Gluten-Free Chocolate "Peanut Butter" Cookies

Happy Friday!! Start off your weekend with a healthier treat!

Oh my goodness, these cookies are pure perfection. First, I made a delicious crispy gluten free shortbread cookie using banana flour, then I topped it with some sunflower seed butter, and then coated the whole cookie in dark chocolate. Are you hungry yet?! When you are craving a chocolate peanut butter cookie, instead of grabbing the unhealthier choice, make these better-for-you cookies!! They are simple to make and will make your day awesome!

First, you roll out the delicious cookie dough..

Then cut them into circles and bake...

Then top them with sunflower seed butter! Yum!

The reason why I used quotations around peanut butter in the title, is because even though these cookies might taste like there is peanut butter, there isn't! I used sunflower seed butter, which makes the cookies not only gluten free, but nut free as well! I think sunflower seed butter taste just as good as peanut butter! 

Onto the recipe!

Gluten-Free Chocolate "Peanut Butter" Cookies

Shortbread cookie ingredients:

• 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour blend
• 3/4 cup WEDO banana flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup raw cane sugar (coconut sugar will work too)
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons melted grass fed butter

"Peanut butter" & dark chocolate layer ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (plus one tablespoon to melt with chocolate)
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Sift together all purpose blend, banana flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Beat sugar, melted coconut oil, and butter in a stand mixer. Mix in flour blend until thoroughly combined.

Roll out cookie dough into a rectangle. Cut out circles using a mason jar top. Place on baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, or until slightly golden and crispy. Let cool on a cooling tray.

While the cookies are cooling, we are going to start making the sunflower seed butter layer and melt the chocolate! Mix together sunflower seed butter and coconut sugar in a small bowl. Set aside. Heat dark chocolate, coconut oil, and one tablespoon of sunflower seed butter in a double boiler over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until chocolate is melted and smooth. 

Now that the cookies are cooled, we are going to start making them amazing! Place about 1/2 tablespoon of sunflower seed butter on each cookie. Spread out evenly, and once all cookies are covered, place in freezer for about 20 minutes to let the sunflower seed butter coating harden. Remove cookies from freezer, it's time to coat them in the melted chocolate! Coat tops and bottoms of cookies evenly in chocolate, and place on a parchment paper lined tray. Repeat process until all cookies are coated. Devour! Enjoy this delicious treat!

-Juliet