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Peanut Butter Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Chef Linda

Special equipment: Food processor

There's an injustice baked into the idea that comfort food and treats have to be unhealthy. Why can't we have our cake eat it–guilt-free, too? That notion fuels my recipe development on many occasions and it has lead to lots of delicious treats and dishes that not only satisfy but nourish as well.

In creating this recipe, I wanted to make it user-friendly–meaning many of the ingredients were familiar and hopefully on hand–but also amp up the healthy-factor somehow. I decided to omit the fat that would typically come from vegan butter or coconut oil and replace it with beans. That's right–beans! Inspired by the notion that the beans in popular black bean brownies are imperceptible to the tastebuds but welcomed by our bodies for lots of reasons, I turned to beans again to try and achieve a moist, soft, delicious cookie. And while this recipe uses flour and sugar, these cookies do introduce a heaping dose of fiber and plant-protein along with lots of scrumptious peanut buttery-chocolate taste!

Peanut Butter Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies

YIELDS
2 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS

 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (try swapping out 1/2 cup AP flour for a healthier flour made from teff, chickpeas, or quinoa)

 ½ cup cocoa powder

 2 tsp cornstarchoptional, but makes the cookies extra tender

 1 tsp baking powder

 1 tsp salt

 1 (14.5 ounce) can white or black beans, drained and rinsed

 ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons non-dairy milksweetened or unsweetened is fine

 1 cup unsalted peanut butter, smooth or crunchyif you have salted peanut butter, reduce or omit the added salt

 1 cup brown sugaror substitute a healthier sweetener like coconut sugar or date sugar

 2 tsp vanilla extract

 1 ½ cups vegan semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips

 ½ cup granulated sugar, optional for rolling

DIRECTIONS

1

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Place the beans and milk in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla. Pulse until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to just barely combine. Add the chocolate chips and stir to fully incorporate.

Place the granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Using a portion scoop or tablespoon, form the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll the balls in the sugar then place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking tray. Use a fork or your fingers to press down and flatten, making a criss-cross pattern if you like.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the bottoms are light brown. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or store in a sealed container for up to a week, though they probably won't last that long. Freeze in plastic bags for several months.

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CategoryAdd Love + Stir, Desserts/Treats, Fall, Nut Free, Soy Free, Spring, Summer, WinterTags#comfortfood, #cookies

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