Peanut Butter Cookies

Whenever I make these cookies, they rarely last a few days. Additionally, they are incredibly easy to make, and only have 3 ingredients. The following recipe is for a single batch (12-18 cookies), but the pictures are of a double batch (24-30 cookies). Also please note my guesstimates of the cookie yields may be a little off as Jeremy, my husband, tends to eat the dough as I'm making them.

Ingredients
1 c. creamy peanut butter*
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. egg substitute (1 egg)
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Mix all ingredients in a mixer until well combined.

Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Roll dough into 1" to 1 1/2" balls. Press down with a fork to make cross pattern. I added mini chocolate chips to the top of some of mine, after the fork press, and then pushed them in with the second press.

ENJOY!

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*NOTE: You could also use chunky peanut butter, but we have not tried it yet.

Chocolate Molasses Cookies

This fantastic cookie recipe is minorly adapted from King Arthur Flour. Just writing this makes me want to pick them off my screen and eat them. That being said though, both Jeremy and I are huge fans of molasses and feel that these are basically the holidays in cookie form.

Ingredients
1 3/4 c. flour blend
1/3 c. baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 tsp. xanthan gum
3/4 c. shortening
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. egg substitute (1 egg)
1/3 c. molasses
granulated sugar

Directions

Thoroughly combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and xanthan gum.

With an electric mixer, mix shortening and sugar together until fluffy. Add egg and molasses. Be sure to scrape the edges of the bowl with a spatula regularly.

Add dry mixture and continue mixing until well combined. Refrigerate dough for at least an hour, or up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Make tablespoon sized balls, and roll in granulated sugar. Press down lightly to flatten some on cookie sheet (they will not spread too much).

Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, until just set, and slightly cracked on top. Let cool on cookie sheet before removing.

Move to cooling rack.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is by far one of my favorite cookie recipes. However, I have to give all the credit to King Arthur Flour, which is where I got the recipe from. There are only a couple of changes that I have made in order to make "Kyle-Friendly". Definitely a keeper! (Yields about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients
1 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons gf vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup egg beaters (or 2 large eggs)
2 1/3 cups King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour Blend
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions
This recipe works best if made with an electric mixer, but it can be done by hand. The main difference is that they seem a little fluffier (before and after baking) when made with a mixer.

Beat the shortening, sugars, vanilla and salt till fluffy.

Beat in the eggs 1/4 cup at a time, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl part way through, to make sure everything is well mixed.

Whisk together the flour or flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add the dry ingredients into the shortening mixture, and mix on low until well blended. Then increase the speed (if using an electric mixer) and let mix for about a minute or two until the dough looks fluffy. Scrape down the bowl.

Remove the mixer attachment and mix in the chocolate chips by hand (they won't get as beaten up this way.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour, or for up to 2 days. If your mixing bowl does not have a top use saran wrap, or I like to transfer mine to a large mixing bowl that has a lid. (Refrigeration is a must!)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease a couple of baking sheets with non-stick spray, or line with parchment paper. (I have forgotten to do this a number of times, it is usually only an issue if you don't use shortening.)

Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between the cookies so they can spread. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, to set, before transferring to racks to cool completely.

ENJOY!