Easy to make ! Easier to eat ! Especially if you're a peanut butter fan ! I've been making peanut butter cookies for a long time now, since they are my husband's favorite cookies. But this variant is so good and by FAR the best peanut butter cookies I've ever made.

For an extra peanut butter flavor, I sprinkled the cookies with peanuts before popping them in the oven. I substituted the smooth peanut butter I was normally using for crunchy to get a cookie with more texture. The result is soft yet..... crunchy ! I like having a crispy cookie on the outside with a soft and chewy inside... and this is totally what they are!

The creaminess and richness of peanut butter, the contrast between the salt and the sweetness of the dark cacao chunks makes me want to eat a numerous amount all at once...

It's THAT kind of recipe. The one you can't even wait one extra minute before tasting it.

And then you take just one bite.

And *just* another one.

And another one...

And soon you realize that you ate a little bit too much and the photoshoot isn't what it was suppose to be ... oops! Too bad!

Salted chocolate peanut butter cookies (Gluten-free, vegan)

Seriously... these are the best cookies I've baked in a while! Chewy and crunchy at the same time, sweet enough and healthy!

Yield : 20 cookies

Ingredients :

1 cup certified gluten-free rolled oats

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup natural peanut butter (crunchy or smooth) - See note

2 tablespoons coconut oil or avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup coconut sugar

1 flax egg : 1 tablespoon grounded flax seeds + 3 tablespoons water (or 1 organic large egg)

1/2 teaspoon aluminium-free baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1/4 cup dark cacao chips or chunks

1/4 cup crushed peanuts (optional - for garnish)

2-3 tablespoons chia seeds (optional)

Pinch Maldon sea salt flakes (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (the cookies tend to stick a lot, so be sure to grease your pan if you omit the parchment paper).
In a small bowl, mix together the flax seeds and water and set aside for few minutes so it can thicken up.
In the meantime, beat (with an electric mixer) the coconut oil and peanut butter together. Add the coconut sugar, vanilla extract and flax egg.
Add in the dry ingredients (baking soda, baking powder, salt, oats, almond flour). Depending on your peanut butter texture, you may need to add a little bit of almond milk (enough to form balls with the dough). Add the cacao nibs if you want.
Shape balls (about 1 tablespoon of dough per ball). You can use your hands or, like I did, a small ice cream spoon. Place on the baking sheet. Flatten the balls a little bit (this helps the cacao nibs to stick in the cookies). Add a few crushed peanuts on top and press them with your fingers. Sprinkle the cookies with salt flakes (the taste really pops out!).
Bake for about 13-15 minutes until lightly golden. It is really important to let them cool for 10-15 minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack (they are very soft when they're hot, but will harden).
Now try not to eat them all in the same night !!! Good luck ;)

Note : depending on the texture of your peanut butter, you may need to add 2-3 tablespoons water to the dough.