Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last week my boyfriend's best friend, Chris, got a job promotion. Every time I see Chris he asks me if I baked him anything. I don't usually... but given the circumstances of a promotion I felt like cookies were in order. I called Erica, my right hand lady when it comes to baking, and asked her for a peanut butter cookie recipe. We decided on a more 'classic' peanut butter cookie- rich, with a slight crunch around the edges, and some chocolate chips thrown into the mix. I went over to Erica's, peanut butter in hand, with every intention of making these cookies. But within three seconds flat she had all the ingredients in a bowl and I quickly knew my place in this kitchen, off to the side. I did, however, slightly flatten each cookie before baking, which is a crucial step in the cookie making process. No flattening=no cookies.

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened plain almond milk
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping cup sugar
1 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon agave
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips + extra  (Ghirardelli semi sweet chips are vegan but the bitter sweet are not)

Preheat your oven to 350 F

In a small bowl whisk together the flax, plant-based milk and vinegar. Allow it to sit for ten minutes so the mixture thickens and curdles a bit. This will act as the egg replacer.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate medium sized bowl: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well incorporated.

In another bowl whisk together the sugar, peanut butter, coconut oil. Once well incorporated mix the flax meal contents into the bowl along with the vanilla and agave. Slowly add in the flour mixture, using clean hands mix to incorporate as the forming dough will become pretty thick. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Prepare a large baking sheet by spraying it with non stick spray.

Form the dough into 1 inch balls that are slightly flattened, about 2 inches apart from one another. Press a few chocolate chips into the tops of each flattened cookie and bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through.

Makes between 2-3 dozen

Recipe adapted from Vegan Baking