Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies

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Peanut butter cookies have never been one of my favorite cookies, as I have always found them somewhat dry.  But I love PBJ sandwiches, so I decided to try some low-carb PBJ cookies this week and see if I could make one I find more moist.  Have made 3 small batches now (ate way too many sampling, all in the name of kitchen experimenting, right!) and this version is the one I think I like the best.  Very nice flavor day 1; even better day 2 right out of the refrigerator!  For these, I used several low-carb flour substitutes in combination with a bit of polydextrose to add moisture and bulk.  These are fairly firm, somewhat chewy and to me, they really taste like a PBJ.  Very tasty!  Flavors mellow on day two. Dry and crumbly I definitely avoided with this recipe.  If you prefer drier more crumbly cookies, I’d omit the polydextrose and increase almond or coconut flour 1-2 tablespoons.  These are technically not suitable until the grains rung of OWL due to the oat fiber, a baked goods flavor/texture enhancer.   That said, oat fiber is virtually pure fiber (96% for my brand) and therefore a virtual wash on net carbs.  So if you try it one time and don’t have carb cravings start up again, you can probably have oat fiber and be able to enjoy these cookies as early as the nuts rung of the Atkins OWL ladder.  I’m hoping to experiment with this recipe for a bar cookie one day as well.

INGREDIENTS:

½ c. peanut butter (I used smooth and nutritional numbers reflect that)

2 eggs, beaten

2 T. almond flour

2 T. flax meal

1 T. oat fiber

2 T. coconut flour

1 T. polydextrose (optional, but improves texture)

½ tsp. vanilla extract

¼ c. erythritol + 12 drops liquid Splenda  (or ½ c. sugar equivalent of your choice)

3 T. sugar free grape jelly (I use Smuckers)

DIRECTIONS:  Preheat oven to 350º.  In medium mixing bowl, blend the peanut butter and beaten eggs well.  Add vanilla.  Stir in all dry ingredients.  Your batter should be reasonably thick, but not really dry and roll-able, as most PBJ batter is.  Spoon batter onto greased, parchment or silicone covered cookie pan into 12 equal mounds.   Make a small depression or “well” in each with the tip of a small spoon.  Spoon 1/4 tsp. sugar-free jelly into each depression.  Pop cookies into preheated 350º oven for about 15 minutes.  Remove and let cool before removing from pan.  Store in gallon ziploc bag.  On day 2, mine are keeping just fine out of the refrigerator.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  Makes 12 cookies, each contains:

104.7 calories (I know kinda high, but peanut butter is high!)

7.45 g  fat

5.85 g  carbs, 2.74 g  fiber, 3.11 g  NET CARBS

4.43 g  protein

55.25 mg sodium

21 mg potassium

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