Chocolate Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies
I have always been and always will be a massive cookie monster. Not in size, i’m more on the slim side, but you wouldn’t guess that if you saw the quantity of cookies I can munch down in one sitting. Tea and biscuits, the traditional English afternoon treat, is my all time favourite thing to eat. Any suggestion of tea and biscuits is like music to my ears – if they turn out to be non vegan biscuits, my heart sinks a little. Fear not with these bad boys though! They are entirely vegan and ethical, on top of being gluten-free. What magic is this? You may have heard of this witchcraft – it’s called Aquafaba. Aquafaba is chickpea brine, which resembles the texture of egg whites and is therefore fabulous for vegan baking. The science of baking is a little beyond me, I generally just wing it and I have a knack of just knowing when things will work out; its a gift.
On the Aquafaba hype too? Try out my Cocoa Coconut Macaroons that use whipped Aquafaba! Mm!
So these cookies then. We know they’re vegan, gluten-free and magic, yet they are also soft bake and gooey – my favourite kind. Despite being a lovely moist texture, they are oil free! Natural oils only occurring in the peanut butter. Furthermore, you’ll notice there isn’t even any flour in this recipe. Simple cookies are better cookies and I know that 90% of you wouldn’t want to waste loads of time measuring out your teff, buckwheat and sorghum flour. Instead, there is a combo of cocoa powder and coconut sugar that mixes in with the aquafaba and peanut butter. Easy enough for any amateur baker.
I’d say it was essential to use crunchy peanut butter in this recipe as it adds a contrasting texture to the softness on the cookies. You could also use a crunch almond butter or cashew butter for a completely different flavour!
Make sure you’re using a reasonable runny nut-butter. The recipe WON’T work if you’re using a very stiff nut butter.
Try out this simple cookie recipe and chill out with some soft baked yums.
- 5 tbsp. aquafaba (unsalted chickpea brine)
- ½ cup crunchy peanut butter*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt (only if your peanut butter doesn't contain salt)
- Preheat your oven to 350F/180C/Gas mark 4 and line two baking sheets
- In a large bowl, mix together the aquafaba, crunchy peanut butter and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the cocoa, coconut sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spoon until a soft dough.
- Use an ice cream scoop or a ⅛ cup to scoop out the mixture and transfer to the baking sheet. Squash with your hand till about ½" inch thick and mould into a circle. Repeat. You should get about 9 cookies.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes. Add on a extra minute if you wanted them less soft.
- Let cool on a wire rack for about 1 hour. Keep in a airtight box up to 4 days.
* make sure you have a reasonably runny nut butter. You don't want to use a firm, hard nut butter as it wont work.
Has anyone else made these? The proportions were completely off. I had to modify this recipe a LOT. Not recommended.
Hi Zilda, I’m sorry to hear they didn’t work for you. I have made these cookies several times with no problems. This could be down to your type of peanut butter. I used Meridian Crunchy Peanut Butter mixed very well so it’s quite creamy and easily slides off the spoon. Out of interest, what was the problem? What did you have to add?
Great Recipe, made these for a charity concert, and despite being vegan were the first to sell out! ;D Took about half an hour longer than expected though.
That’s great to hear Ella!! How exciting. Hope you kept one back for yourself!
Took half an hour longer to make or to cook? I guess the prep time is very personal – hard to say how long it will take people to prep recipes.
Thanks for letting me know how you got on with the cookies x