Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies

These are not your usual sugar-butter laden peanut butter cookies. They're reasonably healthy, easy to prepare and will surprise the skeptics.

I was a bit skeptical myself. Sugar-free, spelt cookies don't sound very promising.

If you don't know what spelt is and you have never baked with it before, go to the bulk food store, buy just what you need for these cookies and be pleasantly surprised at how normal it feels to use it.

Spelt actually gives these cookies wonderful flavour. The batter will look a little more gritty than regular flour but will taste perfect when they're baked.

I took these to share with a group of friend last night and everyone agreed, they're good!

...(despite being healthy)

One thing I will mention, Heather from 101cookbooks recommends you buy a well combined peanut butter and not a super oily one. I used PC Crunchy and it worked beautifully.

Heather's Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies

(101cookbooks.com)

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour, spelt flour, or unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 cup organic, chunky natural peanut butter

1 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350* degrees. Place racks in the top third.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate larger bowl combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla.

Stir until combined. Pour the flour mixture over the peanut butter mixture

and stir until barely combined - still a bit dusty looking.

Let sit for five minutes, give one more quick stir, just a stroke or two.

Now drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets.

Press down on each one gently with the back of a fork.

It's a loose batter, so if you're set on doing criss-crosses,

go ahead and chill the batter for an hour or so before this step.

Bake for 10, maybe 11 minutes - but don't over bake or they will be dry.

Let cool five minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.