Oh how I love a good cookie!  Since my elimination diet, I haven’t really had sugar and I’ve felt better because of it- less drowsy, my cravings have gone way down, and haven’t had any headaches or that ‘foggy’ feeling I would experience after having sugar.  However, everything in moderation, right? Last night I was craving a good cookie and wanted something simple and warm and peanut buttery.  I remembered a flourless cookie that I had made years ago, and decided to update the recipe to include coconut sugar rather than refined white sugar.  Coconut sugar is an unrefined sweetener, in which the micronutrients are left in tact, and it’s made from the sap of the coconut tree.  It has deep caramel like flavor and acts as a 1:1 substitute for white sugar in baking recipes.  Just remember that moderation is key when choosing any sweetener, even natural sweeteners.

These peanut butter cookies turned out to be everything I was looking for. They are simple and deliciously peanut buttery!

Flourless Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup organic natural peanut butter (or any nut butter)
3/4 cup organic coconut sugar
1 organic, free range egg, beaten
1 tsp aluminum free baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used these)
sea salt

Directions:
Combine ingredients (peanut butter through vanilla) until well combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet (or you can use parchment paper or a silpat).  Using a fork, press a crisscross pattern into the cookie dough and sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake at 350° for 5-10 minutes or until golden (In my oven I baked the first batch for 7 minutes and the second batch, which I preferred, for 5 minutes.  I’m suspecting that coconut sugar reduces baking time).