Peanut butter cookies (eggless)

I usually make cookies on weekend to pack it in the snack box for my kid during the week. But cookies do have a considerable amount of fat even though I try to reduce it as much as possible. So recently, when I happen to come across peanut butter cookies here, I wanted to give it a try.

Peanut butter along with whole wheat it makes a wholesome snack. I have used homemade peanut butter which has no added sugar. Also, the criss-cross pattern on a typical peanut butter cookie makes them look so pretty.

3/4 cup + 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar (I added couple of tbsp of sugar more as my homemade butter had no added sweetener)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup + 2 tsp milk

1cup + 2 tbsp whole wheat flour (atta)

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

Mix together peanut butter, sugar, vanilla and milk. Mix well so that all the ingredients are combined well.

Separately sieve together atta, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add this atta mixture to the peanut butter mixture and form a soft dough. Chill the dough for 15 minutes in the fridge.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 degree Celcius.

Make balls with the dough. (I used 1 tbsp as my measurements as I prefer smaller cookies.). Press the balls onto the parchment lined cookie tray making a criss-cross pattern.

Bake for 8 to 10 mins. The cookies will be soft on the top and the edges will be deeper in colour when the cookies are done. Time taken for baking varies from oven to oven and also depends on the size of the cookie, so adjust accordingly. Cool the cookies on the cooling rack and keep them in airtight containers on cooling completely.

Note : I halved the recipe given above and got around 12 cookies.

Fresh Fig Brownie

Happy Valentine’s day !!!

We really don’t have a ritual for Valentine’s day, but rather just go with the flow. Today it was celebrated with the whole family around the breakfast table. It was wonderful. Coming to the recipe, this is one of those recipes which is just awesome and happens by accident.

We really don’t eat fresh figs and I had a dozen to finish. Fig jam was obvious and tried, so decided on making a cake and an ice-cream. I had my fingers crossed with the cake in the oven because it was the first time I was using fresh buttermilk. (Here, I have used the buttermilk which remains after removing the butter for ghee.) It turned out just wonderful and was liked by all. I decided to call it a brownie because of the taste, texture and the amazing cracked top. It’s an easy and a healthy recipe. I know it has butter, but I believe a controlled amount of good fat is essential for your body.

I have adapted this recipe from the chocolate beet cake recipe.

Dry ingredients

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4  tsp salt

 

Wet Ingredients

1/4 cup fresh homemade butter (at room temperature)

3/4 cup powdered jaggery

1 cup fresh buttermilk

1/2 cup fresh fig puree

1 tbsp vanilla extract

 

Pre heat the oven at 180 degree Celsius.

Sieve together all the dry ingredient and combine it well.

In another bowl cream butter and powdered jaggery. Then add pureed fig and buttermilk and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients into wet ingredient and wisk together for a lump free batter. Do not over mix. Pour the batter in a greased and floured 7” x 9” tin. (I used a parchment paper at the bottom of the tin)

Bake for 25 mins or till the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Each oven is different so the time required may vary.

Let it cool in the pan for 20 mins and then on the wire rack till it is completely cooled. Slice and serve.