Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies {Egg-free}

I have been making these cookies for years.  I originally posted them in January of 2012 as a variation with my Peanut Butter Cookies (EF, DF) recipe.  I decided to move them to a post of their own since most chocolate kisses contain dairy and the peanut butter cookie alone does not.  

My family loves these.  It is also a great recipe to make for non-allergy friends.  They certainly won't miss the egg in this one!  Enjoy!!

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

¼ c vegetable shortening

1 c creamy peanut butter

1/3 c granulated sugar

1/3 c packed brown sugar

1 t vanilla

¼ c milk 

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 1/2 c flour
2-4 T additional milk 

3-4 T additional sugar

1 bag of chocolate kisses

Preheat oven to 375°.  In a large bowl, beat shortening, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add milk, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat well.  Gradually add flour, beating until mixed in.  Add additional milk one tablespoon at a time until dough starts to form.  Shape into 1 inch balls.  Roll in additional granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  As you remove from the oven, gently press one unwrapped chocolate kiss into the middle of cookie.  Cool slightly on cookie sheet before removing.

Makes about 2-3 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

You have to try these!  They are SO good!!  We had them a couple of weeks ago when we invited friends over for dinner.  I was looking for something easy for dessert that everyone would like.  I found these on Pinterest and they were a big hit!  The recipe I used was an adaptation from another site.  I will link to both below, as they are very similar.

Yummy!!

The recipe recommends lining the pan with foil.  

I was amazed at how easy it made them to lift out and cut.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Dream Bars - Click to link to recipe.  This is the recipe I followed and is an adaption of the recipe below.  This recipe calls for milk chocolate chips, but I only had semi-sweet chocolate chips.  So, I decided to use mini M&Ms like the recipe below.  If you do use M&Ms, mix them with the topping as suggested in the recipe below.  The M&Ms didn't melt enough to stick if just put them on top. 

Peanut Butter Dream Bars - Click here to link to original recipe.

Brownies with Peanut Butter Swirl

Funny story...  I used to not like peanut butter and chocolate together.  I know...  that makes me a weirdo.  I always liked chocolate and I always liked peanut butter.  I just didn't like them together.  Then when I was pregnant with my second child, I craved peanut butter like crazy!  I wanted it all the time and even wanted it with chocolate.  It was during this pregnancy that I figured out why everyone else in the world loved this crazy combination so much!  Haha.  So, now I am normal like the rest of you.

So, I decided to make my brownies with a peanut butter swirl!  They are so good.  I have made them twice already.  Our non-allergy friends also really like them.  But then who doesn't like peanut butter and chocolate together, right?!

This is my Brownie recipe and I found the ingredients for the peanut butter swirl from Crazy for Crust.  I reprinted both below for easier reference.

Brownies with Peanut Butter Swirl

½ c sugar

½ c brown sugar

½ c vegetable shortening

1 c flour

½ c unsweetened cocoa powder

½ t baking powder

½ t salt

½ c milk

1 t vanilla

½ c semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the peanut butter swirl (Source: Crazy for Crust)

½ c peanut butter

2 T butter, melted

1/3 c powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.   Lightly grease the bottom only of an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan and set aside.  Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, blend shortening and both sugars until combined.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.  Add flour mixture blending until mixture resembles a course meal.  Slowly add milk and vanilla, blending constantly until smooth.  Batter will be thick.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread batter into greased baking pan. 

Mix together peanut butter, melted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Drop spoonfuls on top of the brownies then swirl with a knife. 

Bake brownies for about 35 minutes or until the top is no longer shiny.  Set pan on a wire rack until the brownies are mostly cool and cut into squares.

Makes 16 2 inch brownies.

Dairy-free notes:  I haven't tried it but I think this recipe could easily be made dairy-free.  If anyone tries it, please let me know how it works out and what substitutes you used for the milk, butter and chocolate chips. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread {Egg-free}

Shortbread cookies are not really my husband's favorite.  He much rather have Chocolate Chip Cookie or a variation of it like Chocolate Chip Oat Cookie.  But since we learned about his egg allergy, he has started to like shortbread cookies more and more.  Since they don't have egg in them, they are always a safe treat he can have without needing to read the ingredients.  When I came across this recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread, I just had to try it.  The peanut butter and chocolate definately jazz up your basic shortbread cookie!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread - I made these according to the recipe.  Please link here.

Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream {Egg-free, Dairy-free}

As I mentioned before, I buy a lot of bananas and I am always looking for ways to use up my slightly overripe ones.  I found this recipe on Pinterest and was excited to try it.  I love that it is simple and doesn't have any added sweeteners.  I am really not against feeding my family the occasional sugary treat, but it is nice to find something just as yummy made with just fruit and peanut butter!

If you like this recipe, you may also like Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie (EF, GF).

Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream - Click the link for the recipe.

Peanut Butter Cookies {Egg-free, Dairy-free}

Now that my blog has a little more activity, I am going to try to re-post a recipe each month that was originally posted at the beginning and maybe hasn't gotten all that much activity but is a great one for families with food allergies.


The second recipe I posted, over a year ago, was for egg-free, dairy-free Peanut Butter Cookies.  Not only are these cookies delicious, the ingredients can most likely be found in your pantry!  As a result, I make them way too often.  In my orginal post I included three variations:  moist rounded peanut butter cookies, peanut butter cookies with a chocolate kiss on top and the traditional crispier criss-crossed variety.

 Peanut Butter Cookies - Please link to my original post here.

Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie

I started buying fresh fruits and vegetables in bulk.  I have found that when I keep plenty in the house, we are better about eating more.  At the same time, I don't want fresh produce to go bad before we can eat it.  The solution to my problem?  Smoothies!  I tried this recipe for banana peanut butter smoothie over the weekend and it was a hit with the family.  Since I didn't come up with the recipe, I am going to just link to it.  I plan to come up with my own creative combinations soon!

If you like this recipe, you may also like Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream (EF, DF, GF).

 Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie - Click to link to the recipe.  This recipe is for 2 servings.  Here are my approximate adjusted ingredients to make a single serving.

1 medium banana peeled and sliced then frozen
1/3 c non-fat vanilla yogurt
2 T creamy peanut butter
1/4 c non-fat milk

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Dairy-free Suggestion:  Replace the non-fat milk with soy milk (or other non-dairy substitute) and the yogurt for of crushed ice (1 c ice per serving).

Peanut Butter Cookies {Egg-free, Dairy-free}

Not only are these cookies delicious, the ingredients can most likely be found in your pantry!  As a result, I make them way too often.  I am including two variations:  moist rounded peanut butter cookies and the traditional crispier criss-crossed variety.  The recipe calls for milk, but I think soy milk will substitute just fine for those of you allergic to dairy. 

If you are not allergic to dairy, you must try this recipe made into Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies (EF), which are topped with a chocolate kiss!

Peanut Butter Cookies

¼ c vegetable shortening

1 c creamy peanut butter

1/3 c granulated sugar

1/3 c packed brown sugar

1 t vanilla

¼ c milk or soy milk

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 1/2 c flour
2-4 T additional milk or soy milk

3-4 T additional sugar

Preheat oven to 375°.  In a large bowl, beat shortening, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add milk, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat well.  Gradually add flour, beating until mixed in.  Add additional milk one tablespoon at a time until dough starts to form.  Shape into 1 inch balls.  Roll in additional granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool slightly on cookie sheet before removing.
Makes about 2-3 dozen cookies.

Traditional Peanut Butter Cookies – When you place on the cookie sheet, press down on cookie with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.  Then bake as directed reducing cook time by about 1 or 2 minutes.