PBC Cookies: vegan peanut butter cookies

We all know and love peanut butter cookies. And you’ve probably even enjoyed vegan peanut butter cookies.

But, I’m betting you haven’t had a Peanut Butter CHICKPEA Cookie!

I’ve had this recipe in my pocket for what seems like forever. I developed the recipe for Plant-Powered Families, but we ran out of space and I had to cut recipes. #boo

And, this vegan peanut butter cookie was in the works even earlier. A reader emailed years ago requesting a healthy vegan version of a peanut butter cookie recipe she had seen using chickpeas. What a novel idea!

Chickpeas in a peanut butter cookie may sound, uh, nutty at first. #seewhatididthere?

But, peanuts are legumes (not tree nuts) just like chickpeas. So, why not #useyourbean and put them both in vegan peanut butter cookies?!

sidenote: I totally want to create a t-shirt with “use your bean”… think?

I was going to post the recipe soon after the release of PPF, but got to thinking about tweaking it. Dang it when I do that! My mind sets off and before I know it I’m changing the flours, the sweeteners, the fat type… and before I know it I have another five versions of a recipe that was already “finished”.

Intervention, please.

Still, when I reworked these I think I did improve the taste and texture, so it’s all good. And my family didn’t complain. #savages

So it began. First I created these vegan peanut butter cookies with a base of spelt flour, then I tweaked to offer a gluten-free version using oat flour. Then I thought “why not chickpea flour“?

Except one cannot eat raw vegan cookie batter than contains chickpea flour. #ick

So that brought me to the 3rd or 4th iteration of the revised cookies. Then I experimented with using dates in place of sugar. Didn’t work here. Sometimes I love it, other times, not so much. After a couple of trials, I went back to the coconut sugar and maple syrup combo.

One thing I didn’t change? Roasting the chickpeas. So don’t you dare skip it either! #bossymama

For real, that step coaxes out a nuttier – er, legume-ier – flavor. Plus, it helps dry the chickpeas just a tad and gives a better overall flavor and texture for these vegan peanut butter cookies. I did opt to add extra roasted chickpeas to top the cookies before baking. That was a very final tweak (not reflected in the photos here).

Oh, and I give the option of adding some chocolate chips. #surprisesurprise

Enough talking and #ing. On to the recipe!

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4.80 from 5 votes

PBC Cookies (Vegan Peanut Butter Chickpea Cookies)!

Peanut butter pairs with another legume - chickpeas - in this fresh take on vegan peanut butter cookies!

Course Cookies, Dessert

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cooked chickpeas (+ 1-2 tbsp for topping, optional); canned fine, rinse and drain before using roast all chickpeas first, see directions - don't skip this step!
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky is great!) can substitute a nut butter, see note
• 2-3 tbsp pure maple syrup see note
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup oat flour (or chickpea flour) see note, don't eat chickpea flour batter!
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt (scant 1/4 tsp if peanut butter is salted)
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar to sprinkle on top of cookies, optional
• 3-4 tbsp non-dairy chocolate chunks or chips, optional optional idea, see note

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chickpeas on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until they dry out slightly and become a little roasted (mostly want to remove some of the moisture and add nutty flavor). Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and reduce oven temperature to 350. Reserve baking sheet/paper. 

  In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the chickpeas and peanut butter. (If you don’t have a hand-mixer, you will need to first process the chickpeas in a small food processor. The hand mixer will not break down the chickpeas like a paddle on a stand mixer. So, first process with a small processor, then transfer back for hand-mixing). Mix, slowly to start, then at a higher speed until the chickpeas smooth out with the peanut butter. Add the maple syrup (starting with 2 tbsp, see note), vanilla, and molasses and mix again. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients, sifting in baking powder and soda. Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix through until just nicely combined. If the mixture is dry at this point (it can be depending on the moisture in the peanut butter, whether it is a new or older jar), add a touch of milk to help moisten the mix and bring it together. Add 1 teaspoon at a time, and stop once the mixture has formed a ball. Place scoops of the batter (about 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp full) on the reserved baking sheet/paper. Flatten a little with a fork or your fingers. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove and let cool for a minute or two on the pan, then transfer to a cookie sheet to cool completely.

  Makes 14-17 cookies

Notes

• Chickpeas Note: You can easily double this batch, or roast extra chickpeas and refrigerate (for up to a week) for another batch later. 

• PB Note: If the peanut butter is a little thick/dry (like when reaching the end of the jar), you may need a touch more moisture in the cookies. If the batter isn’t coming together, add the extra tablespoon of maple syrup.

• Idea: Try adding a chunk of dark chocolate to each cookie, or mixing in some chips!
• Chickpea Flour Note: I know, we love to eat raw vegan cookie dough! But, chickpea flour tastes nasty. Don't do it! 

food photography credit: Nicole Axworthy

Are you feeling inspired to bake? Let me know how these work out for you, and how you enjoy them (as in with or without chocolate).