Looking for an ooey-gooey peanut butter chocolate chip cookie that tastes sinfully delicious but won’t send your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride? Well, my friend, you’ve found it. These soft-baked peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are a treat you can enjoy without any guilt. They are vegan, oil-free, whole food plant-based and free of refined sugars. They’re even high in protein and fibre due to a special ingredient. Give them a try, they might just become your new favourite.
Inspiration
Both of my daughters eat whole food plant-based with us. While my oldest is pretty adventurous and willing to try new foods, her younger sister is not as enthusiastic. Yes, my youngest is a bit of a picky eater and texture is a big hurdle for her. So, beans aren’t exactly her favourite, unless you manage to hide them really well.
That’s where my idea came from for these cookies. I had previously developed a recipe for double chocolate mint cookies that were made from chickpeas. They turned out so good that nobody had any clue that they were made from a legume. Perhaps I was testing my luck, but I decided to try it again, this time, with the humble white bean.
White beans are milder in flavour than chickpeas, but also high in protein, fibre and iron. Why not try and make a sweet treat from a healthy food? That’s definitely an idea I can get behind. So, I got to work and I have to tell you, I was pleasantly surprised by the results. These soft-baked peanut butter chocolate chip cookies were a huge crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
I wanted these peanut butter cookies to be easy to whip up. They are made from simple ingredients that you may already have hanging around in your pantry.
To make up these morsels of deliciousness, you will need:
White beans (any variety, white just allows them to camouflage as flour)
Natural peanut butter
Maple syrup
Apple cider vinegar
Baking soda
Date sugar (or coconut sugar)
Vanilla (powder or pure extract)
Salt
Dairy-free chocolate chips
Making Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
It’s easy to love a delicious treat. Even easier to love a healthy delicious treat. But when you make them easy to whip up too, you’ve found the dessert trifecta! Healthy, delicious and easy to make.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then pull out your food processor, it’s going to do all of the heavy lifting for you.
If you’re using canned beans, be sure to choose an unsalted variety. Drain them in a fine-mesh strainer and give them a good rinse.
Add the beans, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and apple cider vinegar to the food processor. Puree until the beans are broken down into a smooth dough. (Stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed).
Then add the dry ingredients (date sugar, baking soda and salt) and pulse until they are fully incorporated. Then, add the chocolate chips and pulse until they are mixed into the batter.
Next, Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Then, spoon the batter onto the baking sheets in tablespoon-sized drops. (I used a 1.5 tbsp sized cookie scoop)
Using the back of a fork or clean, wet fingers, flatten the dough balls into cookie shapes. They will not spread much when baked.
Move the cookie sheets to the oven and bake for 13-18 minutes, until edges begin to brown.
Adjustments
You can substitute cocoa nibs in place of the chocolate chips. Or, omit the chocolate chips if you prefer a tender peanut butter cookie.
For added texture, you can add some chopped peanuts, slivered almonds or even pumpkin seeds. Feel free to experiment with different add-ins to change them up.
The next time your sweet tooth strikes, whip up a batch of these delightful bites.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
These soft-baked peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are unreal. A crowd-pleaser made from healthy whole food ingredients. What's not to love?
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked white beans (or 1 19 oz can, unsalted beans, drained and rinsed)
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 2 tbsp date syrup (or maple syrup)
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (or 1/2 tsp vanilla powder)
Dry Ingredients
- 4 tbsp date sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Add all wet ingredients to a food processor, and puree until the beans are fully broken down and the mixture resembles a thick dough. (Stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed).
- Add date sugar, baking soda and salt to the food processor and pulse until they are fully incorporated into the dough.
- Then add the chocolate chips and pulse until combined.
- Drop in tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the cookie sheets.
- Flatten slightly with the back of a fork or clean, wet fingers.
- Move the baking sheets to the oven and bake for 14-18 minutes, until edges are beginning to brown.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before handling. They will firm up as they cool.
Notes
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Tried this recipe? Tag me on Instagram (@mentalforlentils) and use #mentalforlentils. I love to see what you’re whipping up in your kitchen.
