Better Brighter Bigger Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Better Brighter Bigger Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies 

Gluten-Free, of course!

I worked up a version of this recipe of couple of weeks ago, and I was okay with it. Then, my elder California daughter came home and stated, "Why can't we just have good Christmas cookies?"

That's when I realized that I was doing exactly what I had said I wasn't going to do. I was settling for good enough instead of great, fantastic tasting food. Look how quickly I learned that delicious gluten-free foods are the exception, not the norm.

So, today, while I was making up another batch of my gluten-free all purpose flour, link to recipe  I came across flours that I had kind of forgotten about. Most importantly, oat flour. I have decided to try this flour to add more structure to the Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies. Also, since the original, full gluten recipe has butter in it, I am adding 'butter' into this recipe, as well.

And, finally, I am increasing the amount of baking soda to give these cookies more airiness and a cake-like, less gritty texture. Also, more vanilla is always welcome, in my book. That is a personal preference, as always.

Natalie, getting up late, after having worked late into the night, tastes this new recipe after all of the cookies are out of the oven and cooled. One bite in, she says the cookie's peanut buttery flavor bursts into her mouth. 

A soft cookie, it holds itself together better than the average gluten-free cookie. In fact, other than being a bit grittier than typical peanut butter cookies, these are about as close to a 'normal' wheat flour cookie that we have come.

Better Brighter Bigger Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies 

Ingredients:

30 Brach’s Chocolate Stars

1 cup creamy Peanut Butter

1/3 cup dairy free butter (I use olive oil based)

1/2 cup all purpose gluten free flour

1/4 cup gluten free oat flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar light or dark (I use whatever I happen to have on hand)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust depending upon peanut butter and personal taste)

1 egg or two egg yolks

Additional granulated sugar for rolling

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F.

Beat peanut butter, dairy-free butter, sugars and vanilla together in a large bowl or stand mixing bowl. Add egg and beat mixture well.

Mix all purpose gluten-free flour, oat flour, baking soda and salt together in separate bowl. 

Then, add to peanut butter mixture. Beat well.

Shape dough into I ¼ inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on parchment paper on cookie sheet or onto ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly.

Original batch of Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies 

above new recipe below

Bake 8 minutes. 

Press a chocolate star into center of each cookie. Bake for an additional 2 minutes. 

Cool a few minutes before removing from cookie sheet to wire rack. Remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.