What’s great about having a recipe that is flourless? If you have run out of flour, you can still make this cookie.
Profound.
But there’s more. Because these don’t have flour in them, they turn out super moist and chewy. Trust me when I say that there is much yum in one of these cookies. (Or in three or more of these cookies if you just can’t control yourself.)
And…if you’re someone who eats gluten free or you’re baking for someone who eats gluten free, these cookies fit the bill. I have no idea what the phrase “fit the bill” means. Are we talking about a dollar bill, or the bill of a hat? Or maybe we’re talking about a duck? I went to school with a boy named Bill. As far as I know, he can eat flour. But I’m guessing he would still really like these cookies.
Anyway, I should look up the phrase “fit the bill” someday when I have spare time, which will be never, since I typically spend my free time rambling about ducks, hats, and my classmates who like cookies. Come to think of it, I don’t remember Bill ever wearing a hat.
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup natural peanut butter (I use homemade)
1 cup sucanat or brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Cream together peanut butter, sucanat, egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Fold in chocolate chips.
Place 1 1/2 inch balls of dough about two inches apart on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake in a 350° oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cookies will firm up as they cool, so do not overbake. Allow the cookies to sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Makes about 18 cookies.
You will love how easy these cookies are to make. If you need to, you can prepare this dough up to five days in advance, pulling out the dough and baking as needed. How very handy. You can also mix up the dough, shape it into balls, and freeze them unbaked. Then, when you need a cookie fix or you need to quickly bake cookies for an event, all you have to do is put them on a pan and bake them as directed.
I’m telling you, if you’re looking for an easy, delicious cookie, these really hit the nail on the head (because I just hate to use the phrase “fit the bill” twice in one post).
And for the record, I couldn’t resist. I took the time to look up where the phrase “fit the bill” comes from. Turns out, “Fit the bill” is a British, American and Australian idiom which means to have the qualities or experience which are needed. Thank you online search engine. I already understood what it meant. I just didn’t understand its origin.
Well, I guess we’ll never know. Maybe I should just ask Bill. He was, after all, our class Valedictorian.
Hmmm…nuts= protein, protein= healthy, these cookies=tomorrow morning’s breakfast. I really don’t like denying my family healthy food. :)
And an egg. Don’t forget the egg. Perfect breakfast food. ;)
Looks so yummy! But, we can’t have peanut butter. :( Do you know if any other nut butter or seed butter would work? Thanks!
Cookies look awesome! My grandma used to make something like these (without chocolate chips, excellent addition, by the way!) and they were always my favorite:)
For a little more info on “fit the bill”…Theatrical companies in the 19th century advertised mainly on posters and handbills that were distributed in towns by advance men several weeks before a show came to town. The name of the troupe’s star performer was featured on these bills in large letters, to the exclusion of the rest of the company—he or she filled the bill, was the show’s star. Soon the vivid image behind this theatrical expression meaning “to star” came to encompass a more complex, broader thought, and by 1860 to fill the bill meant “to be very competent, effective, to do all that is desired, expected, or required.” Later changed to “fit the bill” (www.wordwizard.com) :)
I’m sure another nut or seed butter would work just fine!
Aha!!!!
I don’t have any parchment paper on hand. Is it ok to just use a cookie sheet? Should I grease or not grease the pan?
I would grease the cookie sheet, then you should be just fine. :)
We love these cookies! I get requests from my family all the time to make them. (in fact made them Wednesday night, and my 7 year old said they were the best cookies in the world!)
We make these with almond butter all the time. AMAZING!
Could I substitute 1 cup of honey for the sugar? Also could I add oats and if so how much?
Is there any reason why these couldn’t be eaten raw? (We get organic eggs, so i’m not concerned about salmonella.)
I found this explanation of where the phrase originated in my Google Search
Fill/Fit the bill – meet the requirements
Bill here means poster, as it often does. The whole expression originated in America, where a famous performer whose name appeared in large letters on a theatre-bill to the exclusion of all others literally ‘filled’ the bill. The meaning (originally, ‘have importance’) shifted over the years, as frequently happens, as the phrase moved from theatrical circles that understood its origins to a wider public which did not.
Unfortunately, I had a very difficult time with these this morning!! I’ve made flourless peanut butter cookies before with success… but these were so crumbly and greasy that I could barely make balls out of them and the choc chips kept falling out!!! Maybe it’s my natural peanut butter… it’s the stir kind that’s pretty oily. Anybody else have this difficulty?
These are so DELICIOUS! Someone needs to come over here and stop me from eating anymore. I’m going to try almond butter in my next batch since we have a peanut allergy in our home. Thank you for the excellent recipe. I’m excited to have a go-to for gluten free guests.
Hm – I have a similar recipe, except it calls for 2 eggs. I always cook them on foil or parchment, because they are SO soft and gooey.
(I have also added coconut for more texture, or 2T cocoa powder for a an awesome choco-PB combination).
I love making these for friends & family who are gluten-free.
I don’t see why not. :)
Bummer! Must have been the peanut butter. Maybe try chilling the dough for an hour or so next time to see if that helps it stay together?
This sounds much like a recipe a friend shared with me for her gluten intolerant husband. As a matter of fact, I whipped up a small batch this morning for my 17-year old son’s work lunch basket. They are super easy and all the other children were more than willing to dispose of the extra cookies left at home.
2 c. Peanut Butter
2 c. Sugar
2 Eggs
This recipe easily halves or doubles and is easily adaptable to peanut butter and sugar choice changes.
These are great!!!! I made them today after lunch, needless to say but they were a hit, and sooooo easy. I will be making these again and again and again…..Thanks Laura!!!!
Yes, although I’d cut the honey to 1/2 or 3/4 cup. Maybe 1/2 cup of oats?
Thanks, I am going to try that.
I whipped these up tonight. Yum! Perfect for my recent peanut butter obsession.
I’ll bet almond butter would be delicious in this recipe. And if you don’t mind soy, soy butter would also work I think. I haven’t made these yet, but we also are peanut free and I do a fair bit of baking and substituting these other butters with success. The best almond butter to use is Barney butter, you can find it online. Some other brands have a runnier consistency and I don’t know if it would work, but any nut butter that’s thick like peanut butter probably will.
What about sugar? I usually use Stevia how would that equate and I think I’ll sub the Trim Healthy Mama skinny chocolate for the chips :D
I love to make these, I usually cut back on the sugar though. They are really dense and hearty. They are also amazing if you add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder :)!
perfect thank you!
I made these yesterday for a play date. One of the little girls has a gluten allergy. These were a HUGE hit. They are delicious!!! I came home from the play date and made MORE!
I have not tried the cookies yet(but I plan to soon!) but I have to tell you, I laughed out loud when I read your ramblings about the “fit the bill” phrase. You are so funny! Thank you for the laugh and for keeping it real. Oh, and for the recipe, too :)
So you mean to say that flour is not needed? Makes sense but I wonder how long these cookies will last in terms of shelf-life without the flour and comparing it with flour.
Mine get eaten quickly, so I’m not sure of their shelf life. They do freeze well though. :)
hey! just popped these in the oven now, they look delicious but the consistency of the batter was really greasy! is that normal? is it just the oil from the peanut butter that I used?
Mine are usually not greasy…how did yours turn out?
i think it was just the peanut butter i used. They actually turned out delicious! they were a definite hit amongst my family, thanks so much for the awesome recipe!!! :)
Yummm!!!!
I just adore your sense of humor, Laura. Thanks for making me giggle.
I LOVE these cookies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I use these with store bought peanut butter (because I just haven’t gotten down to the “make my own peanut butter” part of my to-do list) and they don’t really spread at all … but they are yummy! Everyone loved them. Will probably make with a tad fewer chocolate chips next time, though – there were so many some of the balls didn’t want to stay together!