I always associate September with cookies.  I think it’s the back-to-school, pack you lunch, bring a treat relationship.  This blog has hosted its share of cookie recipes and I’m fairly certain I’ve covered the basics at this point.  Just check out the index of you don’t believe me.  So, I thought I’d do some experimenting, starting with a gluten and peanut-free take on the traditional peanut butter and jelly.

Nowadays, it seems most schools have declared themselves peanut-free zones.  Many more include tree-nuts on the contraband list.  But there is hope: sun butter.  If you haven’t tried it, the spread is hearty and nutty enough to stand on its own.  It also has the right fat-content to create a soft, and satisfying texture to baked-goods.

We’ve been experimenting with eliminating certain kinds of food in our household.  Turns out dairy is no friend to either TD or me.  I’ve also kicked out gluten during weekdays.  This isn’t because either of us have allergies.  Rather,  I’ve observed that most of what we consume with gluten is junk we shouldn’t be eating in the first place (I’m talking to you Cheez-Its).  Probably because we don’t have allergies, losing the gluten hasn’t been hard.  In fact, It’s been fun exploring new kinds of grains.

All of this is a long explanation for why I used cornmeal in this cookie recipe.  I love the texture cornmeal brings to cakes and so I thought I would try it with a cookie.  I realize that in some circles corn is a greater evil to nutrition than Loki is to the Avengers.  But, you pick your battles and I don’t claim to be a foodie activist.

The dough will be a little stiff.  If you can’t fold the batter with a spatula and some elbow grease, add in a tablespoon or two of juice or water.

Since  I had peanut butter and jelly on the brain, I gave each half a teaspoon of raspberry jam.  These would be almost as good without the little dab of fruit-though, I’d up the sugar to 1/2 C if you decide to go this direction.

The texture was soft and the flavors hearty with a little bright sweetness from the preserves.  Without telling him that I’d swapped-out his beloved peanut butter and flour, I fed a couple to TD.  He declared them tasty.  Maybe sometimes not knowing is half the battle.

Soundtrack

Joe Jackson

Sunbutter Blossoms

makes about 18 2 inch cookies

Ingredients

• 1 C sun butter (make sure to stir before measuring)
• 1/3 C sugar plus more for rolling
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 C corn meal
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1-2 TBS juice
• jam of your choice (I used raspberry here but I’d love it if someone tried this recipe with Trader Joe’s fig butter)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
2. In a smallish bowl, whisk together corn meal and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together sugar and sun butter for 2 minutes.
4. Beat-in egg and vanilla.
5. With mixer setting on low, mix-in flour until just combined.  If the dough is too stiff to fold by hand, incorporate a tablespoon or two of juice.
6. Pinch-off a generous tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball and then roll in sugar.  Place on cookie sheet.
7. Repeat process until all dough has been balled.
8. Using your clean index finger, gently push a well into the center of each dough ball.
9. Fill well with jam being careful to not overfill the well.
10. Bake for about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheets.