Healthier Peanut Butter Cookies
A treat you can feel good about eating
This time of year there’s just something about a cup of coffee + a cookie that hits different. It’s cozy, comforting and almost feels festive… tis the season! While I love indulging in the real deal every once in a while, I keep a few healthier recipes in my back pocket for when the cookie craving strikes, but I don’t want to derail the day’s workout or otherwise healthy eating. You might remember my Guilt-Free Banana Oat Cookies or 5-Ingredient Samoas — I still make these all the time! — and now I’ve added these Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies to the rotation.
Admittedly, healthy cookies usually taste, well… pretty bland and flavorless, especially compared to the butter and sugar bombs that we get at the store. Insert: peanut butter. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have a sandy, melt-in-your-mouth cookie that is packed with flavor, but not all of the extra junk.
This healthier peanut butter cookie recipe can actually be made with just five ingredients: all-natural peanut butter, an egg (or flax egg), coconut sugar*, baking soda and salt, and they’re absolutely delicious. If you want a little extra body and spice, you can also add cinnamon, vanilla extract and almond flour (optional) for a slightly fuller, but still super tender cookie.
*Although there is much debate on the health “benefits” of coconut sugar, I like it as a sweetener because, unlike white sugar and high fructose corn syrup, it undergoes very little processing and is able to retain some of its natural vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. This gives it a lower glycemic index, and therefore, a lower impact on blood sugar levels.
I make the full recipe (including all optional ingredients) and added a few of my favorite JOJO’s Chocolate pieces to the top. This step is not at all necessary, but absolutely delicious! They’re having 25% off the entire site right now through December 18th (no code needed!), and you can use code KRISTINA10 for a 10% discount on jojoschocolate.com! I can't wait for you to give this recipe a try. Let me know what you think!
HEALTHIER PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12-18 minutes
Total Time: 22-28 minutes
Yield: 12-16 cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup natural peanut butter (I used Trader Joe’s natural creamy peanut butter)
1 egg (or flax egg)
1/3 cup coconut sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup almond flour (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to scoop and drop 1-inch cookies onto the prepared baking sheet.
Use a fork to press down on cookie to flatten, and repeat in the opposite direction to create the crisscross marks.
If you did not include almond flour, bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. If you did include almond flour, bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes. I baked for 16 minutes, removed the cookies from the oven, topped them with the JOJO’s chocolate pieces, and put them back in the oven for another two minutes.
Lightly dust with salt (I used pink Himalayan salt)
The cookies will be very soft and fragile when coming out of the oven. Cool them for at least 20 minutes on a cooling rack. They’ll firm up a bit, but will maintain a sandy texture that will melt in your mouth. Enjoy!
