Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies

I admit… I love cookies this time of year… both the baking and the eating. So when a friend hosted a cookie-exchange party, I used it as an opportunity to test out a new holiday cookie recipe that could satisfy that holiday sweet tooth without the processed sugar.

Enter “Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies.” While not 100% Paleo due to the peanuts (Wait! Don’t fret, Paleo fans… there’s a recipe modification just for you), these treats are simple to make without the simple sugars (Honey and low-glycemic coconut sugar provide all the sweetness you need). This recipe was slightly adapted from one I found on Paleo Family Meal Plans… instead of palm sugar, I just adjusted to add a little more honey and found it was the right amount of sweetness for me).

Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies

Ingredients (makes about 12-15 cookies):

1 cup of peanut butter (or almond butter for the non-cheating Paleo crew)
½ cup of honey
2 tbsp. coconut sugar (for the topping)
1 tbsp. cacao powder (plus a little extra for the topping)
3 tbsp. coconut flour
1 egg
½ tsp. of baking soda
Coconut oil for greasing the pan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Combine the peanut (or almond) butter, honey, cacao powder, egg and baking soda in a bowl.
Add in the coconut flour.
Drop quarter-sized balls of dough on a greased baking sheet.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes (or once the edges are starting to brown).
While cookies are baking, combine the coconut sugar and reserved cacao powder.
After cookies have cooled, sprinkle with the cacao/coconut sugar mix.