent from adding in any additional sugar***
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup coarsely chopped peanuts ***ROASTED & SALTED peanuts here***
2½ cups quick-cooking oats

FOR THE FILLING:
¼ pound (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter, preferably Skippy ***Use a peanutty tasting peanut butter (preferably natural peanut butter)***
1 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1. For cookie dough: preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Add sugars and beat at medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping down bowl twice.

2. At low speed, add eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until well mixed, frequently scraping down bowl. Add peanuts and oats, and mix well. Using an ice cream scoop 2 inches in diameter ***I used a smaller scoop, 1 1/2 inch in diameter***, place balls of dough on parchment-lined baking sheets at least three inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and turned very light golden brown, about 10 - 18 minutes depending on your oven. Remove from oven and set aside to cool and firm up, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling.

3. For filling: using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar until very smooth.

4. To assemble cookies, spread a thin layer (about 1/8 inch) on underside of a cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat.

Yield: 24 large cookies. 

***This recipe makes a lot of cookies!!!! Especially if you're using a smaller cookie scoop.***

PB & J Bon Bons

I have been traveling like a mad-woman these days and have been experiencing some amazing food on my trips. If you're a friend of mine on Facebook, you've probably heard of all the deliciousness Seattle, WA had to offer. I had and have to brag because Seattle is at the top of my list of "best places to chow down". This rainy city has a different vibe and approach to cooking, but hands down, they can compete with some of the best places here in Manhattan.


I am still savoring one particular dish (it was an appetizer), PB & J Bon Bons, from Local 360 in the neighborhood of Belltown. OMG, these were scrumdiddlyumptious!!!


I feel challenged to recreate these delicious gems. But since I'll be boarding a plane again soon, they'll just have to wait until I'm back on this continent.


For now, you and I can only dream of these.....But if anyone feels inspired, here is what I got out of eating a plate bon bons and a few hints from our server:


PB & J Bon Bons
- frozen ball of organic & natural peanut butter
- wrapped in brioche dough
- rolled in Panko bread crumbs
- deep fried until they were golden brown
- served warm on top of homemade organic blackberry jam
- with a shooter of organic milk

peanut butter & jelly macarons from bouchon bakery

I wish I made them.
I only ate them.


This French favorite with an American twist was just way too delicious not to blog about. New Yorkers I want you to drop everything and head to BOUCHON BAKERY as fast as you can!!! These cookies are dang good!!!!!