Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
<https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-peanut-butter-cookies-5201094>

Ariane Resnick
5-6 minutes 9/28/2021

What's better than enjoying a classic peanut butter cookie without the
dairy or eggs? Making it in one bowl without added equipment like an 
electric mixer! We developed your ideal vegan peanut butter cookie 
recipe that's even simpler to make than the traditional—plus, it's 
suitable for those with allergies to butter or eggs.

These vegan peanut butter cookies are simply made using natural peanut 
butter (the kind with just peanuts and salt), sugar, all-purpose flour, 
baking soda, salt, and a plant-based milk. The combined ingredients are 
rolled by hand, then imprinted with that signature crosshatch design 
using just a fork. If you're a fan of a sugary crust, simply roll the 
cookie dough balls in demerara or granulated sugar before transferring 
to the baking sheet.

This sweet treat is just one of many vegan cookie recipes to add joy to 
anyone's day. These are so good, you might want to consider making a 
double batch to freeze for later.

INGREDIENTS:
1    cup       natural salted peanut butter
1    cup       granulated sugar
1/3  cup       non-dairy milk, such as almond, oat, or soy
1    cup       all-purpose flour
1    teaspoon  baking soda
1/4  teaspoon  salt

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Combine the peanut butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Mix together with 
   a fork or rubber spatula until the sugar is fully incorporated into the 
   peanut butter. Stir in the milk.
3. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the peanut butter mixture, 
   mixing until the mixture becomes unified in texture. The batter will 
   be thick.
4. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the dough, then squeeze a couple times in 
   your hand to bring the cookie dough together and roll into a ball. Place 
   onto a greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining 
   dough. (If you prefer a sugary crunch to your cookie, you can roll the 
   balls in demerara or granulated sugar at this point.)
5. Use the tines of a clean fork to press indentations onto the tops in a 
   crosshatch design.
6. Bake until the cookies are lightly golden and cracked on top, 12 to 14 
   minutes.
7. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a 
   cooling rack. Enjoy warm or cool to room temperature and transfer to an 
   airtight container.

Make-Ahead Tip - Plan for Later!

1. If you'd like to save some dough for baking later, shape the cookies and 
   flatten with a fork as described above.
2. Place in the freezer on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, transfer the 
   unbaked cookies to an airtight container.
3. When you're ready to bake them, preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and 
   bake for 15 minutes.

Recipe Variations

· Make them nut-free: Try using sunflower butter in place of the peanut 
  butter for a similar texture and flavor profile.
· Make them gluten-free: Swap the all-purpose flour for an equal amount 
  of cup-for-cup all-purpose gluten-free flour.

How to Store and Freeze

· Store baked cookies in an airtight container; they should keep for up 
  to one week at room temperature.
· Alternately, you can freeze them in a zip-close bag or airtight 
  container for up to three months.

Can a vegan eat peanut butter?

Peanuts are a legume. That means they're similar to peas or beans. 
Natural peanut butters contains nothing but peanuts and salt, so they are 
completely acceptable for vegans.

Why do you put lines on peanut butter cookies?

The tines of a fork are used to flatten peanut butter cookies because the 
dough is so thick that it might not bake up properly if left in a ball 
shape. Using a fork makes them flatter, and creates an even surface.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 18
Amount per serving        % Daily Value*
Calories             158
Total Fat             8g  10%
Saturated Fat         1g  6%
Cholesterol          0mg  0%
Sodium             152mg  7%
Total Carbohydrate   20g  7%
Dietary Fiber         1g  5%
Total Sugars         12g
Protein               4g
Vitamin C            0mg  0%
Calcium             10mg  1%
Iron                 1mg  3%
Potassium          104mg  2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food 
serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for 
general nutrition advice. (Nutrition information is calculated using an 
ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)