Soft, moist, chewy…all in one bite. These peanut butter cookies are to die for if you are a peanut butter fan. The peanut butter flavor is definitely apparent in these cookies. I like these because they aren’t too overly sweet. You actually feel like you are eating peanut butter, just in cookie form. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They make for a perfect treat and are super easy. You can even make them the night before and bake them the next day. I can just eat these all day long…though I probably shouldn’t. 🙂

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup drippy peanut butter
2-4 tbsp light extra-virgin olive oil (see note below)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (see note below)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, oil, brown sugar, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, and almond milk. Stir until well combined. Pour the flour mixture over the peanut butter mixture and stir. Mix until well combined. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Wet your fingers a little and shape into balls. Use the back of a fork and press down on the cookie crosswise. Sprinkle them with sugar. Bake for 10 minutes and let it cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

Note: If your peanut butter is really oily already (like new jar status), you can omit the oil. However, if it is on the drier side, you can add 2-4 tbsp of oil to ensure your cookies don’t come out too dry. The dough will be thick and sticky. If it seems a little dry, you can add a tablespoon more almond milk.

Servings: 24 cookies

Author: Valeria Graves

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies