Kitchen Gadget Girl Cooks

Well, I guess that depends on how you view syrup. Is it part of the sugar family, or not?

Since I have given up sugar (and actually, more truthfully, desserts) for Lent, I decided to find a cookie recipe without sugar this week. Still means I cannot eat them*, but at least the kids are enjoying some baked goods today.

The recipe is from 101 Cookbooks, and I made it pretty much exactly as written. The recipe is good, and I would make it again when I do not want to go through all the hoo-hah of softening butter and making sure my eggs are at room temperature. Adding in chopped peanuts, or using chunky peanut butter (as Heidi recommended!) would also be improvements.

Sugar-free Peanut Butter Cookies

• 2 cups flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup organic peanut butter (I used smooth, chunky was recommended)
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a stand mixer, using a Beater Blade (really, my new favorite tool for mixing cookie dough in the Kitchen Aid), mix peanut butter and maple syrup, until well combined. Add in olive oil and vanilla and mix again.

Mix flour, baking soda and salt together in separate bowl. Sprinkle over the top of peanut butter mixture. Drap towel over the top of mixer (learned this from Dorie Greenspan) and turn mixer on low for about 20 seconds, until all flour is incorporated. Let dough rest for about 5 minutes.

Using a cookie scoop or spoons, drop balls of dough onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Fill a small glass with cold water. With a the tines of a fork, press the tops of the cookies, dipping the fork into the cold water when it begins to stick to the dough.

Bake 11-13 minutes, until firm, being careful not to over bake. On the same token, be sure not to under bake, as the cookies will then just be warmed up peanut butter!

* Of course I tried these cookies! What kind of baker do you think I am? I could not possibly serve these to others without tasting them myself first. Duh.