Thursday, March 25, 2010

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies





I've heard lots about flourless chocolate cake and flourless cookies but somehow the skeptic in me has always talked me out of trying these recipes. For me baking is flour, sugar, eggs, butter (and a few extras) but the main component is usually flour. Today I was looking through the pantry and found myself with a whole bunch of peanut butter with at "best before" date rapidly approaching. After madly searching for recipes that use up a lot of peanut butter, I came across this one from Bon Appetit.

I'm so glad I got over my "flourless fear" because these cookies are amazing. There's nothing to take away from the full flavor of peanut butter. They are thick and hearty and melt in your mouth. I liked them so much I wrapped them up in cellophane to give to friends so I wouldn't eat them all myself! Peanut butter lovers, you cannot go wrong with these. Maybe I'll try out that flourless chocolate cake in the near future!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes 24 | adapted from Bon Appétit Sept 1999

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup golden brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Mix in chocolate chips. Using moistened hands, form generous 1 tablespoon dough for each cookie into ball. Arrange on 2 ungreased baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

2. Bake cookies until puffed, golden on bottom and still soft to touch in center, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely.

14 comments:

Rambling Tart said...

Oh, Tia! Thank you SO much for posting these. :-) My health is kaput at the moment so I've been going off wheat/flour, etc, and these will be perfect! HOORAY! :-)

Joanne said...

These seem kind of dangerous. Considering how much I love peanut butter. But I just may have to give in...

Ashley said...

Did you put chocolate chips in yours?

Tia said...

@Ashley - Nope, I forgot to mention that. No chocolate chips in mine. I wnated pure, unadulterated peanut butter flavor :)

Katrina said...

Flourless might be my favorite kind of pb cookies. But I don't think I've ever made them with brown sugar. I'll have to try this recipe.

Brandy L said...

Thanks for sharing, these look so good! :D

Helen said...

omg I needed a flourless recipe for a Jewish passover I'm going to on Monday. I didn't really want to make a flourless cake as it involved whisking 5 eggs and i don't have an electric whisk!! I am so making these for it. Thanks so much!!

Mimi said...

Wow! I'm amazed that one egg can hold them together without the flour. This may be one to try, just because I can't believe it!!

Tia said...

@mimi - I think they hold together because PB is so sticky to begin with. I hope they work out for you!

Liz said...

Oh, this recipe brings me back to my dieting days, when I would make a variation of these with Splenda so they'd be South Beach compliant. (Of course, you're only supposed to have 1 or 2 small cookies a day, but I usually had a few more than that...) I do remember them being super intensely peanut buttery and yummy!

Monica said...

OH boy these look soo good, and I'm a huge peanut butter cookie person (the only cookie I like) ok besides the classic Choc Chip.

creampuff said...

Oh my gosh Tia, I've never heard of flourless peanut butter cookies! They look scrumptious!

Jannett said...

these are going on my list of to try.. :)

janie said...

They look just like "regular" peanut butter cookies-delicious!