My friend Jennet, who loves food and loves to talk about food (makes you wonder why we’re friends) brought these cookies to a potluck once. My other friend, Jayda and I, immediately pounced on them, repeatedly, unable to marshall the strength to stop. We were an “Om Nom Nom” duet as our inner Cookie Monster was unleashed. “What’s in these things?!?” we asked, half-angry at Jennet for bringing our downfall to the buffet table. Victoriously, she said, “its only 4 ingredients and takes 8 minutes to bake.” 4 ingredients, 8 minutes? You don’t have to be a mathlete to know that’s the cookie equivalent of the golden ratio.
That’s it. We were toast at that point. We knew these cookies were bad. They were too easy to access. Spur of the moment desires can now be realized. And I’m an Aries. I’m MADE of spur-of-the-moment desires.
What is redeeming about these cookies though is that they do not use refined sugar. In fact, the ingredients in these cookies are ideal for some ingredient paperdoll matching. That is, you can change the flour, the nut butter, the flavoring and the sweetener – coming up with a different cookie each time! You can match it to your outfit! This is unheard of! Preposterous! And so, so true.
So here it is, the magical equation:*
Easy-Access Cookies
1 cup whole-grain flour of choice
½ cup maple syrup or other natural syrupy sweetener of choice or a combination
½ cup nut butter of choice
1 tsp. extract of choice
Mix. Drop by the teaspoon or tablespoonful. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. That’s it. Seriously.
Ta-dah! Intense, sweet, satisfying cookies.
Eat some. Then. Hide them. Give them away. Because you can’t have just one.
Some combinations I have tried:
Almond Flour + Almond Butter + Almond Extract + Maple Syrup – this is pictured – this reminded me of a macaroon. Light and airy. It is good, however, needs to be eaten on the same day. (Really? Aw man, now I have to eat all these cookies! Tough job…)
Brown Rice Flour + Peanut Butter + Brown Rice Syrup + Vanilla (and then my kids snuck in some chocolate chips) = BEST PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE EVER. Super dense, the exact opposite of the almond flour one!
Whole Wheat Flour + Almond Butter + Maple Syrup + Vanilla = YUM. This was Jennet’s original version (although I think she used Spelt Flour, which some gluten-sensitive individuals can tolerate)
Let me know if you try this and what combination you used!
*Based on a recipe from Raising Vegetarian Children
These cookies are so easy to make! And it is nice that it is so versatile, I almost always have something in the kitchen to make them, and the kids love them!
These are delicious little cookies. I love the versatility of the recipe!
Wow! You have a great memory. You even remember the specific ingredients I used in those cookies
everyone is raving about these cookies. i have to bake them now!
Yes you should!! Remember 4 ingredients, 8 minutes…
Me too! It’s on! :-)
Woot!
Leah! I tried these last night when my sweet tooth was howling and I needed a fix asap! They were as easy to whip up as advertised and absolutely fit the bill. They’re just sweet enough and the texture is so devilishly melt-in-your-mouthy. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I combined whole wheat flour, maple syrup, crunchy PB, and almond extract. I loved the bites of crunchiness from the PB but I’d love to try this with almond butter.
Now you are making me want some! Mmmmmm
These really are fantastic! I wanted to try to make them gluten free and used 1 cup old fashioned oatmeal instead of flour. I put it in a food processor until it was finely ground. It worked out great. I also added 3 tbsp of organic cacao powder and my daughter and husband couldn’t quit eating them! Thanks for the recipe! I just made a batch right now. :)
An oatmeal chocolate version?!? That sounds insanely good!! I am definitely going to try that!
Let me know how it turns out!
[...] adapted this recipe from Leah over at The Brazen Kitchen, which I follow like any stalker worth their wait in salt (or sugar) should. In Leah’s recipe [...]
I made these today!
I used Brown Rice Flour, Peanut Butter, Vanilla, Maple Syrup and added a little bit of chopped dark chocolate. My husband couldn’t believe I whipped them up so fast.
Thanks for the delicious healthy cookie recipe :)
Yummmmmmm! :) So glad!