Elanore's Best Peanut Butter Cookies (Vegan)

Basic Peanut Butter Cookies

1 C. natural peanut butter, runny

2/3 C. real maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C. almond flour

1/2 C. oat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2) Combine liquid ingredients (panut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract) and blend until smooth.

3) Add dry ingredients (combine them into a blended pile right on top of the peanut butter blend) and stir until a smooth dough forms.

4) Scoop and form into round balls and place evenly on cookie sheet.

5) Bake 12–14  minutes or until lightly golden.

6) Upon removal from the oven, tap the pan down hard on the counter to flatten cookies, or very carefully (and lightly!) press a fork into the top of each cookie to form a criss cross pattern. NOTE: Be careful!  Cookies made with almond flour are very delicate and crumbly until cooled well.

For PB&J Cookies (Vegan)

Prepare as above through step 4, then lightly press a thumbprint into the top of each cookie ball. (Gently shape the cookies if they crumble at this stage.) Fill thumbprint impression with raspberry jelly and then proceed with baking as indicated above.

For Peanut Butter Minecraft Cookies (Vegan)

Prepare as above through step 5, then cool for five minutes and press two little squares of vegan dark chocolate into the top of each cookie. (They look like Minecraft blocks!)  Cool completely before attempting to move the cookies.

This recipe is loosely adapted from this original recipe: 

https://booboosbakery.com/healthy-peanut-butter-blossoms/

Cashew Coconut Cookies (Vegan, GF)

These are very sweet and indulgent—and not particularly healthy—but they are technically vegan and gluten-free, and they are delicious!

2 cups chopped cashews

2 C coconut flakes

1 C vegan dark chocolate chips

1/3 can coconut condensed milk 

1) Combine and spoon onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

2) Bake at 350 degrees till golden brown (usually 10-14 minutes).

Evie's Banana Cookies / Breakfast Bites (Vegan)

2 ripe bananas

1 C. organic rolled oats

1/2 C. raisins or other dried fruit of choice (cranberries, dates, etc.)

Anything else you want to add*

1) Mash bananas in a bowl.

2) Stir in oats, dried fruit, and nuts. (Chopped dates with walnuts is my favorite!)

3) Plop tablespoon-sized dollops onto a cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. (I cook mine probably 20 minutes in the end. I like them kind of crispy and not as soft in the middle.)

*NOTE from Evie: I often triple this recipe. You can add anything you want (chopped apple, nuts, stevia, vegan chocolate chips, cinnamon, etc.)

*NOTE from Laurie: You can't really press these flat and cook them and cut them up later, as they'll be too mushy and moist in the end. They need to be cooked individually to get to the right amount of doneness. These freeze beautifully. Just freeze them individually and then put them in a ziplock in the freezer and pull a few out to take on the go. They will be a bit crumblier once they've been frozen.

Piparkoogid (Estonian Gingersnaps, literally "Pepper Cakes")

These are a traditional part of the Estonian Christmas celebration. They are very thin, crispy, and—depending who is making them—delicious or deliberately awful. (Some Estonians like to make these cookies particularly sharp, almost inedibly so, to commemorate the bitterness of their years in captivity.)

VERSION #1 (from Estonian Tastes and Traditions by Karin Annus Karner)

1 C. sugar

1/4 C. molasses

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 sticks butter

4 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

sprinkles or sliced almonds (opt.)

Yes, there's no ginger in these gingersnaps.

1) Combine the first five ingredients with 1/3 C. water in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils.

2) Remove from heat, add the butter and pepper, and stir until completely melted.

3) Cool to room temperature.

4) Gradually stir in the flour and baking soda until smooth.

5) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times until smooth and all of the flour is well incorporated.

6) Wrap the dough in waxed paper and chill for at least 45 minutes (or up to several days or weeks).

7) When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

8) Divide the dough into four or eight pieces.

9) Roll out one piece at a time to 1/8-in. thickness (or thinner, if you dare).

10) Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place one inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

11) Decorate with sprinkles or slices almonds, if desired.

12) Bake for 6-8 minutes or until slightly brown and slightly firm to the touch.

13) Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then carefully transfer the cookies on wire racks using a thin metal spatula and cool completely.

NOTE: These keep well in an airtight container for about 2 months.

VERSION #2 (from Eesti Kook, Estonian Cooking by Lia Virkus and Harri Ilves)

2 sticks plus 2 Tbsp. margarine (250 g)

1 C. sugar

1 C. dark malt

2 tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. cocoa powder

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

5 C. flour

ICING (opt): 1 egg white, 2 C. icing sugar, a few drops of lemon juice

1) Mix margarine, sugar, spices, and malt in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

2) Remove from heat and cool.

3) Whip with electric mixer until fluffy.

4) Add eggs one at a time and continue to mix.

NOTE: If you prefer crispy gingerbread cookies, mix the dough as little as possible.

5) Wrap dough into plastic wrap and refrigerate, at least until the next day but up to two weeks.

6) When ready to cut cookies out and bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

7) Roll 1/3 of dough on lightly floured surface until thin, then cut cookies out with cookie cutters.

8) Bake for 6-8 minutes.

9) To make optional icing, combine all ingredients. Beat with electric mixer and use immediately.

10) Decorate cookies with icing or colored granulated sugar.

Gluten-Free Cranberry Cookies

1 1/2 C. GF flour blend

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 C. butter, softened

1 C. sugar (I use less)

1 C. brown sugar (I use less)

1 egg

3 Tbsp. hot water

1 tsp. vanilla

3 C. GF rolled oats

2 C. chopped walnuts

2 C. dried sweetened cranberries (Craisins)

1 C. coconut (I use more)

1) Sift together first three ingredients and set aside.

2) Blend next six ingredients together in stand mixer.

3) Add blended dry ingredients and oats alternately to the blended wet ingredients in the stand mixer, incorporating well after each addition.

4) Blend in nuts, cranberries, and coocnut, in that order, incorporating well after each addition.

5) Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a metal cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

6) Bake at 375 degrees for 10-11 minutes.

7) Let rest 2-3 minutes before carefully transfering to wire racks for cooling. (Otherwise they will fall apart! If you're in a hurry, just tranfer the whole parchment paper to the racks. And yes, you can re-use the parchment paper for baking all the batches.)

This makes 4 dozen small cookies. (I haven't tried making larger cookies. I'm not sure they'd stay together well without crumbling.)

Pat's Coconut Bars

I asked my sister for her favorite Christmas treat recipes, and she told me, "I don't make any because Pat makes so much!" (Pat is her wonderful mother-in-law, a great cook and wonderful guest who brings treats along when she comes visiting! Dreamy!) This is my sister's favorite one, so I'm going to give it a whirl for Christmas Eve festivities tonight.

Combine in large stand mixer and beat until well blended (about 2 minutes):
1/2 C. soft butter
1/2 C. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 C. flour

Press above into a greased 8x12 pan. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. (Do not brown!)

In a small mixing bowl, combine:
2 eggs, unbeaten
1/8 tsp. salt
1 C. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 C. chopped nuts
1 C. shredded coconut

Pour this mixture onto pre-baked crust. Bake at 325 degrees for about 24 minutes or until brown.

Cool and cut into squares.

Chai Christmas Cookies

These cookies are adapted from a Taylor Swift recipe we found online. Yummy!

1/2 C. (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/2 C. oil (we used light olive oil)
1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Chai tea bag

1) Preheat over to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease generously.

2) Beat the butter in a stand mixer on medium speed for about a minute. Add the oil. (It will not fully incorporate into the butter, but that's okay.)

3) Add the sugars, egg, and vanilla, beating on medium speed until each ingredient is completely incorporated.

4) Cut open one Chai tea bag and incorporate contents into batter.

5) Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt all at once, using a wooden spoon or the mixer set on low.

6) Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour (or freeze for 15 minutes) so it's easier to handle.

7) For large cookies, dollop 1 Tbsp. of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet about an inch apart. (For smaller cookies, use a teaspoon.) Press the cookies evenly into a circular shape with your palm or fingers. Bear in mind that the cookies will end up larger than they start out, once they're baked.

8) You may top the cookies at this time with a generous sprinkle of granulated sugar, or frost them after baking with Cinnamon Eggnog Icing (see below).

9) Bake for 12-14 minutes for larger cookies, 8-10 minutes for smaller ones.

10) Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely. The cookies will keep for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

Optional Cinnamon Eggnog Icing
1 C. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. group nutmeg
3 Tbsp. eggnog or milk

NOTE: This icing will drip off of the sides of the cookies, so it is best to frost them when they're already on the serving/storage plate instead of on the cooling racks.

Elanore's Black Bean Brownies (Can Be Vegan)

Here are two different gluten-free options for brownies. The first is flourless, while the second uses an all-purpose, gluten-free flour blend. They're different, and both are yummy.

Elanore's Black-Bean Brownies

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 eggs (or use flax eggs for vegan)
3 Tbsp. oil (can use applesauce instead)
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C. granulated sugar (I use coconut sugar)
nuts, to taste (opt., but this helps—texturally—if you like them)
chocolate chips, to taste (get DF for vegan)

Combine ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

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Elanore's Gluten-Free Brownies

Makes 16 large or 25 smaller brownies

1  stick butter OR 8 tablespoons coconut oil for vegan

1 1/4 C. sugar

3/4 C. plus 2 Tbsp. cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2  eggs, cold

1/2 C. GF baking flour (almond flour or brown rice flour work well)

2/3 C. chopped nuts (walnut or pecan)

1)   Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F.

2)   Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

3)   Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a double boiler pot or a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

4)   Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one.

5)   When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well-blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula.

6)   Stir in the nuts (if using). Spread evenly in the lined pan.

7)   Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

8)   Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.      

Grandma Peterson's Saltine Cracker Toffee

Elanore has become a big fan of—and an expert at making—this recipe from our friend Laurie Jones.

1 sleeve saltine crackers (or enough to line your pan)
1 C. butter
1 C. brown sugar
2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 C. chopped pecans

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Line a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

3) Line saltine crackers in a single layer on the foil-covered cookie sheet.

4) In a small saucepan, combine sugar and butter and bring to a boil.

5) Once mixture is at a boil, continue boiling for 3 minutes. (It should be a deep caramel color.)

6) Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely.

7) Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. (It will get all bubbly.)

8) Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Let sit a couple of minutes to melt.

9) Spread melted chocolate into an even layer, then top with chopped nuts.

10) Cool completely (we put it in the freezer) and break into pieces to serve.

Laurie J.'s Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 ¾ c. flour

¾ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 ½ sticks of butter (softened)

½ c. sugar

½ c. light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla (a generous one!)

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (one 12 oz. bag)

Directions:

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the flour, salt, and soda in a separate bowl.

Mix the butter and sugars together.  Add in the egg and vanilla and mix until blended.

Mix half of the flour mixture into the wet mixture.  Add in the other half of the flour mixture and mix until well blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Bake for 9-12 minutes depending on how big your cookie scoop is.  

* I use that big Pampered Chef scoop and generously fill it to overflowing.  Also, I use a little more vanilla than the recipe calls for.

* This is from the Baker’s chocolate chunk bag. I just use the chips instead.

Cheri's Snickers Cookies

1 c. butter (2 sticks)
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 c. flour
1 c. peanut butter
1 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
6 Snickers bars

Mix butters and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir together dry ingredients and mix into sugars. Cut each snickers bar into 8 pieces. I divide the dough into quarters and then each quarter into about 12 portions. Flatten each blob into your hand and put in a piece of candy. Cover it up and roll it a bit. Bake at 350 for 10-14 min. 

Janet's Yummy Homemade Brownies

3/4 C. melted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cooled
1 2/3 C. sugar (I use 1 1/2)
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. water
3/4 C. cocoa
1 1/3 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream sugar and butter.  Add eggs, vanilla, water. Stir in dry blend of cocoa and rest of ingredients.

Spread into 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees as directed below:
If pan is metal, bake 15-18 minutes.
If pan is glass or stoneware, bake 18-22 minutes.

Banana Bread Muffin Tops (SF, GF, Vegan)

Banana Bread Muffin Tops

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, sugar-free

Ultra dense and chewy, these banana bread muffin tops make a great running-out-the-door breakfast or snack. Sweetened with banana and dates, there are no added sugars (and the chocolate chips can be easily swapped for walnuts). Try them warm served with a pat of vegan butter, nut butter, or coconut oil.

Yield
9 large cookies

Prep Time
10 Minutes

Cook time
18 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 large ripe bananas, peeled (230 grams banana without peel)
• 1/2 cup packed pitted Medjool dates (125 grams pitted dates)*
• 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil (applesauce works fine)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats, divided
• 3-4 tablespoons non-dairy chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add the peeled bananas, pitted dates, coconut oil or applesauce, and vanilla into a food processor. Process until smooth. I let it run for a minute or so.
3. Add in the cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and process again until combined.
4. Add in 1.5 cups of the rolled oats and process for only 4-5 seconds, just long enough to roughly chop the oats.
5. Remove processor from the base and then remove the blade and set aside. Carefully stir in the remaining 1/2 cup rolled oats and the chocolate chips.
6. Spoon a large portion of dough (about 3-4 tablespoons or so for each) onto the parchment. Do not press down on the dough to flatten - simply leave it in a mound on the baking sheet.
7. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 7-9 minutes until golden brown on the bottom.
8. Immediately transfer the baking sheet onto a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then lift off muffins and place on the rack to cool completely.

Note: Make sure you use very soft Medjool dates. If you are using firm dates, be sure to soak them in water until softened before proceeding with recipe. (NOTE: This is probably kind to your food processor, but it works fine if you use firm dates without soaking them.)

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2014/01/17/banana-bread-muffin-tops/#ixzz2rVltt13f

Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies (gluten- and grain-free)

These are tastier than you might expect them to be.  I promise you can't taste the chickpeas!  If you can't have grains or gluten, but still want some cookies, these will make you very happy!  The shape and texture are a little different than regular cookies, but they are definitely a yummy grain-free cookie alternative!

Ingredients

1¼  C. (1 can) chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ – ¾ C. natural peanut or almond butter - room temperature
¼ C. honey, agave, or real maple syrup
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
½ C. chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. 

Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky.

With wet hands, form into 1½" balls. Place onto a Silpat or a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls. They don't do much rising. 

Bake for about 10 minutes. The dough balls will still be very soft when you take them out of the oven. 

They will not set like normal cookies.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature (or in the fridge) for up to 1 week.