Yummy Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

A short-and-sweet peanut butter cookie that swaps refined white sugar for honey and all-purpose flour for a mix of whole grain brown rice and barley flours. The result is denser and more crumbly than a classic toll-house style cookie, with a deep nuttiness from the alternative grains that complements the peanut butter rather than disappearing into the background.

Note: despite the title, this recipe is NOT gluten-free as written. Barley flour contains gluten. To make it truly gluten-free, swap the barley flour for an equal amount of certified gluten-free oat flour or sorghum flour.

The dough comes together in one bowl with no creaming, no chilling, and no eggs. Roll into walnut-sized balls and flatten them thin with the back of a fork (crisscross pattern, like classic PB cookies) so they bake evenly in the short 7 to 8 minute window.

Kitchen Tips

• Use natural-style crunchy peanut butter for best texture. Heavily sweetened, hydrogenated brands throw off the honey-to-fat ratio.
• Let the cookies cool completely on the pan. They look underbaked at first but firm up as they cool.
• These dry out faster than wheat cookies. Store in an airtight tin with a slice of bread to keep them soft.

Variations

• Swap honey for maple syrup for a deeper caramel note.
• Add ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped peanuts for crunch.
• Press a chocolate kiss into the center right after baking for peanut butter blossoms.