Rich dark chocolate frosting sandwiched between two soft, tender peanut butter cookies. Low carb, gluten-free and grain-free.
I am something of a chocolate snob and I always have been, especially when it comes to commercial chocolate bars. Having grown up in Canada, I have always viewed Cadbury’s chocolate as far superior to brands found south of the border. Not that I even eat these things any more, but give me a Crispy Crunch or a WunderBar over a Snickers or Hershey’s any day. In fact, I’ve always maintained that Hershey’s had a very chalky texture that couldn’t compare to any Cadbury’s product, and I am known to expound on this subject to anyone who will listen. In my former sugar-eating days, my Canadian family and friends always made sure to bring me large packs of Cadbury’s chocolate if they came to visit. I even received a ginornmous Costco sized pack as a wedding present from some friends. True story.
But I am not so set in my chocolate snobbery that I won’t admit when I am wrong. So here I am, admitting that in at least one regard, Hershey’s can actually hold its own against “better” brands. I am referring to Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder. I like really dark chocolate and have at times been disappointed by cocoa powders that are light in colour and result in a light chocolate glaze or frosting that’s light in chocolate taste too. This just doesn’t fly with my chocolate-loving taste buds. But being such a chocolate-brand snob, I’ve always avoided the Hershey’s, thinking it couldn’t possibly be as chocolate-y as other brands.
Then one day, I needed some cocoa powder for a recipe and it was the only brand on the shelves. As I knew was fully gluten-free, unlike some other brands, it made its way into my shopping cart and home with me. I figured I would suffer through until I finished it and could purchase something else. I was pleasantly surprised when I first baked with it to find that the end product was far darker than I can usually achieve when working with cocoa powder and almond flour. And then I was VERY pleasantly surprised when I made some sugar-free frosting and got such a dark colour and a very intense chocolate flavour. The perfect chocolate-y foil for some low carb peanut butter chocolate sandwich cookies.
I am sure this sounds very much like a commercial or a sponsored post, but it’s not. I am not being paid or compensated in any way to say any of this. I still like some other brands of dark cocoa powder, and I am really excited to get into the huge bag of Callebaut that my dear reader, Dianne, sent my way recently. But I know when I need to swallow my pride and eat crow, and this is one of those times. I’ve bashed Hershey’s a great deal over the years, although I am sure they haven’t suffered much for my abuse. But they might glad to know that they’ve won me over when it comes to rich dark chocolate cocoa powder. Go Hershey!
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Sandwich Cookies – Low Carb and Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Cookies:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup dark roasted partially de-fatted peanut flour
- ¼ cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ¼ cup peanut butter melted
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp liquid stevia extract
Chocolate Frosting:
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 to 4 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- For the cookies, preheat oven to 300F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, peanut flour, erythritol, baking powder and salt. Stir in melted butter and melted peanut butter. Then stir in egg, vanilla and stevia until dough comes together.
- Turn out dough onto a large sheet of parchment paper and pat into a rough circle. Cover with another sheet of parchment and roll out to 1/4 inch thick.
- Use a 2½ inch round cookie cutter to cut out cookies, and gently lift with an offset spatula or sharp knife to transfer to prepared baking sheet. Re-roll scraps of dough and cut out more cookies until no more can be cut. You should get about 24 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutter.
- Bake 18 minutes, or until browned around the edges and just firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool completely (they are fragile when warm).
- For the frosting, beat together melted butter and cocoa powder until combined. Beat in powdered erythritol until thick and combined.
- Beat in vanilla, then beat in heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until a spreadable consistency is achieved. How much cream will depend upon your cocoa powder and how absorbent it is.
- Pipe or spread frosting on the bottom of one cookie and then top with another cookie, bottom-side down.
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Oh yes… look at that awesome swirl you got in there! The only problem with these is that they look so good, I don’t think I could resist eating the whole batch.
Jeanette says
I’ve never tried using peanut flour, although I tasted something last year made with it. Great recreation of a sweet treat as always Carolyn! I remember going to the Hershey factory as a child – great fun and I came out smelling like chocolate.
Rachel N says
Do you have a suggestion for peanut flour? All of the brands I see are ones I’ve never tried before, and I’m nervous about just buying at random.
Carolyn says
I used Byrd Mill, and I buy it on Amazon. Or maybe from netrition. It’s the dark 12% kind. Useful stuff!
Rachel N says
Thanks! 🙂 I don’t see it on Amazon, but I can get it off their website.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
Other than their eggs, I don’t think I’ve ever had any Cadbury chocolate products.
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
These are so gorgeous and look perfectly crisp! I’d love to dig into a batch!
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
Wow these are killer, Carolyn!
Liz says
What yummy nibbles these must be! I can never resist the chocolate-pb combo, and this is no exception!!!
Jen @ Savory Simple says
Everything you make is so intriguing! I’m trying to stay away from sweets in general right now but I’m saving a lot of your recipes to try once I get back into it.
Lady Jennie says
First of all, YUM! I am definitely making this.
Second of all, re Hersheys, when I compared it to the chocolate powder you get here, it was much much lighter. I have no other point to make about that though. 😉
Carolyn says
The regular Hershey’s cocoa is light, but the special dark is remarkably dark! Darker than any other I’ve used! I still have my snobbery about other kinds of chocolate, though. 😉
claire @ the realistic nutritionist says
Chocolate snobs unite!! I’m the same way 🙂
Kathy Ropponen says
I get excited every time your blog page starts to load and I see your beautiful blue logo come on the screen and I know something deliciously healthy is about to appear! Thanks, Carolyn, for doing all the trial and error so we can just bake and enjoy!
Carolyn says
Thank you! 🙂
Alyssa says
Uhhhh yum!?!?! I’m going to be trying this soon! It’s great to find so many low carb recipes out there!
Lindsay Hashimoto says
Can I use PB2 for the peanut flour?
Carolyn says
I’ve never used it but other people tried it and say it works.
Rachel says
I made this last weekend using PB2 since that’s all I could find locally and they were delicious! Even my (non-diabetic) husband loved them. Honestly the peanut butter cookies were so good on their own I’m going to make them again this weekend without the frosting. Thank you for all the great recipes!
Kim: Too Much Time says
Can’t wait tot ry these at my next book club! Everyone is on some sort of diet restriction and I think these will work for everyone. I hear ya about the Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder! I am not even a dark chocolate fan, but that stuff is like gold. Every baked good I make with it is so rich and chocolatey!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Kim! Hope you like the cookies.
Vanessa says
SO excited I just found this blog!! New favorite book mark! 🙂
Quick question- this recipe says it makes 12 cookies, but the nutrition facts after the recipe says it serves 12… by 12 cookies do you mean 12 of the little sandwiches? or is the nutrition info for half a sandwich?
Thank you!
Carolyn says
1 sandwich cookie = one serving. I hope that helps!
Steph says
Hi Carolyn,
these look absolutely delicious. May i ask you, were they crunchy, or were they soft – like the usual cookies made with nut flours?
Sandy B says
I made these with PB2 and they turned out great.
Katy says
So, is it a really dumb question to ask if I can just throw some unsalted peanuts into my food processor and use that? What is partially de-fatted peanut flour?
Carolyn says
No, you wouldn’t be able to. Partially defatted means they have extracted some of the fat, leaving a much more powdery substance. Grinding your own would not work.
Diana Meinweiser says
Could I do Hazelnut cookies with Hazelnut flour and the same recipe as the peanut cookies. I just bought some and I love choc. hazelnuts!
Carolyn says
Not in this recipe, exactly because hazelnut meal is much coarser than peanut flour. I actually have a hazelnut chocolate cookie coming soonish!