Merciful God, You are great in compassion and Your tenderness for us is without measure. We ask You to give us today our daily bread, and also provide for the needs of all of Your hungry children around the world. Through Christ Your Son and Our Lord. Amen.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Sunbutter Cookies



If you've stopped by here before you know that I cook for several special food needs (besides general pickiness). I have one child with reflux and one with nickel allergies, who also has live-threatening peanut and tree nut allergies. For the most part, it's not difficult to work around the peanut and tree nut allergies, but there are certain foods that I really miss having -- like Peanut Butter Cookies.

Before our peanut/tree nut allergies were discovered, I made peanut butter cookies quite a bit. And while I do still allow peanut butter in the house (unlike many families who can't have any nut products around), I have not made peanut butter cookies once since our youngest son's allergies were diagnosed almost 10 years ago. I have occasionally treated myself at bakeries or coffee shops, but those cookies usually pale in comparison to a homemade peanut butter cookies.

Well, the other day I got a bee in my bonnet and the kids and I headed off to Trader Joe's to pick up some Sunbutter. If you've never used this product, it is very peanut butter-like, but made with sunflowers instead of peanuts. And unlike most peanut butter-like products, it is completely and totally peanut free. No "made in a facility that processes peanuts and tree nuts" -- this product is made for people with allergies. We've bought it before, but it's fairly expensive compared to peanut butter and my peanut/tree nut allergy kid doesn't like it (which is fairly common among kids who have never experienced the texture of peanut butter), so I don't go out of my way to buy it very often. But, I wanted cookies.

So, I bought two jars and yesterday I made Sunbutter Cookies. They were wonderful. If I didn't know, I don't think I would be able to tell that they were made with sunflower butter -- and they had the exact same texture as a good, homemade peanut butter cookie. So, if you cook for someone with peanut allergies, and you can get your hands on some Sunbutter, try these for a real treat. My allergy kid would not try them -- he is completely convinced he will not like Sunbutter, but at least I knew that he could try them, and I could eat them without the guilt of excluding anyone.

I used a combination of several recipes, all of which are similar to a standard peanut butter cookie. You use the Sunbutter the same as peanut butter, except that you have to add lemon juice. Apparently sunflower seeds are rich in Cholorgenic acid which discolors baked goods. I read that adding a teaspoon of lemon juice keeps that from happening. My cookies looked just like peanut butter cookies, so I suppose that the trick works.





Sunbutter Cookies

1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. shortening
2/3 c. Sunbutter
2 eggs
1 t. lemon juice
2-1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. soda
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cream sugar, shortening and Sunbutter.
Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice.
Add soda and flour and mix until blended.
Roll dough in 1-inch balls and
flatten with a sugar-dipped fork
in the characteristic peanut butter cookie style
(you can just flatten with a glass, if desired).
Bake 8 to 10 minutes.
Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes and remove to a cooling rack.

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8 comments:

Barb Szyszkiewicz said...

That's great that you found a way to have "PB cookies." Even if your PB-allergic guy didn't want them, at least you knew it was a safe treat for anyone in your home.

Anonymous said...

I have also found Sunbutter at Super Target, if you have one of those anywhere near you.

Sheila

Anonymous said...

So in this recipe, you also added the one teaspoon of lemon juice right? It wasn't listed in the recipe so I just wanted to make sure!!!

Barbara said...

Yes, Amy. So sorry about that. I have made the change in the recipe.

Anonymous said...

I'm making them today! Sunbutter has 1 gram more protein than PB and less sugar too. We don't have allergies we are just in it for the health. Thank you

Anonymous said...

I hope to try this recipe in the next few days. I will have to make additional adjustments to accomodate my son's allergies of eggs (also, peanuts and dairy) and adjustments for high-altitude. When the cookies have been baked and tasted by my three-year-old, and six-year-old, I'll do my best to post the 'replacements' and kids' ratings.

Stephanie said...

A year ago, my family's life was quite changed due to the sudden nut allergy my four year old son seemed to get overnight! We've adjusted quite well, and my son loves sunbutter, but we've definitely missed a few of those pb treats! My husband and children are going to be so pleasantly surprised when I whip up a batch of these cookies. I just wanted to sat thank you for the post.

Anonymous said...

I just made these sunbutter cookies for my boys who have food allergies. I used egg replacer, due to their egg allergies and I added some allergy safe mini - choco chips. YUMMMMmmmm! I agree... could barely tell that they weren't peanut butter. Thanks for the recipe!