Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies – Vegan

 

My-oh-my what delicious cookies! These are really special – they are wholesome, flavored with peanut butter, vegan-friendly, dairy-free, egg-free, chewy, incredibly moreish and taste just like what a really good peanut butter cookie should taste like, without the greasiness from shortening or butter.

The best part is that the cookies take less than thirty minutes to make, bake and enjoy (that’s quicker than me getting in the car, going to the shops, picking out what I want and returning home again). You don’t need to get out any specialized equipment – simply measure out the ingredients into two bowls and mix with your hands.

 

CHEWY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES – VEGAN

Make about 28 – 5 cm (2 inch) cookies

Adapted from My Vegan Cookbook – Low Fat Peanut Butter Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 75 g (½ c) wholemeal (whole wheat) flour
• 30 g (¼ c) ground/milled linseed (flaxseed meal)
• 50 g (½ c) rolled (porridge) oats
• 120 g (½ c well-packed) unrefined muscuvado (brown) sugar
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 75 g (¼ c and 1 tablespoon) unsalted, smooth (creamy), roasted peanut butter*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons groundnut (peanut) oil
• 60 ml (4 tablespoons or ¼ c) pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling (optional)

* Choose a peanut butter made with 100% peanuts. If this is unavailable, simply blitz a bunch of unsalted, roasted peanuts in a food processor until the mixture resembles smooth (creamy) peanut butter. 

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line 2-3 baking trays (sheets/pans) with silicone baking mats (or parchment paper – shorter baking time is needed).

2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients – flour, linseed (flaxseeds), oats, sugar, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), baking powder and salt.

3. In another medium sized bowl, mix together all of the wet ingredients – peanut butter, vanilla extract, oil and maple syrup.

4. Using your hands, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, ensuring everything is well incorporated. The dough should be firm, but not sticky or overly dry.

5. Take enough of the cookie dough to fill one 1 tablespoon measuring spoon exactly (make sure it’s a level spoon). Place onto the prepared baking trays (sheets/pans).

6. Repeat with the remaining mixture, leaving about 3.75 cm (1 ½ inch) apart. Lightly flatten each mound gently with the back of a wet metal spoon to create discs slightly smaller than 5 cm (2 inch) in diameter. Sprinkle with sugar, if using.

7. Bake cookies in middle of the oven for 10 minutes, turning the trays (sheets/pans) halfway through cooking. If you’re using parchment paper, check on the cookies after 8 minutes to ensure the bottoms are not burning.

8. Let cookies sit on trays (sheets/pans) for 1-2 minute, before transferring them using a spatula to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy!

NOTE: These cookies are soft when coming out of the oven, but firm up and become chewy once fully cool.