Recipe | Oatmeal Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cookies (gluten free)

The lack of good peanut butter in Germany is appalling. Sure, Europeans consider Nutella practically a religion, leaving little room for that American grade school staple. But for a country that embraces the Erdnuss Flippie (essentially, a peanut-flavored cheese puff), I'm surprised at the outright rebuff of peanut butter as an all-purpose spread and recipe ingredient. Relegated to the exotic international aisles at the grocery, any peanut butter one can find here is in a tiny jar emblazoned with American flags that are somehow supposed to distract from the lack of real roasted peanut flavor inside. For this peanut butter snob, there is no substitute for Jif. Needless to say, I hoard it like an addict.

So when I discovered this recipe - on Pinterest, as most recipe discoveries go these days - I jumped on the opportunity to enjoy more American-imported, peanuty goodness. This was my first time baking anything gluten-free and as an avid baker of cakes and the like, I was surprised at how much this didn't affect my enjoyment of these little gems. Who says flour is integral to tasty baked goods? I, for one, have seen the light and plan to add these into my regular baking rotation.




Oatmeal Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cookies (gluten free)

2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg
5/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp real vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips / about 85 grams chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 350°F/176°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, beat together butter, peanut butter and both sugars. Add egg, vanilla and baking soda. Fold in oats and chocolate until just combined. Spoon large tablespoons of dough 2"/5cm apart on the baking sheet, flattening slightly with the back of the spoon. Bake 12-14 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Cookies will be slightly soft in the center.

Makes about 24 cookies.


Adapted from recipe on Trader Joe's rolled oats bag, via Daily Waffle