Spiced peanut butter cookies

Spicy peanut butter cookies

4
Points®
Total Time
1 hr
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Serves
30
Difficulty
Easy
If the classic crosshatch pattern doesn't tell you they are peanut butter, the deep nutty flavor will. These cookies pack a protein punch, thanks to our secret ingredient: canned chickpeas. The legumes replace much of the butter you’d often find in cookie dough, while echoing and deepening the nutty taste of the peanut butter. Whole wheat flour replaces traditional flour for an earthy note while a bit of crushed red pepper adds a hint of heat. If you'd rather skip the heat, you can easily omit it. Try serving these for a fun dinner party dessert to evoke nostalgia with an adult twist. Store any uneaten cookies in an airtight container to maintain their freshness.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

4 spray(s), (optional)

Canned chickpeas

½ cup(s), undrained

Whole wheat flour

1 cup(s)

Table salt

½ tsp

Baking soda

½ tsp

Red pepper flakes

¼ tsp, or more to taste

Reduced sodium peanut butter

1 cup(s)

Packed light brown sugar

¾ cup(s)

Unsalted butter

¼ cup(s), softened

Egg

1 large egg(s)

Vanilla extract

1 tsp

Instructions

  1. Arrange oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper (or coat with nonstick spray); set aside.
  2. Into a 1-cup measuring cup, pour chickpeas. Add enough liquid from can just to cover chickpeas. Transfer to a blender or mini food processor and puree until smooth.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda, and red pepper flakes; set aside. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat peanut butter, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla, then pureed chickpeas. Using mixer on low speed, beat in flour mixture to just blend.
  4. Shape dough into 30 balls, each 1 rounded tbsp. On prepared baking sheets, arrange dough, leaving at least 2 inches between rounds. Using the palm of your hand, press each ball down to flatten. Using the back of a fork, press a crosshatch pattern onto the top of each cookie.
  5. Bake until cookies turn slightly golden, rotating pans halfway through baking, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Serving size: 1 cookie