Peanut Butter Cookies (gluten-free and vegan)
30 cookies
For all ingredients, please use those that are organic or grown without pesticides.
 
1/ cup creamy peanut butter, unsalted and unsweetened
2/3 cup palm sugar (light brown sugar is ok)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (refined will have less coconut flavor than unrefined)
4 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons almond, soy, or rice milk
1 1/4 cups gluten-free all purpose flour (Bob’s Red Mill or Cup 4 Cup)
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
 
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, sugar, coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and almond milk.
In a medium size bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Use a 1 1/4 inch ice cream scoop with squeeze release handles or 2 small spoons to divide the dough for the cookies. Roll the pieces into balls and arrange on parchment lined baking sheets. The dough will be very oily. There is nothing wrong with it other than that it will make your hands greasy.
Use the tines of a fork to press the cookies first in one direction and again perpendicular to the first press.
Put the trays in the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies are firm to the touch.
If you prefer them to be a bit crisper, bake for an additional 2-3 minutes until the cookies start to brown around the edges. Since the recipe is vegan and gluten-free, they will be somewhat chewy in the center by the next day regardless of the cooking time.