Low-Carb Peanut Butter Cookies

In my pre-low-carb days, I could easily eat an entire bowl of peanut butter cookie dough. It usually happened over the course of a day. (I know I am not alone.) I loved dough and sometimes baking just seemed unnecessary. 

With sugar behind me, finding low-carb cookie recipes has been a challenge. For one, I do not crave sweets like I used to. Further, substitute-sugars will never taste like white table sugar. This is why this recipe surprised me. The cookies look and taste delicious; and it only takes a couple to curb an urge.

NOTE: I prefer them warm, so I heat up cool cookies for 15 seconds in the microwave.

LOW-CARB PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Adapted from a recipe by Laura Hickman 

@ Baking Outside the Box

24 cookies

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut flour
• 1 cup powdered Swerve
• 1 cup Smucker's Natural Creamy or Crunchy Peanut Butter (just peanuts, minimal salt, and no sugar)
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pure bourbon vanilla extract (I use Trader Joe's brand)
• Chocolate chips sweetened with stevia

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare baking sheet with parchment or cooking spray. (I use Pampered Chef Stoneware.)
3. Mix all ingredients in mixer (or with a hand mixer) until well combined and dough has formed.
4. Measure the dough with a tablespoon measure. (I use the Pampered Chef Small Scoop.)
5. Form balls of dough and place them on on your baking sheet or stoneware.
6. Flatten cookies by making a crisscross mark with a fork. (I use a small bamboo fork.)
7. Optional: Add a chocolate chip.
8. Bake for 14-17 minutes till edges are golden brown.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 cookie

Carbohydrates: 4.6

“That’s the way it crumbles, cookie-wise.”

~from the motion picture, The Apartment

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Better Stevia

Beter Stevia Liquid Sweetener

    

I divorced sugar when I went low-carb. An accidental bite of sugar is now overpowering. Yet, I still crave an occasional treat that is sweet-but-not-sugary. This sounds like a kooky contradiction, but it really isn't.

My memories are bookmarked with delectable desserts. No social gathering was complete without a table where desserts were as decorative as bouquets and crepe paper streamers. There was great anticipation and guests were humming approval. Sweets were a reward, a crescendo!

Well, I am not willing to give up the pomp and indulgence of a sweet treat. It just takes some tweaking. While it is true that no sugar substitute will ever taste exactly like white table sugar, there are some great alternatives.

Better Stevia has become one of my favorite real-food sweeteners. Their website states that "BetterStevia® is the zero-calorie, organic stevia sweetener that's simply better than sugar and other alternative sweeteners." I agree. Although many substitute sweeteners have a bitter or minty aftertaste, I think this natural sweetener mimics sugar the best.

I am currently experimenting with the 3 selections above. Other flavors include: Liquid Coconut, English Toffee, French Vanilla, Lemon Twist, Pomegranate Blueberry, Tropical Fruit, Organic, Original, and Gycerite (alcohol free). These can be purchased directly from Now Foods or on Amazon. Many health stores carry a limited line. A little sugar substitute goes a long way.

Counting my blessings,

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