Peanut Butter Lentil Cookies
 
Prep time
Cook time
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All signs would seem to say these are your typical tasty peanut butter cookies: endearingly nutty, soft, and chewy, unmistakably speckled with crunchy roasted nuts throughout. Every aspect of this classification is accurate, although there is something slightly different about these cookies that most eaters wouldn’t venture to guess. Lentils and potatoes are the secret ingredients added to this mix, negating the need for wheat altogether. Challenge the cookie status quo with a more diverse arsenal of ingredients, and you won’t be disappointed.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 24 cookies
Ingredients
  • ½ cup red lentils, dry
  • ½ cup plain dairy-free milk beverage
  • ¼ cup instant mashed potato flakes
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
  2. Begin by grinding up your dry lentils in a food processor for a good 5 to 10 minutes, until they become a fine powder. This step is crucial, as any larger fragments will change the texture of the finished cookies substantially. If you do not have a food processor handy, then the lentils can be ground in a spice grinder in about two batches.
  3. While your lentils are churning away, combine the non-dairy milk and mashed potato flakes in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for one minute. Let the potato mixture cool for a minute or two, before tossing it into a stand mixer along with your freshly processed lentil flour. Mix in the peanut butter and sugar. Sprinkle in the cornstarch while keeping your mixer on low, increasing the speed once everything is combined and no longer threatens to send starch flying out. Make sure the dough is thoroughly mixed before introducing the remaining ingredients. Stir until completely smooth.
  4. Spoon rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave a good amount of room between the cookies to allow for spreading, but they shouldn’t spread too far; about an inch should do the trick. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are no longer shiny on top, but have not yet begun to brown around the edges. To ensure a soft, chewy cookie, remove the cookies from the oven just before they begin to take on color. Allow them to sit on the hot baking sheet for another 5 minutes before pulling the silicone baking mat off onto a cooler surface.
Recipe by Go Dairy Free at https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/peanut-butter-lentil-cookies