healthier peanut butter cookies

Peanut butter cookies were one treat I could pass up as a child. I wish I was still that way now.

This was actually my first time making peanut butter cookies because of the peanut allergy in our house, but I really, really wanted some cookies.

I found this much lower-fat version with some whole wheat flour in there in my Eating Well Dessert Cookbook.

I thought they were very yummy.

They are best right out of the oven when they are still soft, but they were still good when they cooled down and went mostly crisp.

It did make a lot of cookies though, (4 dozen) so I will probably half the recipe next time.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (from Eating Well Dessert Cookbook)

2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose white flour

2/3 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup chopped peanuts (i left this out)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, peanut butter, oil, eggs and vanilla; add 5 teaspoons water and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. In a small bowl, stir together white and whole-wheat flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients in to the brown-sugar mixture just until combined.

3. Roll the dough between your palms into 1-inch-balls. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Flatten the cookies with a fork, (I think peanut butter cookies without the identifying criss-cross should be illegal as Cali has been given them at school before with bad results) Sprinkle with peanuts, pressing them lightly into the dough with your fingers

4. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 8-10 minutes, or until just golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool. (Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days)

95 calories per cookie; 2 grams protein, 3 grams fat (0 grams saturated), 15 grams carbohydrates; 65 mg sodium; 9 mg cholesterol