Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
The ultimate American cookie, second only to the chocolate chip cookie. This summer I was asked by a dear friend to make vegan cookies for a small, socially-distanced gathering the next morning and initially I thought “vegan? no.” It’s not that I’m judgemental or inflexible (though typing that out I realise my family might disagree), it’s more that vegan baking is usually not my strength, and we were in the middle of a heatwave. (Also, I think it’s perfectly OK not to enjoy cooking food tailored for specific people, FAMILY.) I needed something that 1. had ingredients that I already had so I didn’t have to go outside into the inferno and 2. wouldn’t be terrible. Enter: the humble peanut butter cookie.
Being the redwhiteandblueblooded Americans we are (see this post), we always have tons of peanut butter in the house, and the rest of the ingredients are just standard cupboard dwellers for anyone who bakes. The non-dairy milk can, of course, be substituted with regular milk. They’re incredibly easy to make — just one bowl, one spoon, one tray. One very happy socially-distanced gathering.
VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Makes 20 - 30 cookies. Keeps well in an airtight container.
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy, salted or unsalted)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup non-dairy milk (any kind will work)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (if you’ve got it)
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda (baking powder will work, too)
a big pinch of fine salt
Preheat the oven to 350 F/175 C.
In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter and sugar until creamy, then stir in the milk substitute and vanilla. Next, add the flour, baking soda and salt, and mix to combine. The dough will be pretty stiff.
Using your hands, roll the dough into little balls and spread them out on one or two baking sheets, leaving 1” between them. Using the back of a fork dipped in sugar (and/or salt!), criss-cross the dough to flatten slightly.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 or so minutes, until the edges are firm to the touch. Let cool a few minutes then transfer to wire rack and repeat with remaining dough.
