raw, vegan, salted peanut butter cookies
Monday 01.14.13 
when i get on a sugar kick i'm like buddy the elf! and during the holidays i always loosen up a bit and eat more of the stuff i generally try to avoid- refined sugar, white flour, processed goodies! its yummy fun but i also find that after a few weeks of treating myself my regular food doesn't taste nearly as good as it used to. which means it's time for a cleanse! so i return to really clean eating- lots of juicing, fruits and vegetables. but i inevitably miss the sweets. that's why i knew the second i spotted this that i had my answer. a raw cookie with no sugar, no flour, no processing at all? genius i tell you, genius! they aren't the same as a true dry, flaky peanut butter cookie but they're close enough for me! and the best part: after eating one i feel satisfied instead of feeling like i probably need to eat three more. that sugar addiction, it's a crazy thing! i hope you love them as much as i do!
recipe after the jump:
the what:
1 cup of raw almonds (you can use roasted as well if you'd prefer)
1/2 cup of peanut butter (i used creamy, unsalted)
1 cup pitted medjool dates
1 1/4 teaspoons of vanilla extract
maldon sea salt to garnish
the how:
- combine almonds, peanut butter, dates and vanilla in a food processor and blend until a dough-like texture is achieved (a couple of minutes). add more peanut butter if necessary to make the dough stickier *
- form into small balls and use a fork to press down and create a crisscross pattern
- sprinkle liberally with maldon sea salt
- store in refrigerator (in my opinion they were better the next day!)
*i was concerned about the motor in our food processor being overworked so i used the dry container in our vitamix to break down the almonds into a pasty flour before i added everything to the food processor. almond flour could also be substituted if you don't have access to a vitamix!
this recipe was modified just a little from this recipe
Reader Comments (35)
Mmm, these look delicious! I eat vegan at home, but I've never been one for raw baked goods... these look good enough to break that rule, though.
We are currently doing a juice fast to combat this exact thing. Sugar is my nemesis. I can't even begin to tell you how bad it got after my holiday home madness. Okay, candy bars for breakfast & dinner! oof. Anyway, when we're off the juicing this looks like the perfect treat to satisfy and keep me from slipping back into the wild, wild world of sugar highs and lows.
Thanks!
PS glad to hear you got that mojo back lady! here, here!
@anni, i hope you like them! i am always skeptical about raw foods but i have been happily surprised a bunch lately!
@liza mmmm, candy bars for breakfast. ha! that was my sugar addiction speaking. happy to be packing it up for a bit, i feel so much better already! good luck with your cleanse! xo
Not only do these cookies LOOK gorgeous, but I bet they also taste incredible! And with no added sugar or white flour? Count me in! ... The runner in my is rejoicing, as I think this recipe might be the perfect kind of pick-me-up I need this winter to get moving again and satisfying that sweet tooth of mine without completely undoing all the good done from my runs. And peanut butter after a run? The absolute BEST.
Thanks for sharing! Gorgeous blog!
these sound so yummy! must try as i am gluten free
I don't have a food processor, can you do all of the work in the vitamix?
Have you tried? I was thinking of trying, but wanted to know what you thought!
ps. found you via Pinterest! I can't wait to try these, Right there with you on the clean eating, detoxing sugar...
hi sarah! i think i'd give it a try...do you have the dry container for the vitamix? if so, start with the almonds in that. then add the vanilla and dates to see if you can get a good mixture going. peanut butter last, that way if it's not working you can hand mix it the rest of the way! :) good luck!
@sarah- wait! i forgot to mention... go slow and give your vitamix breaks in between. you don't want to burn out the motor!