These peanut butter blossoms are a traditional Christmas favorite. But these are made with gluten free, an option to make grain free and with no refined sugar! You can use any favorite chocolate for the centers! These are the perfect classic peanut butter chocolate cookies for Christmas morning that everyone can enjoy.
INGREDIENTS IN GLUTEN FREE PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOM COOKIES
Pure Natural Peanut Butter
All Purpose Gluten Free Flour (or Almond/Tapioca flour)
Coconut Sugar
Blackstrap Molasses
Dairy Free Butter
Non Dairy Milk
Sea Salt
Baking Soda
Vanilla Extract
Egg
Chocolate Kisses or Chocolate Bar to melt into kiss shapes
SUBSTITUTIONS AND SWAPS
1. You can swap the peanut butter for almond butter to make blossom cookies paleo.
2. All purpose gluten free flour can be swapped with a combination of almond flour and tapioca flour. The cookie will result in a chewier texture.
3. Coconut sugar and blackstrap molasses create a paleo and refined sugar free 'brown sugar'. Coconut sugar is low glycemic and is a better for you sugar. But you can swap this for 1/2 cup cane sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar. You can also substitute the coconut sugar for granulated maple sugar.
4. Dairy Free Butter and Non Dairy Milk can be swapped for real grass fed butter and any milk of choice.
5. There has been no tested egg replacement in this recipe, but I think a flax egg or chia egg would work here. This is usually successful in recipes that call for one egg.
6. If you are dairy free and cannot eat Hershey Kisses (I can't), you can buy this mold and melt any paleo or vegan chocolate into the mold and use your homemade kisses instead. But make sure you place them after your cookies have cooled because most clean chocolates do not have stabilizers and they will melt into a puddle!
WHY USE COCONUT SUGAR IN BAKING?
Coconut sugar is lower glycemic than any other granulated sugar (not including artificial sweeteners like Stevia, which are hard on the digestive system), it does not spike blood sugar or feed bad bacteria or Candida the way regular white sugar, brown sugar, or even maple sugar does. It is just sweet enough and works great in all recipes without altering flavor. It is perfect for paleo desserts.
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOM COOKIES IN THESE EASY STEPS:
Using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Then add in egg, vanilla, milk, coconut sugar and molasses mixture. Mix until smooth. Add in flour, baking soda and salt.
Refrigerate the dough until chilled, about 45 minutes. Roll dough into 1" balls and then roll into a sugar and place on baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until they puff up and just begin to crack.
When fresh from oven, push a kiss into the tops to smoosh the cookies down.
Dip in hot cocoa and enjoy!
FAQs
Can I make gluten free peanut butter blossoms also paleo?
Yes! You will have to sub the gluten free flour for almond and tapioca flour, and replace the peanut butter with almond butter. They won't have that iconic peanut butter flavor but they will still be delicious!
To make grain free, sub the all purpose flour for 2 cups of fine almond flour and 3/4 cup tapioca flour. Keep in mind these will be a little chewier in texture than with the AP flour.
Can I make gluten free peanut butter blossoms vegan?
There has been no tested egg replacement in this recipe, but I think a flax egg or chia egg would work here. This is usually successful in recipes that call for one egg.
How do I use my own favorite dairy free or healthier chocolate instead of Hershey Kisses?
Because I can't eat dairy or white sugar, I made my own kisses for the peanut butter blossoms. To use your own favorite chocolate instead of Hershey Kisses, you can purchase this chocolate kiss mold and melt your favorite chocolate into this mold instead. However most healthy chocolate does not have stabilizers, so they will melt into puddles when in the warm cookie. You will want to instead remove the cookie from the oven and use your finger to push down thumbprints in the middle while warm. Wait for the cookies to almost cool, and then add the homemade chocolate kiss in the middle!
Can I use other nut butters?
Yes, you can substitute for almond butter, cashew butter or even seed butter. Peanut butter is a dry nut butter, so substituting with other nut butters may make the dough a little sticky or too wet. If the dough is not easy to work with after it's fully chilled, add 1/4 more cup of flour to the dough.
Why is my dough too sticky to roll into balls?
Your dough will be sticky before it is refrigerated. If the dough is fully chilled and it's still too sticky to roll into balls, like the texture of play doh, add 1/4 more cup flour. Different peanut butter brands have different textures and fat content so could affect the dough. I used 365 Whole Food Brand creamy peanut butter.
Any other questions? Ask in the comment below!
Love holiday baking and cookie recipes? You will love these gluten free and refined sugar free cookies!
