Wheat Germ Peanut Butter Cookies

After along day of work, especially after what I call a “Manic Monday”, I yearn to bake. An afternoon of baking is the cure to get my mind off of everything else. The scooping and leveling off of  flour and measuring of ingredients soothes me. Peanut butter has to be one of my favorite ingredients in baking and cookies well who doesn’t love cookies. These cookies are lower in saturated fat then most peanut butter cookies, since I removed the butter and replaced it with no sugar added applesauce, plus they are made  with whole wheat flour which is an added bonus!

Ingredients:

1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter (pick your favorite) I love aldi’s brand

1 cup Sugar (or use half sugar & half splenda)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 Tsp of Baking Soda

1 TB of Toasted Wheat Germ

1 Egg

1/2 cup of Natural Applesauce (no sugar added)

1 Tsp of Mexican Vanilla

Scoop number 24 makes ( 18 Large Cookies) ****this is what I used***

Vanilla Sugar ***sprinkle lightly

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, wheat germ, and baking soda together in one bowl, set aside.

In another bowl mix sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, egg, and applesauce together.

Mix dry ingredient into wet ingredients until combined (mix by hand for best results).

Scoop with number 24 cookie scooper on to a half sheet parchment lined pan. I only placed 6 cookies on a sheet. I also made a crisscross marking with a fork  and sprinkled with vanilla sugar.

Bake for 12 to 13 Minutes on 350 degrees. Let cool on pan for only a minute and transfer to wire rack.

Enjoy because they will not last! Weight Watcher Points Plus 4 points plus Each

Nutrition Facts  Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies
18 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories		159.4
Total Fat		7.8 g
	Saturated Fat	1.6 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	2.1 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	3.6 g
Cholesterol		12.0 mg
Sodium		89.1 mg
Potassium		109.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate		19.8 g
	Dietary Fiber	1.8 g
	Sugars	11.8 g
Protein		5.0 g

Vitamin A	0.4 %
Vitamin B-12	0.5 %
Vitamin B-6	3.6 %
Vitamin C	0.2 %
Vitamin D	0.6 %
Vitamin E	7.7 %
Calcium	0.7 %
Copper	1.1 %
Folate	3.6 %
Iron	1.9 %
Magnesium	6.0 %
Manganese	3.5 %
Niacin	9.7 %
Pantothenic Acid	1.2 %
Phosphorus	6.0 %
Riboflavin	1.7 %
Selenium	1.6 %
Thiamin	1.3 %
Zinc	3.3 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• • 1 teaspoon baking powder
• • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature <out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes (DO NOT MICROWAVE)
• • 3/4 cup (packed)brown sugar
•  1/2 cup sugar
•  1/4 cup powdered sugar
•  2 large egg yolks (eggland’s best or farm-fresh)
•  1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
•  8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (my favorite is Ghirardelli 60% Cacao)
• flaky sea salt
•  Caramel for drizzling (recipe below)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Whisk flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

Using an electric stand mixer (I tried this recipe with a hand mixer and it is possible but I made a hug mess in the kitchen, so I recommend using the stand mixer if you have one) on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.

Add egg yolks, egg, and vanilla. Beat, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just to blend.

Using a spatula, fold in chocolate chips.

Use cookie scooper (I used a number 60 which is equal to 3 & 1/5 teaspoon).

Scoop cookie dough onto 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart. Sprinkle cookies with sea salt.

Bake cookies, until just golden brown around the edges, 10-12 minutes (the cookies will firm up as they cool). Let cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.

After the cookies have cooled (If you can wait) drizzle with caramel.

Salted Caramel Drizzle:

Ingredients:

1 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt

Additional sea salt for decoration (optional)

Directions:

1. Add the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a heavy 2 quart saucepan. Heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking it as it begins to melt.  Just keep whisking and as it continues to cook, they will melt back down. Keep cooking until temperature reaches 350 degree. Once temperature reached add butter, once the butter is melted gently pour in the heavy cream and whisk until combined.

Let caramel mixture set for 10 minutes and use a siphon to pour caramel into squeeze bottle and dispense over cookies.