This is just to let you know that if, on the second night of vacation, you make dinner for your friends, clean up, and still have the urge to make Peanut Butter Cookies…well, that’s an urge you should follow. And if you have the urge to make them again when you return home, just go with it. The dough will only take you a minute—it’s a dump & mix situation—and they’ll hit the spot because of course they will. They’re Peanut Butter Cookies!
Did I mention that they’re vegan and grain-free? Because they are. This recipe is the lightest twist on the classic three ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe that’s all over the internet. In case you’ve missed it, you can combine 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1 large egg, scoop & bake, and get some pretty incredible chewy peanut butter cookies out of the deal. If you haven’t, you should give them a try, or go for any of the many variations I’ve made over the years. Or, you know, make this recipe I’m babbling about.
Here, I’ve kept it pretty traditional. I added a few extra ingredients like brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, some salt and vanilla, but the dough still comes together in moments. In order to keep the cookies vegan, I swapped the egg for an equal volume of aquafaba, otherwise known as chickpea canning liquid. It’s my egg substitute of choice—no, it won’t make your cookies taste beany—but you can use a flax egg or whatever egg substitute you like or just use an actual egg if you’re not trying to make vegan, gluten-free cookies for your vegan, gluten-free friend.
I’ve also added a short twenty-minute chill to this recipe, but it’s not strictly necessary and your cookies will work without it. They’ll just be a little thinner than mine. Whatever you do, don’t skip crosshatching the tops of your cookies with a fork. I don’t know where this started or why we do this to peanut butter cookies, but I’m pretty sure it’s the law.
What? I don’t make the rules. I just break ‘em. Like finishing these Peanut Butter Cookies off with the easiest chocolate-peanut butter drizzle and some chopped peanuts. Is this necessary? No. But it’s pretty and freaking delicious. And really, when it comes to Peanut Butter Cookies, the “freaking delicious” part is all that matters.
Peanut Butter Cookies {Vegan & Grain-Free}
makes 22-24 cookies
1 cup creamy-style peanut butter (not natural-style)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
dash of ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons aquafaba
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For chocolate-peanut butter drizzle & garnish (optional):
3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons creamy-style peanut butter (not natural-style)
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, finely chopped
In a medium mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, aquafaba and vanilla. Use an electric mixer to beat for one minute, until well-combined. Chill cookie dough for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment.
Scoop cookie dough in 1 tablespoon increments, roll into balls, and place at least 3 inches apart on prepared pans.
Make the crosshatches. Lightly grease the back of a fork. Press the back of the fork into each dough ball, then turn the fork 90 degrees and press again.
Bake cookies 8-10 minutes, until turning golden at the edges. Let cookies cool on their pans for 7-10 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely. Repeat rolling and baking process with remaining dough, making sure to let baking sheets return to room temperature between batches.
To make the chocolate-peanut butter drizzle, combine chocolate and peanut butter together in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Drizzle over cookies as desired. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, if desired. Drizzle will set over time, but this may be expedited by freezing the finished cookies for 10 or so minutes.
Serve. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Layer cookies with wax paper or parchment.
If you are into rich, thick, salty-sweet, intensely peanut buttery peanut butter things…well, let me introduce you to your new favorite cake. This Flourless Peanut Butter Cake is the sort of thing that you can whip together for a casual night in (also known as every night right now) or dress it up for a birthday or dinner party (when dinner parties are a thing again).
This recipe is a play on the three ingredient 
This cake is almost exactly the same thing, except that I add a few more eggs, a pinch of salt and a little vanilla, and bake it all up in a cake pan. The result is a little chewy at the edges and tender in the center—think somewhere between 
After the cake has cooled, garnish all up to you. Leave it plain, dust with powdered sugar, serve with ice cream, make it into 
Today marks fifty days of lockdown in NYC, so I felt the need to jazz it up a little. I nuked chocolate chips and peanut butter until smooth, then loaded it into a bag, snipped a tiny corner and drizzled til I liked what I saw. The border is just chopped roasted peanuts and mini peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s. I know it’s gilding the lily, but like…what else are we doing seven weeks in?
Did you know that the world is still turning and Easter is happening next weekend? How is that even possible?
In keeping with my stay-at-home, work with what you have, waste not/want not 
Anyway, here is a pantry-friendly version of Coconut Macaroons, a springtime classic. You’d never know these aren’t made with the usual egg whites and sugar—they’re just as toasty-edged, soft-centered and delightfully chewy as their traditional counterparts.
The ingredient list is short: a bag of sweetened shredded coconut, about half a can of sweetened condensed milk, some vanilla and salt. No vanilla? Leave it out. Wish they had a little lime or orange to offset the sweetness? Zest some into the sweetened condensed milk before mixing. Like your macaroons dipped in chocolate? Cool them and then dip away!
And if you, perhaps, have egg whites leftover from—I don’t know—making 
As for this recipe, all you’ll have leftover is a half a can of sweetened condensed milk, and if you’re not already drizzling that into your weekend coffee…well, you’re in a pandemic and this is the time to start.
With all the 
I spent a good chunk of January working on a coconut cookie for the blog, but the recipe’s just not quite “there.” I was a little bummed after round 4, realizing that I was going to have to let the recipe come to me rather than forcing it (baking gets spiritual around these parts). In the meantime though, I had three bags of sweetened flaked coconut taking up space in my kitchen. I realize that bags of coconut don’t have souls, but I swear they were taunting me.
And so, I threw the contents of one in a bowl with a cup of sweetened condensed milk (a la 
Easy Coconut Truffles are way better than any candy you’ll find in a heart-shaped box, and super fun to make at home. They require a grand total of six ingredients (!) and are chock-full of coconut flavor thanks to the creamy filling and toasty garnish. And even though they’re a little imperfect, they’re completely wonderful.
e2 bakes brooklyn 