I'm going to take this recipe down a peg from the very start because it sounds, at least to me, like something totally novel and groundbreaking. It's not. It's simply a modification of my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe . . . using sunflower butter. I did change around the ingredients a bit to suit the roasted seed spread, which has a higher salt content than the natural peanut butter I typically use.
You can find sunflower butter (I used SunButter) in the natural foods section at your grocery store (that's where they stow it at Wegmans). But I found mine in an unlikely place: Target. I went to Target during lunch one day and found myself in the food section (definitely not the place to go if you're tying to eat whole foods, that's for sure!). It looked interesting, and now I'm hooked. But much like with my new favorite (the MaraNatha Dark Chocolate Almond Spread), it's kind of pricey ($6 per jar).
What's cool about sunflower butter is that just one serving packs one-third less saturated fat than peanut butter. As well, you'll enjoy 27 percent of a day's recommended allowance of vitamin E. If not for that, it's at least worth buying once so you can make this awesome vegan recipe and enjoy the rest in some oatmeal (with strawberry jam and bananas!).
What you'll need . . .
- 1/2 cup sunflower butter
- 1/2 cup Earth Balance (or your favorite butter substitute)
- 1 cup natural granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup natural, unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or a mix of white and wheat)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
Method . . .
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a cookie sheet by covering it with a sheet of parchment paper (for easy cleanup).
- Cream together the sunflower butter, Earth Balance, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Stir in the applesauce and vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add this dry mixture to the wet with a spatula and mix until combined (but do not over mix).
- Stir in the chocolate chips. Plop heaping tablespoons of dough onto your cookie sheet -- spacing them about two inches apart. Then press the dough down with the back of a fork.
- Bake for approximately 10 minutes -- until golden brown.
12 comments:
Have you considered making your own sunbutter, or other nut butters? I gave up buying them a long time ago, because it's SO much cheaper to make it yourself (which is helpful to cutting the grocery bill). You can buy a whole lotta bulk sunflower seeds for six bucks.
I also like making my own, because the Sunbutter brand adds sugar and salt, neither of which I want in my nut/seed butters, and it also has some preservatives. I make up a batch, and then if the husband or the boy want it sweetened, they use something much better than refined white sugar to do so, usually honey, but sometimes agave.
Anyway, I'm also kind of a hippie, but it's worth considering. It's so much more economical!
Have you ever considered making your own nut butters? I don't know how cost-effective it would be for peanut or almond, but it prob would be for the sunbutter. I make my own cashew butter and pumpkin seed butter. They are not near as smooth and creamy as store-bought, but you can flavor them to your liking.
Ha! Laura and I had the same idea! Great minds think alike.
I love sunflower seed butter, so I know these cookies are probably delicious. I will definitely try them out soon! :)
Laura and Sunshine -- you two are so right. I really should just start making my own. And I'm kind of a hippie, too, I'm finding out. So, this is totally up my alley. :) I'll have to let y'all know how it turns out when I try it. Thanks!
Jessie -- you'll be happy you did! So amazing.
Um...hi...YUM...thank you...or maybe not? hehe
Looks awesome! Target during lunch? I miss our lunchtime retail therapy, you hippie. :o)
When you use applesauce in cookies, do they still come out crunchy-ish? I'm always afraid to use applesauce - I'm not a fan of cakey cookies!
Hi! What a great idea. My son has a peanut allergy. I'm linking to this on my health blog for Glamour magazine tomorrow. Hope it's OK to use a photo. I will give attribution and link back to you for the recipe, of course. Cute blog! xo
Glad to help, Sarah. No worries on using the photo. Just give us credit and we're good <3
Since peanut butter is "outlaws" at Vivien's daycare we do sunbutter and jelly sandwiches and she loves it. Thought I was the only person buying this overpriced jar of faux pb! ;)
-- Heather
made these today and yum!!! they are a little flat though. is it important to use the butter substitute? i used real butter. or maybe i put too much applesauce in?
i am also curious what the difference is between pastry flour and all purpose flour?
Post a Comment