Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
Back to school (for the husband). Back to routine. And back to eating healthy. My, has summer done a number on us. Our consistent workout patterns have been, let’s just say, more organic. Our healthy eating patterns have been in hibernation. And our routine in general has been on vacation.
I used to hate routine. It felt too trite. Too redundant. Leaving no room for spontaneity. Maybe I’m growing up or maybe I’ve been working for the man too long, but I’m coming around to routine. I’d even go so far as to say—I like it. Let me explain with this little illustration. By day, I work as a graphic designer. When I approach a project, a blank computer screen, it’s comforting to know the boundaries. Boundaries meaning the borders in which I can create. And within those borders, I can more clearly exercise my creativity. Without borders, the options are endless and the decisions are ambiguous. (And there’s greater potential for unhappy clients. No thank you!)
This is how I feel about routine. Or better yet, structure. Having parameters around my day, week, and month help me to make decisions on how to fill that time. It makes me a bit more sane. And a tiny bit happier. Who am I kidding, it makes me a lot happier. With no structure, I’m a big fat grump. [Insert Saturday mornings.] I wake up in a fowl mood if we don’t have a plan for the day. Sitting is my least favorite activity. Still working through this one as my husband prefers to relax, rightly so. I realize I am abnormal.
But to keep some normalcy, I need structure. I need routine. I need to work out. And I need to eat healthy…cookies. Or else I’m a grump.
And these cookies fit the bill. Check out the ingredient list. I was a little apprehensive at first, but they turned out quite nice. And they’re a perfect addition to the lunch box. With this blog as my witness, no matter how healthy I eat, I will always crave sweets. By the way, these cookies are vegan friendly as long as you use vegan chocolate.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl combine peanut butter, maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla. (Tip: add a little olive oil to your measuring cup before adding the peanut butter. This will help it to release from the cup without sticking.) Whisk until combined and smooth. Pour the flour mixture over the peanut butter mixture and stir until just combined.
- Meanwhile, coarsely chop dark chocolate. Add to cookie mixture, and stir to combine.
- Using a small ice cream scoop, place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets (about 1 heaping tablespoon in size). Place in freezer for 15 minutes to help cookies hold their shape.
- Using the back of a fork, make a criss-cross pattern in cookies. Bake for 10-13 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
Recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks.
These look amazing- almost too good… are you sure they are healthy? Or, are you just calling them healthy to justify making and eating them?
Pinky promise they are healthy! But most of the time the latter is true. Ha! You found me out
We have a ton right now if you want to stop by and try one.
I feel the exact same way about having boundaries and a routine. I used to have such bad insomnia, but all it took was waking up and going to bed at the same time everyday to start sleeping peacefully again.
Anyway, I love peanut butter cookies, but almost never make them. It looks like I can make these and not have to feel guilty! Can’t wait to try them.
These look too good to be healthy. Lol! I shall try them anyway. Healthy or not they look incredible. I have a weakness for peanut butter cookies. Which is odd as I don’t care for peanut butter much.
I’m not a huge peanut butter dessert person either, but I love these little guys!
The peanut butter cookies look divine. Your blog is absolutely wonderful – great photos, delicious food, and very entertaining. I’m glad to have found it.
Oh man! These look good! Love me some peanut butter cookies. You throw healthy in the title and I lose all guilt!
I wake up in a fowl mood if I don’t have a plan either!!! Even if my only plan involves working out and baking cookies, that’s fine, at least there’s SOME plan in the works. I absolutely love peanut butter and adore maple, so I’m gonna have to give these little guys a try!
These look great, I’m always looking for healthy, yummy alternatives!
Low on chocolate chips that i could eat (dairy and soy allergy) and absolutely craving chocolate chip cookies, I realized I had to settle and I found this recipe. Baking them right now, and I have a grand feeling I didn’t settle at all! Thanks for the post…the batter is delicious.
[...] everything on hand to make it. It’s time you know—I’m not much of a meal planner. A couple posts ago, I told you that I love routine, which I do. But I also love organized spontaneity. Oxymoron, I [...]
I just found your blog and it’s a favorite already! I made these cookies tonight for dessert after a BBQ with 10 friends. They were a hit with everyone, young and old.
I’ve already made plans to try several recipes in the next couple of weeks. Thanks!
Cool recipe, the only thing I would change is using coconut oil instead of olive oil. EEVO, while VERY healthy in it’s raw form, is rancid and toxic when heated. Heat changes the molecular structure of the oil. Lots of people don’t know this, you should do some research into it to learn. Many healthy oils become unhealthy when cooked, and coconut oil is a great oil to cook with and very healthy as well!
You could also substitute wheat flour for oat or quinoa flour to get even more added health benefits.
[...] Healthy peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips [...]
What are the Calries for each cookie?
Hmm…not sure. I think there’s a way to figure it out online.
109 calories per cookie!
Ah, thank you!
[...] die Woche backen scheint ja tatsächlich zur Regel zu werden, diesmal fiel die Wahl auf Erdnussbutter Cookies, die ziemlich gut geworden sind und übrigens auch für die vegane Ernährung geeignet sind. Nur [...]
Holy bejesus! I’ve only tasted the batter so far and am already claiming these as my new favorite cookie!! They are baking now and I’m excited. You had me at ‘Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies’ with dark chocolate!
[...] healthy peanut butter cookies [...]