Need help with peanut butter cookies

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kitchengoddess8

Sous Chef
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I just made some gluten free peanut butter cookies using this recipe.

http://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes.php?recipe=1154

This time the cookies came out very dry and didn't spread. They kept the same ball form as the dough. Last time I baked them that didn't happen. I suspect the peanut butter I used may have been drier (less oily) than last time. Is there anything I can add to the dough to make sure the cookies spread when they bake?

Note: I used organic creamy peanut butter, and instead of brown sugar I used palm sugar
 
I haven't baked gluten free, but I would always go with the recommended ingredients. If your peanut butter looked like the conventional stuff out of the jar, then it may be fine, but the sugar may have caused the hangup, was it granulated the same texture as regular sugar?. I find that conventional style peanut butter usually works best with baking.
 
I used the same kind of sugar both times, so I think the problem was the peanut butter. The first time the peanut butter had a "runnier" consistency, and the cookies came out great. I tend to avoid hydrogenated fats like those used in commercial peanut butters, so maybe I need to find a creamier peanut butter that is made with non-hydrogenated palm oil. I have seen a few different varieties in the health food store.
 
I use a recipe similar to this one only my recipe does not call for any flour at all. Try the recipe without the gluten-free flour. Roll the dough into balls and place on parchment covered cookie sheet. Use a fork dipped in granulated sugar to press down the balls of dough. Mine turn out every time! Oh, yes -- sometimes I add a few chocolate chips to the batter. I also use chunky peanut butter. Good Luck!
 
kitchengoddess8 said:
I used the same kind of sugar both times, so I think the problem was the peanut butter. The first time the peanut butter had a "runnier" consistency, and the cookies came out great. I tend to avoid hydrogenated fats like those used in commercial peanut butters, so maybe I need to find a creamier peanut butter that is made with non-hydrogenated palm oil. I have seen a few different varieties in the health food store.

Jif natural and skippy natural both use non-hydrogenated palm oil, and have the creamy commercial texture. I love the Jif natural, the flavor is excellent, I too stay away from anything hydrogenated.
 
Jif Natural

I think Jif Natural does have added sugar. I remember enjoying it recently and wondering why they call it "natural." Maybe I'm thinking of another kind?
 
I suspect the problem was that, being all natural peanut butter, the natural oils separated, which they always do, which is the reason hydrogenated oils are used in Jif, etc. It takes some considerable effort to mix the oil all the way to the bottom. You either turn it bottom up for a while or stir, stir, stir. Otherwise, the bottom is real dry. The "runnier" first off the top is probably the giveaway that the large share of the oil went into the first batch.
 
Yes, I think that's what happened. The peanut butter on the bottom was less oily because the oil had separated and risen to the top. I need to remember to stir!

I found this post that rated natural peanut butters. I'll have to try some of them and see which ones are creamiest and easiest to stir.

The Best Natural Peanut Butter | Real Simple
 
I suspect the problem was that, being all natural peanut butter, the natural oils separated, which they always do, which is the reason hydrogenated oils are used in Jif, etc. It takes some considerable effort to mix the oil all the way to the bottom. You either turn it bottom up for a while or stir, stir, stir. Otherwise, the bottom is real dry. The "runnier" first off the top is probably the giveaway that the large share of the oil went into the first batch.

Next time you are scraping the bottom of the barrel add a small amount of canola oil and stir it in until you get a consistency similar to the original. I use Smucker's Natural in baking and it works fine in most things. I actually pour off the oil when I open a new jar because it saves a couple of hundred calories and makes the remaining peanut butter stiffer.
 
I think Jif Natural does have added sugar. I remember enjoying it recently and wondering why they call it "natural." Maybe I'm thinking of another kind?

It's called "natural" because it contains all natural ingredients, they eliminated hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup in this product.
 
bakechef said:
Yes one has sugar and the other molasses.

But that shouldn't really matter since they are going into a sugar added cookie right?

No, the type of sugar matters to me, as I have sensitivities to refined sugars. I'm okay with maple syrup, raw honey, palm sugar, and brown rice syrup.
 
Aunt Bea said:
Next time you are scraping the bottom of the barrel add a small amount of canola oil and stir it in until you get a consistency similar to the original. I use Smucker's Natural in baking and it works fine in most things. I actually pour off the oil when I open a new jar because it saves a couple of hundred calories and makes the remaining peanut butter stiffer.

Thank you. I appreciate this suggestion. I'm guessing this would work with sunflower oil as well?
 
I use Trader Joe's organic peanut butter. If you read the label, it has only peanuts in it, that is if you buy the unsalted version. If you buy the salted version it has just peanuts and salt. It has oil on top, but this is good peanut oil and needs to be mixed into the peanut butter. After you mix the oil into the peanut butter, keep it in the refrigerator. That way it won't separate again and it stays much fresher. As I mentioned in a previous reply to you, I use the exact same recipe without any type of flour and the cookies turn out great.
 
ShellyCooks said:
I use Trader Joe's organic peanut butter. If you read the label, it has only peanuts in it, that is if you buy the unsalted version. If you buy the salted version it has just peanuts and salt. It has oil on top, but this is good peanut oil and needs to be mixed into the peanut butter. After you mix the oil into the peanut butter, keep it in the refrigerator. That way it won't separate again and it stays much fresher. As I mentioned in a previous reply to you, I use the exact same recipe without any type of flour and the cookies turn out great.

Thank you for this. I love the idea of making the cookie without flour. Do you think it would work to reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe? I'd like the cookies to have just a hint of sweetness.
 
Yes, Kitchengoddess, I have reduced the sugar and the cookies still come out fine. A quick hint --- after all the ingredients are mixed together, let the dough rest for a few minutes then roll teaspoons full of dough into balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheets (no need to use oil or grease on the cookie sheets when you use parchment paper). Press the cookies with a fork dipped in granulated sugar or if you don't want the extra sugar on top, dampen the fork slightly so it doesn't stick to the cookies. Also, I've added chocolate chips to the cookies and I like to use chunky peanut butter for that nutty crunch.
 
ShellyCooks said:
Yes, Kitchengoddess, I have reduced the sugar and the cookies still come out fine. A quick hint --- after all the ingredients are mixed together, let the dough rest for a few minutes then roll teaspoons full of dough into balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheets (no need to use oil or grease on the cookie sheets when you use parchment paper). Press the cookies with a fork dipped in granulated sugar or if you don't want the extra sugar on top, dampen the fork slightly so it doesn't stick to the cookies. Also, I've added chocolate chips to the cookies and I like to use chunky peanut butter for that nutty crunch.

I have a small ice cream scoop that I use for cookie dough. Would that work with this recipe or would I need to roll the dough?
 
Will do! I forgot to ask, should I leave out the baking soda if I'm going to make the cookies without flour?
 
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