Gluten Free & Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

When you are faced with a gluten free spouse and vegan daughters, making baked goods can be a challenge. No eggs, no butter, milk, cream and also no flour. I hardly bake because it always turns out flat - literally and taste wise! I keep to my safe territory - cooking.

Last night, I came across this recipe for vegan peanut butter cookies and attempted to make it today. I'm a big fan of peanut butter - on bread with jam, in ice creams and even in cookies. So imagine my excitement when I saw this recipe...My husband asked me to try making it gluten free as well. I had just made a batch of vegan but not gluten free brownies and it didn't feel right to not to bake for my husband something gluten free.  Fortunately, I had almond flour at home and the quantity remaining in the packet was just what I needed.  It turned out pretty tasty and brittle like how cookies should be. So imagine my surprise at the outcome:))

The recipe below yields large cookies so do ensure they are spaced apart. Do store it an airtight container once it cools down because it becomes soft and chewy if left outside for too long.

Ingredients (makes 22 pieces of 2inch cookies) 
1 and 1/4 cups almond meal (ground almond)
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup crunchy or creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup vegan coconut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsps vanilla extract/essence
1 tbsp water
 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175 deg C and line 2 flat large baking trays with baking paper.
2. In a small bowl, mix the almond flour with the baking soda. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, mix the peanut butter, vegan butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract and water.
4. Then, add the almond flour mix to this and mix well.
5. Use your fingers and palms to make small round balls, flatten then and place them on the baking tray not more than 3 in a row. They do expand quite a bit while baking.
6. Use a fork to press down in one direction and another time over in a 90 deg direction to create that crisscross pattern on the cookies.
7. Bake for 30-35 mins till the edges are brown. Cookies may still be slightly soft but they harden once they cool.
8. Enjoy peanut butter cookies while they last!