Peanut Butter Cookies

So the business has really taken off recently; my supplier is selling four batches per week and I'm really enjoying coming up with new mix in ideas (next up is smores!!!). I've also been doing comissions and last week I got an order for two batches of peanut butter cookies to be given as gifts.

I haven't made peanut butter cookies since I was like 11 years old and the recipe I use hasn't changed that much. It came from a really old children's cookbook given to me by my Percy when I was 9. Unfortunately I have since lost that cookbook somewhere along the way but I still have my peanut butter cookie recipe!

I've swapped 1/2 cup of granulated sugar for the same of light brown sugar and added the baking powder. The original recipe also called for creaming the butter and sugar but melting it gives a chewier cookie which is much better!

Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes 12

• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup & 2 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
• 1 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 egg

Preheat the oven to 180C

Combine the cooled melted butter and sugars in a bowl and beat well

Add the egg and vanilla and beat well

Add peanut butter and beat until well combined

In another bowl combine the flour and baking powder

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix, using your hands when the flour is almost totally mixed in

The dough should come together easily and be slightly sticky (add more flour if it is very sticky)

Pinch off tablespoonful sized lumps and roll into balls

Flatten these balls into rounds and place on a lined baking tray

Bake for 7-10 mins until the edges are golden

Cool completely and enjoy with milk :)

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the made up gift jars (my camera went on the blink) but they turned out really well and the recipient was very happy :)

Peanut Butter and Honey Flapjacks

I love flapjacks, the buttery taste and chewiness of the oats in these simple bars is just heavenly. But alas I find myself unable to eat them anymore and have been racking my brains to come up with a healthier alternative. I knew I could replace the sugar with honey to provide the sweetness but I was lost with what combinations of alternatives to try for the butter that would work with honey. I finally decided to give it a shot with peanut butter and roped Ethan into helping (he loves the combination of peanut butter and honey so I didn't need that much rope to convince him). They worked out really well; my kitchen smelled like roasted peanuts for hours afterwards! The texture was just the same and the taste was the right balance of earthy peanut and sweet.


Peanut Butter and Honey Flapjacks


Makes around 20

• 370g jumbo oatflakes (rolled oats)
• 270g peanut butter
• 200g honey

Preheat oven to 175 C

Melt peanut butter in a bowl over boiling water

In a separate bowl, mix oats and honey together

Add peanut butter and mix well

At this point if the mixture looks and feels a bit dry add more peanut butter and honey until the desired consistency is reached.

Spread out into a 9x13 inch pan, bigger if you like your flapjacks a little thinner, and gently press the mixture down (this will create a denser flapjack)

Bake for 20-25 mins until golden

Feel free to add 75-100g of mix-ins after adding the peanut butter. I had nothing in my cupboard but I plan on trying peanuts and chocolate chips next time 

I hope you enjoy my healthified flapjacks and please experiment and let me know how you get on 

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