Gluten Free Peanut Butter Kisses



 

Who says we can't start this thing off with a little treat?  Tonight we made Ski Soup and these Gluten Free Peanut Butter Kisses for a little dessert.  The kids love these and I don't feel guilty giving them one because there are just a few natural ingredients that are needed.  Remember, these are a treat and should be treated as such.  The big difference between these cookies and other peanut butter cookies is the lack of flour.  The cookies are free of gluten, have twice the protein, 1/3 less sodium, and roughly 1/4 fewer calories versus our old standby.  These also come together quickly and bake in just 10 minutes, so we can throw together a batch while making dinner.  You can use the original natural peanut butters that have oil that separates out or you can use the type that doesn't need stirring.  Either will work fine.

 

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Kisses

 

1 Cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter

1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

5 tsp. White or Natural Sugar

24 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

 

 

 

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except white sugar and Hershey Kisses and mix at medium-high speed until the resulting batter has a crumbly, somewhat grainy appearance.  The mixture should not appear greasy and smooth. 

 

 

Once mixed thoroughly, form the "dough" into 24 balls, approximately 1-1/2 Tablespoons each.  Lightly press one side of each ball into a bowl containing the white sugar.  Then place each sugared dough ball onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Space the cookies 2" apart, filling the sheet evenly.

 

 

 

 

 

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  The cookies will have held their shape for the most part and will also appear undercooked.  Press one kiss into the top of each cookie immediately (or to make a more traditional peanut butter cookie without the kiss, just flatten slightly with a fork).  Then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and repeat with the next batch. 

 

 

The cookies keep for a week or so in a sealed container and may also be frozen.  If you're single or if you do not trust yourself with a plate of cookies this delicious in the house, you can share them with friends, or as mentioned, freeze them, taking out only one or two to thaw at a time.