Peanut Blossoms Gluten-Free veganCrisp-chewy peanut-butter cookies are topped with peanut butter cups or chocolate chunks, for a gluten-free (and vegan) version of this classic cookie. These cookies are featured in my book, Golden Angels: A Pet Loss Memoir.

These go by a number of names: thumbprints, peanut blossoms, peanut kiss cookies. By any name they are delicious. My friend Caroline used to make these at Christmas, and they were always a favorite of mine. Recently, when The Husband brought home a bag of mini peanut-butter cups, I decided to renovate this recipe to make it gluten-free. If you can find vegan peanut butter cups or vegan semi-sweet chocolate chunks, these cookies are vegan. For people with peanut allergies, you can use sunflower seed butter and just the chocolate chunks. Everyone wins!

Suitable for:
vegan, gluten-free, low-sodium, reduced-sugar diets

Not for:
low-sodium or migraine diets

All of our recipes are gluten-free, refined-sugar-free, and made with plant-based ingredients to help you build a healthy life. Look for midweek essays and giveaways on Fridays (when available). Today’s post is a recipe from my book: Golden Angels: A Pet Loss Memoir, now on sale for Amazon Kindle.

Peanut Blossoms Gluten-Free vegan

Peanut butter blossom cookies

Delicious, classic cookies, made without refined sugar, dairy-free, and also a nut-free version.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 27 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 2 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free) sifted (110 g)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup Earth Balance (60 g)
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter (natural) or sunflower seed butter (60 g)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (organic) maple sugar, organic cane sugar (80 g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp flax seeds (ground)
  • 2 tbsp water (filtered or spring) (30 ml)
  • 24 dark chocolate (semi-sweet) large chips, chunks, or peanut butter cups

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375F/170C/gas mark 5. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Sift together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt.
  • Put the ground flax seeds in a deep mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl) with the water. Let stand five minutes. Cream the margarine, nut butter, sugar, and vanilla together with the flax meal.
  • Add the flour mixture; mix well. Chill in the freezer for 30-45 minutes until very firm.
  • Take a level tablespoon of dough and roll between your palms into a round ball. Roll lightly in more of your granulated sugar. Place on the prepared cookie sheets, then flatten with your hand. Bake in preheated oven 8 minutes, rotating the pans at 4 minutes so the cookies bake evenly.
  • While the cookies are baking, unwrap your chocolates.
  • Pull out the warm cookies and press one chocolate into the center of each cookie. Return to the oven and bake 3-4 minutes more.
  • Cool on wire racks. Store in metal cookie tins for best results.

Notes

Per cookie:
  • 111 calories
  • 6 g fat
  • 2 g saturated fat
  • 1 g monounsaturated fat
  • 1 g polyunsaturated fat
  • 0 g trans fat
  • 5 g cholesterol
  • 250 mg sodium (201mg sodium with salt omitted)
  • 2 mg potassium
  • 14 g carbohydrate
  • 2 g fiber
  • 9 g sugars
  • 2 g protein
  • 3 Weight Watchers Points Plus
I used half gluten-free oat flour, and half Bob's Red Mill all-purpose baking mix, which is a blend that includes bean flours. If you can eat peanuts, use peanut butter for the most authentic flavor, but sunflower seed butter also tastes great. Use whatever kind of granulated sugar product works best for you: maple sugar, organic cane sugar, palm sugar, Florida crystals, etc. If you use vegan chocolates, these are vegan.