Bariatric Foodie Play with your food
Oh peanut butter. How do I love thee…let me count the ways!
Now I will preface this recipe by saying that it is possible to lower the fat significantly in this recipe by replacing some (not all) of the peanut butter for peanut flour. I did not choose to do that, but it is definitely a choice you could make.
For me, fat has always had its advantages.
Firstly, fat just makes stuff taste better. And of all the fats in the world, fat from peanuts is far from the most objectionable. But beyond that, fat has a special property that I look for when I am making (and plan to consume) cookies.
I can’t eat much of it! Which means that I can’t eat but one of these cookies without feeling like I’m 3/4 of the way through a full-sized Thanksgiving plate. Thank you, peanut butter!
So part of my preference for the full-fat version is taste and texture and part of it is satiety factor. As I have said in this little cookie series (ad nauseum), cook your conscience, Foodies. (All together now…) Know thyself! You know what will make you sick and what won’t. And deep down you know if cookies are dangerous territory from the git-go. Use your best judgment.
That said, if you’d like to lighten up this recipe here are a few tips:
- As I said some of the peanut butter (half to be precise) can be replaced with peanut flour.
- You can also use egg whites in this. The peanut products provide all the fat you need.
- You can certainly use all no-calorie sweetener in this recipe (you’ll see I’ve used Splenda Brown Sugar blend), and the recipe works fine. Just make sure to check your conversions on the website of your favorite sweetener!
- Of all the cookie recipes I’ve shared, this one lends itself best to protein powder, but I wouldn’t use more than a scoop or two (1/3 c.) max or the texture is going to get weird. To add protein, you’d just mix it into the almond flour before mixing that into the wet ingredients.
- Lastly, no you aren’t seeing wrong. I did not add any baking soda or baking powder to this recipe.
I don’t think there’s anything else to say about this cookie. It is simple. It is brilliant. It is delicious!
Want all the cookies?
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- 1 c. creamy peanut butter
- 1 egg white from a large egg
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 c. brown sugar blend substitute (I used Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)
- 1/3 c. almond flour
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix together peanut butter, egg white, vanilla extract, cinnamon (if using), and brown sugar blend. Mix thoroughly. (I use a hand mixer on medium speed.)
- Add in almond flour and mix again until thoroughly combined.
- Roll dough into balls and place about 2 inches apart on your cookie sheet. Spray a fork down with non-stick cooking spray and mash the dough ball down into a flat disc, making a criss-cross pattern on the top of the cookie.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then cool on a rack.
Hi Nikki,
I just recently found this sight and I’m so excited about it! Finally a place to get recipes and great information! Have you ever substituted the dry peanut butter, like PB2, for the creamy for this recipe?
Hi there Aronda,
If you did, you’d need to find a way to make up both the moisture and fat in the recipe. Cookies need the proper amount of moisture and fat to come out a good texture. Try experimenting with it. I’d try replacing SOME of the peanut butter with powdered peanuts, not all. Also, check out the website of your fave powdered peanut. They may have a recipe you can adapt!
I am the only one that loves peanut butter so I made these a week ago & I baked them & put them in a ziploc bag. They still taste like I made them yesterday. I Absolutely love them. You won’t be sorry that you made them.
how many calories per cookie?
Hi there! Bariatric Foodie doesn’t publish nutrition information for its recipes, but here’s how to figure them out on your own: https://www.bariatricfoodie.com/bf-basics-how-to-figure-out-recipes/
Hey. Pro tip? Peanuts are a great source for protein post op. That means you can eat all the peanut butter you want (I’m kidding but you can use the required amount without adding any powdered version. Our country doesn’t sell any powdered or sugar free peanut butter) Wouldn’t that be a dream come true? Well dreams do come true. I figured out how to make homemade hydrogenated fat free peanut butter at home. And it’s amazing. Tastes like the store bought stuff. You don’t have to stress yourselves out. Take a cup of unsalted peanuts (I prefer salted ones cause of the aftertaste) and throw them into a processor for about 4 minutes on slow the medium speed. You’ll see natural oils releasing. It’ll be grainy at first. Then sticky. At that point add a stevia sachet or two depending on how sweet you want your peanut butter (I go with one since peanuts have natural sugars too) and a generous pinch of salt or kosher salt if the peanuts aren’t salted. Blitz it a bit more. And you’re done!!
Followed this recipe exactly and the cookies fell apart
Wow, sorry that happened! Mine are crumbly but they hold together til I bite them! If you need more hold, next time you might increase the amount of almond flour in them. That will make them hold together better.
Followed recipes tasted horrible. I’m bariatric patient so I know what foods I can and can’t have. When comes to deserts for bariatric patients there just aren’t any good ones out there.
You know what, I respect that! I give you kudos for trying something new and I’m sorry you haven’t found any bariatric dessert recipes you like. Don’t give up!