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Recently I discovered a new ingredient that has me all excited: Peanut flour. Maybe you already know about this richly flavored, silky smooth, gluten-free, low-fat, protein packed ingredient? Well, it’s new to me and I love it.

Unlike other nut flour, this one is defatted, which means they remove a portion of the oils so the peanuts can be milled to a soft powder. The result is a velvety texture with lots of healthy protein and fewer calories. I first tested the peanut flour with these cookies. I wasn’t expecting the flavor to be enhanced as much as I was looking for a gluten-free alternative to the classic. Boy was I wrong, as the flavor is all about the roasted peanuts and the texture is divine.

The trick to their success is slightly under baking the cookies so the outside is crisp and the center stays creamy. Add the chocolate chunks and you have a sophisticated take on the ever loved peanut butter cup.

Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy)
½ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, well packed
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ½ cups peanut flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Sugar for sprinkling on top of the cookies

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a stand mixer cream together the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, mix to combine.
• In a small bowl whisk together the peanut flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the mixture to the creamed butter mixture and mix on low speed until just smooth. Add the chocolate pieces and mix on low until just combined.
• Use a 2-ounce scoop to portion out the cookies or use a spoon and then roll the dough in your hands to make it round. Sprinkle the cookies with sugar and flatten with the tines of a fork to create the classic cross hatch pattern.
• Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, making sure they are set, but not quite dry in the center.  Cool on a rack.

Zoë François, author of “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day” and “Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day“, studied at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. She now calls Minneapolis her home, where she has worked with some of the top talent in the culinary world — Steven Brown, Andrew Zimmern and many chefs at the D’Amico company. In addition to writing, Zoë teaches baking classes and consults at restaurants, and she maintains her baking blog, zoebakes.com. Her third book comes out in October, “Artisan Pizza and Flatbreads in Five Minutes a Day.”

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Tags: gluten-free peanut butter zoebakes