Gluten-free Nutter Butters

Some days I really just don’t want to cook dinner.

Especially if the water has been shut off.

So last night I ended up making a repeat-from-the-night-before, boring ol’ salad (((yawn))) which was anything but boring or yawn worthy, by the way. But I did manage to bake something before the water fiasco occurred that I think you might enjoy…

All this talk about Halloween has brought out the little girl in me and the ideas have been swarming in my brain. Which inevitably leads me to a numerous amount of thoughts; which inevitably leads me to a numerous amount of thoughts of food Particularly childhood-favorite foods.

We’re talking Nutter Butters, folks.

A creamy peanut butter filling sandwiched between 2 cookies that pack a crunch.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

It’s been years since I had one and since I refuse to say, “I can no longer eat that,” I set out to recreate this childhood cookie classic, gluten-free and veganized.

The end result?

You be the judge.

Gluten-Free/Vegan Nutter Betters Recipe (that wasn’t a typo, it’s supposed to read, “Betters”)

INGREDIENTS

For the Cookies:

• 1 stick Earth Balance, softened
• 1/3 c. peanut butter (I used chunky because it’s what I had in stock and it worked out find. I like that crunchy texture)
• 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/4 c. All-Purpose GF Flour mix (your choice–I used Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1/4 c. brown rice flour (OR you can grind up uncooked rice until smooth)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS 

1. Cream the sugar and butter in a medium bowl until fluffy and smooth.
2. Add the peanut butter and vanilla until combined.
3. Add the flours and salt; stir until combined.
4. Divide dough into 8 balls, place in a bowl covered with wax paper and chill for 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (bake for 10-15 minutes or until browned along the edges)

Because I didn’t have any fancy cookie cutters, I molded the cookies by hand. I took a small piece from 1 ball, flattened it gently with my hands, placed it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and repeated in order to make 1 peanut-shaped cookie. Using a knife, I made goofy peanut grooves into the dough:

INGREDIENTS 

For the peanut butter filling:

• 1/3 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 Tb soft butter
• 2 Tbs hemp milk (or any non-dairy milk of choice)

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend all ingredients together until fluffy and combined.
2. Place in fridge while the cookies are baking.

Assembling the cookie:

1. Allow the cookies to cool for 20 minutes before frosting. When ready, place the filling in a plastic bag (aka: your pastry bag), cutting a 1/2″ hole in one corner. Pipe the filling onto one cookie (about 2 tsp).
2. Place another cookie on top of the filling and gently press down (because I shaped my cookies by hand, I noticed they were more fragile in the middle–careful for breaking!)
3. Stuff your face.