Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

When a friend is hurting, what can you do?

One of my nearest and dearest is really going through a rough time. Without going too much into detail, her teenage granddaughter has gotten herself mixed up with a bad crowd, and is now going through the painful process of learning that there are consequences for one's actions.

Watching it all happen has been difficult--for the girl's grandmother, and for me. It's strange to be on the other side of it all. I remember being that young, and thinking that adults couldn't possibly understand.

We do.

I want to help... somehow. I find myself feeling inadequately prepared, wanting to do something but not knowing what. So I listen. I offer to drive when we go somewhere. We have lunch together.

And I made some cookies.



I figured a few delicious cookies were in order. I made two different kinds of cookies from the same recipe: plain, with sliced almonds, and some made in mini-muffin tin and topped with a blob of seedless raspberry no-sugar-added-fruit-sweetened jelly: a pb&j cookie.


I made these sugar-free because of dietary needs--but can be made with regular sugar. They're are also gluten-free.

These are so good... I hope they offer my friend a few moments of enjoyment during this difficult time.


Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
makes about 2 dozen
from Kalyn's recipe


1 large egg
1 cup sugar or sweetener of choice (I used Whey Low Granular Type D)

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used homemade vanilla extract)

1 cup natural peanut butter
1 tsp. water
1/3 cup chopped peanuts (optional)(I used sliced almonds... chocolate chips would be great here, too.)

Preheat oven to 350*F.

In a bowl, beat together the egg, sugar/sub, baking powder, and vanilla until creamy. Add peanut butter and water and beat together.

Stir in nuts if using.

For regular cookies:
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Press with tines of a fork to make cross-hatch pattern. Bake 15 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned. They will be soft to the touch.

Allow to cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. Cookies will firm up as they cool.

For PB&J cookies:
Fill greased mini-muffin tins about half-full with cookie dough. Press flat with fingers or back of a spoon. Bake about 10-15 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes in tin, then carefully remove to a cooling rack. Top with sugar-free jelly of choice.



This is my entry for SHF: Sweet Gifts, hosted by the talented Danielle of Habeas Brulee. See the roundup of many delicious sweet gifts here.

12 comments:

Mary said...

These look really good. And I happen to run out of flour on a fairly regular basis. I'll have to keep these in mind.

Kalyn Denny said...

I'm so happy to hear that you liked the cookies and even more that they may give your friend something to take pleasure in during a difficult time. You sound like a great friend.

Amanda said...

Mary--you'll love these, I promise!

Hi, Kalyn! What a superb recipe--I've been meaning to try this forever and finally did. It's definitely going into my frequently-made cookie recipe file! I know that my friend is enjoying them this very night!

Naomi Devlin said...

What a great friend. Cookies and company (isn't that a Joni Mitchell song?). Wish someone would bake up a batch of these and take me out for lunch when I get mixed up with the wrong crowd.

x x x

Amanda said...

Well thanks, Naomi. And if you were near me I'd make you cookies and take you out to lunch, girl.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry about what your friend is going through. How nice it is to have friends that care like you!

The cookies look awesome!

Amanda said...

Hi, Lu-li-lu-lu!

I talked with my friend today; she is dealing. She enjoyed the cookies while away for a few days to 'regroup.'

Thanks--your comments are always a pleasure to read.

The Apron Queen said...

The heck with cooking supper! I'm making a bunch of desserts after reading SHF!!

Stop by for a visit. I'll even save one of my baked apples for you! :D

Confessions of an Apron Queen: http://anapronaday.blogspot.com

Amanda said...

Hey, apron queen! Thanks for coming through... I'll definitely be coming to your place to see those cinnamon apples--they sound great!

Joy @ Joy Of Desserts said...

That is so nice of you. I'm sure she will enjoy greatly.
Thanks for posting the variations.

Amanda said...

Hi, Joy, thanks for stopping in! My friend did, in fact, enjoy the cookies.

Now I'm tempted to make more...

Anonymous said...

ljobzraozrsxtfujesdw, http://nailfunguscurecuretreatment.com Nail fungus cure, pBipzPz?

LinkWithin Related Stories Widget for Blogs