Chocolate + Peanut Butter (Flourless) Cookies
Not to disrespect jelly in any way, but if someone says, “Goes together like peanut butter and…” in my presence, my response is going to be “CHOCOLATE!”
I mean, there’s a reason those totally cheesy peanut butter cup commercials worked, and it’s because the pairing of the two flavors really does seem a little miraculous. Each has a distinctly different richness to it, the salty-sweet of the peanut butter complements the chocolate’s bitter notes, and in many forms, the textures play off one another nicely. I’ve swirled peanut butter into brownies, whipped it into buttercream to frost chocolate cakes, packed peanut butter cookies with milk chocolate chips, filled a chocolate cookie crust with peanut butter cheesecake (drizzled in chocolate sauce, of course), and have even been known to drizzle melted peanut butter onto chocolate ice cream. One of the things I’ve liked most is the way the two elements tend to remain distinct while harmonizing so well.
Little did I know.
I’m not sure I would ever have intentionally set out to create a bake that delivers peanut butter and chocolate as a fully unified flavor — or that it could be this good!
This recipe came about in a pursuit to make a truly delicious cookie that we and a dear friend with celiac disease would all enjoy. (PLEASE NOTE that many of the rolled oats on the market are produced in facilities that also process wheat products — and will usually have a warning about potential cross-contamination on the package. If you’re baking for someone who eats gluten-free for medical reasons, be sure you are using products certified gluten-free.) I haven’t yet tried it, but if you want to make these vegan, I’m sure flax eggs and plant-based butter would sub in just fine.
Every bite of these decadently rich and chewy cookies tastes completely like peanut butter AND completely like chocolate. That might be why I like the addition of chocolate chips and chopped peanuts so much, just to give each its own little moment. But if you have a deep aversion to nuts in your cookies, I’d wager these will still be perfectly yummy without them.
Enjoy!
These are some of the items I find especially helpful for this bake. (These are affiliate links.)
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats
Ghirardelli 100% Unsweetened Baking Cocoa
Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
Saebye #40 Portion Scoop
Chocolate + Peanut Butter (Flourless) Cookies
makes 26 cookies approximate 2+3/4”
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats*
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons good quality vanilla extract
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
In a food processor, grind the oats to a texture just shy of course sand (some visible pieces of oats is perfect). Place in a medium bowl with the cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda and salt, and whisk thoroughly. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, continue whisking while slowly pouring in the butter, then stir in the sugars, vanilla and peanut butter until smooth.
Gently stir in the oat mixture until thoroughly combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips and peanuts.
The dough will be very sticky. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour.
Set an oven rack to center and preheat to 350°.
For ease, I suggest scooping all of the chilled dough before you begin baking. Use a #40 scoop to portion all the chilled dough out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, tucking in any ragged edges along the bottoms. (If you don’t have a scoop, use a spoon to portion about 1+1/2 tablespoon scoops.) Place the sheet in the freezer while the oven heats thoroughly.
Remove thoroughly chilled scoops from the freezer and place on another lined cookie sheet, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Keep the remaining dough in the freezer.
Bake for 8-9 minutes. Do not overbake. The cookies should look lightly crispy on the edges, but still somewhat soft.
Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the pan for 8-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
*Due to the potential for factory cross-contamination, all rolled oats are not gluten-free. If you’re baking for folks with strict dietary requirements, read labels carefully.
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