These are literally one of my favorite things right now. When Dave came home from the grocery store with a giant bag of chocolate chips ("they were on sale!"), I took this as a requirement that I must make 4 batches of cookies trying to perfect my favorite cookie combo--peanut butter and chocolate--in a somewhat healthier version that at the very least is gluten-free :)
Now, as practitioners who work with kids, we understand the controversy surrounding the peanut. Peanut allergies have skyrocketed in the last 20 years and are can be a very dangerous and serious situation. What we're learning more about is how most conventional peanuts are grown and how contaminated they are with pesticides, fungicides, and other toxins and how that very likely impacts this increase (for a great expert opinion on this check out this article). Not everyone can eat peanuts safely or without inflammation, but if you tolerate them, please make sure to only buy organic peanut butter (our favorite is CB's Nuts). We've been feeding our daughter clean, organic peanut products since she started solid foods around 6 months and so far so good. Her biggest food intolerance to this date, without surprise to her parents, is gluten.
With the PSA aside, not only are these cookies AMAZING, they are super easy and quick to make. Cookies like these really make me wonder why we are so stuck on wheat flour in the West. It's eye-opening how much versatility there is once you start figuring out all the ways to bake without it! We did this with 1 cup peanut butter alone which was still good but found the best cookie resulted with a blend of peanut and almond butter.
All I have to say is: you're welcome!
Recipe for Grain-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup organic creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup organic creamy almond butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 egg (preferably local and pasture-raised)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (to reduce sugar, look for dark chocolate chips or stevia-sweetened chips)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions:
1) Preheat your oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, mix together everything except chocolate chips and pecans until a thick, gooey batter forms.
2) Fold in chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
3) Using a tablespoon, or cookie scoop, drop batter onto a baking sheet lined with a Silpat, or parchment paper. The dough will be sticky.
4) Bake for 9-11 minutes at 350F.
5) Once the cookies are lightly browned, remove the pan from the oven, and allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. This step is important- they firm up as they cool. If you try to put them on a baking sheet right away you might loose some cookies.
6) Once the cookies are cool, and firm enough to handle, use a spatula to transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
7) Serve at room temperature. Store extras in a Tupperware in the fridge for a week. These also freeze well so are great to make extra batches in advance.