Some bakers favor making bread. Some bakers favor making cake. But this baker has and always will favor making — and eating — cookies. Especially peanut butter cookies.
When I’ve had a stressful day, when I need to focus, when I need to do something life-giving, I often turn to prayer and making cookies. As soon as I grab ingredients out of the pantry, I’m instantly transported back to my mama’s kitchen, where we often whipped up her famous chocolate chip cookies and talked about life, love and faith together.
In my mama’s kitchen I learned more than just how to bake. I learned everything I needed to know about the fruits of the spirit (Galatian 5:22-23). I learned how love can be demonstrated through acts of service. I learned to be joyful for all the Lord has given me. I learned that peace is something that’s available to us 24/7 in Jesus, if we are willing to tap into it. I learned to be patient and not grow angry when things didn’t go my way (particularly when I messed up the cookies). I learned that goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are not just words to throw around but a lifestyle to adopt.
I love the lessons that baking and kitchens can teach us about life. Advanced baking requires exercising the fruits of the spirit and reminds me to put those fruits into action outside of my kitchen too. When I think about kitchens, I am also reminded of their warm and inviting character — something I strive to mimic in my daily life.
This weekend, after sipping on my first Hard Cider of the season while celebrating my neighbor’s two-year-old’s birthday, I decided it was time to start baking like it’s fall. I’m not quite ready to whip out the pumpkin yet (give me a few weeks on this one … after all, it’s 80˚ in Minneapolis today), but I figured these Peanut Butter Cookies with a Hard Cider Glaze is a nice first step.
This recipe is a cookie tribute to one of my favorite snacks: apples and peanut butter. If you don’t want to add the hard cider glaze, I won’t be upset, but it really does add a wonderful layer of flavor! (Totally optional though. I use this recipe to make basic peanut butter cookies all year round.)
The best part about these cookies? They are gluten free and also use Big Tree Farms coconut sugar instead of that highly refined white sugar stuff we all know we are supposed to be staying away from as much as possible.
- 1 1/4 cup organic peanut butter (no sugar added, creamy or crunchy)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup coconut flour
- [br][b]For the glaze (optional):[/b]
- 1 cup hard cider
- 1-1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.
- Using a handheld mixer and bowl or stand mixer, combine the peanut butter, coconut oil and coconut sugar. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until creamy.
- In a small bowl mix together the coconut flour and baking soda. Slowly incorporate flour with the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Roll the dough into 1½” balls and place on cookie sheet 2” apart. Using a fork, press gently crosswise for the traditional PB cookie look.
- Bake for 10 minutes and let cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- For the glaze: Place hard cider in a small saucepan and let simmer for 10 minutes, until reduced slightly. Stir in powdered sugar until the glaze is thick but pourable. Spoon a small amount onto the tops of each cookie and let cool before eating.
Yumm, Lauren!! I’m a bit of a cookie monster too and while I put away baking for the summer I’ve been thinking it about it too. And the too overripe bananas sitting on my counter. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe – my husband LOVES peanut butter cookies and I’ve found I can sneak out the gluten without him even noticing.
Whenever I have overripe bananas on my counter, I make this! http://laurengaskillinspires.com/almond-butter-banana-bread/ Thanks for stopping by and I hope you like them! 🙂 My hubby is the same way.
Okay, these cookies are off the hook amazing!! I happen to loooooove peanut butter cookies, but that hard apple cider glaze totally takes them over the top YUM!! Serious deliciousness is happening here! Pinned! Cheers, girlie! P.s. I am the type that bakes bread to relax.. but cookies are a very close second!!
Next time I make them I am going to slather more of the glaze on them. I was very conservative, but I should have put more on! Thanks Cheyanne! 😀
These are so creative! I think I am in love! 🙂
Thanks Cathleen!! 🙂
This hard cider glaze idea you’ve got going on is making my mouth water! Love me some peanut butter cookies, and throwing that glaze on really seals the deal. I want the whole batch!
Thanks Julia! I didn’t put enough glaze on them for these shots, but after making them a second time I piled it on and MAN did they taste even better. I’m so glad you like them! 🙂
These sound like perfect fall treats! I will pin and try them. 😉 I’m so glad you shared the recipe on Welcome Home Wednesdays Linky Party.
Thanks Tracy!! 🙂 I hope you like them!
Thanks for joining in the fun for Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop!
These sound delicious! A few of my friends and I are having a “Friendsgiving” before Thanksgiving and I think I’m going to be making these for potluck! I love the Angry Orchard in the background, too 🙂 Yum yum!
Thanks so much for sharing this at the Welcome Home Wednesday link party…I hope we see you again next week!
http://www.diyjustcuz.com
Thanks so much Brittany! You’ll have to let me know how they turn out. I love the idea of a “Friendsgiving!” I might be stealing that concept in the future. 🙂
I’m a huge peanut butter cookie fan! I love how simple these are! Thank you so much for sharing them at Savoring Saturdays!