Showing posts with label peanut butter cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peanut butter cookies. Show all posts
Monday, September 30, 2013
UPDATED FLOUR-LESS VEGAN NUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES, WITH CHOCOLATE/NUT VARIATION
NOTE: The recipe has been updated to add the option of using agave nectar or maple syrup, or date puree instead of brown sugar.
I love using beans-- not only is savory dishes, but in desserts and salad dressings, and anywhere else that they add texture, flavor, protein, fiber, creaminess, etc.. If the beans can stand in for eggs or fat or flour, that's even better.
So, the other day I finally got around to trying the basic flour-less chickpea chocolate chip cookies that are all over the internet. There are small variations in the recipe, but, basically, the mix is 1 1/4 cups drained cooked or canned chickpeas in a food processor with 1/2 cup + 2 T. natural peanut butter (or other nut or seed butter), 2 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 cup packed soft brown sugar (some people use 1/4 cup agave or maple syrup), 1 tsp. baking powder (some use less), and a pinch salt, processed until smooth and mixed with 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
We were impressed by the cookies, but thought the flavor was a little flat and they didn't spread out enough for my liking. So, today I started playing around with the recipe (can't help myself!) and here's what I came up with. It's still a simple recipe, but we like the flavor and texture better in this version.
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| Homemade soy milk with both cookie versions. |
Use natural peanut butter, not the sweetened, hydrogenated kind.
Make small cookies.
Let the cookies cool for several hours before serving (unless you like them a bit gooey!).
Printable Copy RECIPE UPDATED SEPT. 30, 2018
BRYANNA’S FLOUR-LESS VEGAN
NUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Makes about 22
cookies (Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, no extracted oil)
NOTE: you can make bars or squares instead of cookies with this batter, by spreading the batter out on ONE parchment-lined 13 x 10-inch baking pan (with rim, like a jelly-roll pan). Bake for 20 minutes and allow to cool thoroughly on a rack before cutting into bars or squares.
NOTE: you can make bars or squares instead of cookies with this batter, by spreading the batter out on ONE parchment-lined 13 x 10-inch baking pan (with rim, like a jelly-roll pan). Bake for 20 minutes and allow to cool thoroughly on a rack before cutting into bars or squares.
1 cup rinsed and drained cooked or canned chickpeas (drain well and pat dry)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter or other nut
butter
3/4 cup soft, packed brown sugar OR date puree (see NOTE below)
OR use 1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1 “flax egg” (see below)
1 “flax egg” (see below)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
grated zest from 1 organic orange
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dairy-free organic/fair trade chocolate chips (if you want to use less chocolate, use a dairy-free organic/fair trade chocolate bar, chopped small)
VARIATION: FLOUR-LESS
VEGAN CHOCOLATE NUT COOKIES
Add: 3 Tbs. organic/fair trade unsweetened cocoa powder to the processed batter AND add 1/2 cup chopped,
lightly-toasted nuts of choice (roasted peanuts are good, but you can use
walnuts, pecans almonds, etc.) by hand to the batter after scooping it into a
bowl.
The orange zest and chocolate
chips are optional in this version.
**You could also add homemade vegan Peanut Butter Baking Chunks, recipe at this post, instead of chocolate chips and/or nuts.**
**You could also add homemade vegan Peanut Butter Baking Chunks, recipe at this post, instead of chocolate chips and/or nuts.**
“FLAX EGGS”: In a
blender mix 1 cup water and 1/4 cup golden flax seeds at high speed until white
and fluffy and “gloppy”. This makes 5 “flax
eggs”. 1 “flax egg” = 1/4 cup of this
mixture. The remaining mixture can be poured into a covered jar and
refrigerated for about a week, or frozen in 1/4 cup portions for future use.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.
In a food processor, mix the chickpeas, nut butter, sugar (or one of the syrups, or Date Puree), “flax
egg”, vanilla, orange zest, baking powder and salt (and cocoa powder if you are
making the chocolate/nut variation) until a smooth batter results. (If, for some reason, your batter does not look as thick as the picture, you can add about 1/2 cup of oatmeal and process again.)
With a spatula, scoop the batter into a mixing bowl. Mix in the chocolate chips (and/or the nuts,
if you are making the chocolate/nut variation) with a spoon, distributing them
as evenly as possible through the batter.
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| PEANUT BUTTER/CHOCOLATE CHIP BATTER |
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| CHOCOLATE/NUT BATTER |
Spoon small scoops of batter onto the parchment-lined baking
sheets, about 2 inches apart. (I used heaping 1/2 tablespoon measure.) I made about 22
cookies. You can leave them the way they
are, or flatten them down a little, depending on how thick you like them.
Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, or until they are
golden brown on the bottom. Carefully lift them onto cooling racks and let them
cool thoroughly before serving. ~~~~
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 86 calories, 37 calories from fat, 4.5g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 23.7mg sodium, 115.3mg potassium, 10.5g carbohydrates, 1.8g fiber, 4.8g sugar, 2.6g protein, 2.6 points.
NOTE: About using Date Puree instead of sugar (this is much cheaper than using date sugar)--
The Date Puree can replace sugar using a 1:1 ratio, or it can be used in combination with a reduced amount of sugar in a recipe.
To make date puree, see this easy recipe:http://nutritionstudies.org/recipes/sauce/two-minute-date-puree/
Are dates really better than sugar for diabetics or those with blood sugar issues?
"Dates – are actually on the lower end of the GI. There are a variety of dates available and most of them have a GI of less than 55 (some with a significantly lower GI)." From: https://diabetickitchen.com/the-best-sugar-substitutes-for-people-with-diabetes/
(GI stands for Glycemic Index)
See this study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3112406/
Another Note: Just because dates have a lower glycemic load doesn't mean that you should eat them or use them in baking and cooking with abandon!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 86 calories, 37 calories from fat, 4.5g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 23.7mg sodium, 115.3mg potassium, 10.5g carbohydrates, 1.8g fiber, 4.8g sugar, 2.6g protein, 2.6 points.
The Date Puree can replace sugar using a 1:1 ratio, or it can be used in combination with a reduced amount of sugar in a recipe.
To make date puree, see this easy recipe:http://nutritionstudies.org/recipes/sauce/two-minute-date-puree/
Are dates really better than sugar for diabetics or those with blood sugar issues?
"Dates – are actually on the lower end of the GI. There are a variety of dates available and most of them have a GI of less than 55 (some with a significantly lower GI)." From: https://diabetickitchen.com/the-best-sugar-substitutes-for-people-with-diabetes/
(GI stands for Glycemic Index)
See this study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3112406/
Another Note: Just because dates have a lower glycemic load doesn't mean that you should eat them or use them in baking and cooking with abandon!
Enjoy!
Monday, February 16, 2009
A GOOD VEGAN LOWER-FAT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE (WITH NEW LOW-SUGAR & LOW-GLYCEMIC OPTIONS)
Update February 2021: I've added some substitutions to the recipe for a lower-sugar, lower-glycemic version.
Homemade vegan peanut butter cookies
Low-fat peanut butter cookies? Well, not exactly, but lower in fat (especially the saturated kind) than most. Mine are also made with whole grain flour, which provides more nutrients and fiber.
I used a combination of applesauce and syrup instead of the extra fat used in the standard recipe, relying only on the fat in the peanut butter itself. Applesauce only makes too soft a cookie, and all syrup makes a cookie that's too crispy.
Unfortunately, I didn't have any chocolate left over from Valentine's Day to make the peanut Blossom Cookie version to photograph, but they are my favorite.
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA'S CHEWY VEGAN LOWER-FAT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (WITH CHOCOLATE PEANUT BLOSSOM COOKIE VARIATION)
Yield: 30 cookies
A lower-fat, vegan version peanut butter cookies, AND a variation with the "Hershey Kisses" in the middle that I used to love so much-- except that instead of the "kisses" I use organic vegan dark chocolate chunks or chips.
DRY MIX:
1 3/4 cups wholewheat PASTRY flour (OR, for low-glycemic, try a mixture of 1 cup whole spelt flour + 1/2 cup oat flour + 1/4 cup chickpea flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
WET MIX:
1/2 cup light organic granulated sugar OR your favorite granulated sugar substitute
1/2 cup brown sugar OR your favorite brown sugar substitute (see https://bit.ly/37naWBh )
1/4 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon Ener-G or Orgran egg replacer powder
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
ADDITIONAL:
Coarse organic unbleached sugar for rolling
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Whisk the Dry Mix ingredients together well in a medium bowl. (If using the peanuts, stir them in.)
In a food processor, beat the Wet Mix ingredients together til smooth. Add to the Wet Mix to the Dry Mix ingredients in the bowl and mix well. Refrigerate the dough in the covered bowl for several hours (or place in the freezer until the dough is firm, if you are in a hurry!)
Divide the dough into 30 even pieces and quickly roll each into a ball (or as close to a ball shape as you can!), then roll in the coarse unbleached sugar. Place on nonstick or parchment-lined cookie sheets. Use the tines of a fork to press down the dough a little in one direction, and then the other, to make a grid design.
Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes, or until they are starting to brown on the bottom. Remove pans from the oven and let cool for about 3 minutes, then carefully place the cookies on racks with a spatula to cool thoroughly.
Cool on racks.
VARIATION:
BRYANNA'S CHEWY VEGAN LOWER-FAT PEANUT BLOSSOM COOKIES:
You will need:
30/ 1/2-inch chunks of 70% organic vegan chocolate (OR you could use 3 or 4 organic, dairy-free, low-sugar chocolate chips on each cookie instead)
Follow the directions for making the dough and chilling it. Do not press down the cookie balls with a fork as directed above. Instead, leave them in the ball shape. Immediately after removing from the oven, top each cookie with a chunk of chocolate while still hot. Place in the turned-off oven for a few minutes to soften the chocolate. Then cool as directed above.
Yield: 30 cookies
(NOTE: These facts are from the original recipe, not the optional substitutes.)
Nutrition Facts for the plain cookie, without extra peanuts or chocolate:
Nutrition (per cookie): 92.3 calories; 20% calories from fat; 2.3g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 79.7mg sodium; 72.1mg potassium; 17.1g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 11.2g sugar; 15.9g net carbs; 2.1g protein; 1.8 points.
(The standard recipe for peanut butter cookies, of the same size, using 1 3/4 cups flour, results in each cookie containing over 6 grams total fat [a lot of it saturated], and about 133.5 calories [46% calories from fat], and about .6 g dietary fiber.)
Here are the Nutrition Facts when made with the optional chopped peanuts:
Nutrition (per cookie): 106.5 calories; 27% calories from fat; 3.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 79.8mg sodium; 88.1mg potassium; 17.6g carbohydrates; 1.3g fiber; 11.3g sugar; 16.3g net carbs; 2.6g protein; 2.2 points.
Here are the Nutrition Facts if you use the chocolate:
Nutrition (per cookie): 159.8 calories; 31% calories from fat; 6.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 81.2mg sodium; 123.8mg potassium; 26.1g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 11.2g sugar; 24.9g net carbs; 2.7g protein; 3.5 points.
(The standard recipe for Peanut Blossom Cookies, of the same size, using 1 3/4 cups flour, results in each cookie containing about 8 g total fat [a lot of it saturated] and 173 calories [45% calories from fat], and about .88 g dietary fiber.)
Enjoy!
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