My favorite Christmas cookie.
Every year for Christmas I make my peanut butter cookies with a Hershey Kiss on top. I love them, my family loves them, co-workers, etc. This year I just had to have them again but of course needed to make them vegan. I don’t use vegan butter a lot, but for this recipe it is pretty much mandatory. The cookies came out virtually tasting the same as my non-vegan version. I of course couldn’t use Hershey Kisses, so I opted for some chocolate pieces from a Trader Joe’s chocolate bar I had lying around along with some Enjoy Life mini chips. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Merry Christmas!
These cookies are perfect to bring to a gathering, cookie swap, or just keep at home and eat when you get that peanut butter craving! I love how they crack in the oven. You have to eat at least one right from the oven- the chocolate is all melty and the cookies are warm. Mmm!
First, gather all of your ingredients. You will need flour, baking soda, sugar, brown sugar, flaxseed meal, peanut butter, vanilla extract, vegan butter and some sort chocolate. I used a combination of a chocolate bar I had and some of these Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips.
Add your sugars and softened butter to the mixer. I use dark brown sugar because I like the stronger flavor, but feel free to use light as well. I also used regular granulated sugar to make sure they tasted the same as I usually make them.
Beat them on a medium speed until they color changes. First, it will be a darker brown, but as you continue to beat it for 1-2 minutes it will turn to this light creamy color. While this is beating, I like to get my dry ingredients together. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Add in the peanut butter, vanilla extract, flax egg and beat again until combine. Then add in the flour mixture gradually until a stiff dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly, and let it sit in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to set. This will make it easier to roll into balls.
Take the dough out of the fridge and begin rolling small amounts into balls. They should be a little smaller than a ping pong ball. This recipe should get you about two dozen cookies.
Roll the balls into some granulated sugar. This creates not only a good flavor for the end result, but also looks pretty and gives it a little extra crunch! Line the sugared cookie balls onto a baking sheet with parchment paper and cook at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes until the edges are golden brown. When you take them out of the oven, immediately top with with the chocolate. The cookies will then take a few hours to set completely…but you MUST eat one when they are warm. It’s worth it.
Recipe:
- 1/2 cup of softened vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 flax egg (1 TBS flaxseed meal + 3 TBS water left to set in fridge)
- 1 TBS vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
- a pinch of salt
- chocolate (I used a left over chocolate bar and also some Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips)
In large bowl, mix together the sugars and butter until light and creamy. Add in the peanut butter, vanilla extract and flax egg. Mix to combine. In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients then gradually add them into the wet mixture. I usually add the flour in thirds. The dough should be stiff once all mixed through. Turn the dough out onto some plastic wrap, cover and put in fridge to set for 15-20 minutes. You can also make this the day before and leave in fridge overnight.
While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside. Get your chocolate ready. If you are using a chocolate bar, cut the bar up into pieces. If using chocolate chips, put some in a small bowl or plate and set aside.
Take the dough out of the fridge and start rolling it into small balls (about the size of a ping pong ball or smaller). Once all the balls are rolled, you are then going to roll them into some granulated sugar. Put sugared cookies onto the baking sheet (don’t flatten the balls), making sure there is 1-2 inches between each cookie. Pop them in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are just set and the edges are slightly golden brown.
Take the cookies out of the oven and quickly put your chocolate into the center. The cookies will take a couple of hours to set completely depending on what type of chocolate you are using.
I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!
Heaven.
Be happy, be balanced, be vegan,
Melissa