Super Soft & Chewy Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

Pin It PIN IT!

If you ever need a dose of inspiration for holiday baking, go to my mom’s house. She makes over 2,000 cookies a year with at least 10 – 12 different variations. She has a list of 5 – 6 classics that she makes every year, but the rest are these amazing new ideas she thought of or found online. From pistachio crusted macarons to ugly sweater cookies to fruit cake bars, I can always count on her to surprise me with a new and addicitve holiday cookie.

Chewy peanut butter cookies

As much as I love the unique sweets and the quirkly twists, I’ll always be a huge fan of the classics. As much as I love trying the new cookies, I always go back to the classics for seconds. I just can’t imagine Christmas without a few buckeyes, thumbprints or powdered snowballs.

Soft and chewy pb cookies

That’s why when tasked with cookie baking for my office this weekend, I went straight to a classic. Sure I could have made another batch of holiday macarons or a lemon-rosemary sandwich cookie, but I wanted something that made people feel fuzzy inside. A cookie that, after the first bite, they smiled and said “These taste just like my grandmother used to make,” or “My mom makes these every year for the holidays!” A cookie that reminded them of the holidays. A cookie that gave them just a bit of nostalgia on a cold Monday morning.

Super soft whole wheat cookies

Which is why I went with one of my favorite classics, peanut butter. You really can’t go wrong with a chewy, moist and soft peanut butter cookie. Even though these stray a little from the classic recipe (subbed in whole wheat for a slightly healthier cookie), my goal to get people to smile and laugh for a minute worked. A few of my colleagues gathered around my bosses desk and chatted while enjoying a few of these yesterday morning.

PB-frosting.jpg

I know I’m not perfect and not every recipe I make is a good one, but when something you make brings people together, that’s cause for celebration in my book and a well deserved toot to the horn.

Super Soft & Chewy Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies

Best whole wheat peanut butter cookies

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!

Yields about 16 cookies.
Prep time: 10 – 12 minutes
Chill time: 14 hours
Cook time: 12 – 14 minutes

Ingredients: 

  • 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Dash of salt

Directions: 

  1. In a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the peanut butter, butter, applesauce, egg, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla together. Beat until thick and creamy.
  2. In another bowl, whisk the flours, baking soda and salt together. Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix until soft and fluffy. Cover bowl with saran wrap and chill for at least 10 – 14 hours (or overnight).
  3. Once chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto the parchment paper about 1-inch apart on the baking sheet. Don’t overcrowd since they will spread a little.
  5. Bake for about 10 – 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
  6. Serve warm with milk and enjoy!

Nutritional information per serving (1 cookie):

Calories: 173.8
Fat: 8.8 grams
Carbohydrates: 22.25
Fiber: >1 gram
Protein: 3.25 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 5

d9fc70b20a7798b1719c7b0ca57f7d503a5d61417fae68ac26

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Tuesday, December 16th, 2014
    OMG! These look so incredibly fudgy and amazing!
  2. Posted by Nikki @ NikSnacks on
    Tuesday, December 16th, 2014
    I love that precious little milk bottle xo!!!
  3. Posted by Liz on
    Tuesday, December 16th, 2014
    Your mom is my kind of lady!!! Can I get on her giveaway list???? ;) Seriously, these healthified peanut butter cookies look fantastic!
  4. Posted by Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom on
    Tuesday, December 16th, 2014
    They look so fluffy and soft!
  5. Posted by Paula - bell'alimento on
    Tuesday, December 16th, 2014
    My kids would go bonkers for this pb cookies.
  6. Tuesday, December 16th, 2014
    I love the classic recipes too! But I am seriously impressed by your mom's cookie baking!! These look great and I love the healthier whole wheat!
  7. Tuesday, December 16th, 2014
    I would love to see what the ugly sweater cookies look like! Haha. Soft and chewy is my favorite type of cookie! Pinned :)
  8. Wednesday, December 17th, 2014
    Soft and chewy is how I like them!
  9. Posted by Heather / girlichef on
    Wednesday, December 17th, 2014
    That is definitely cause for celebration! These sound amazing, I love soft and chewy cookies, I need my glass of milk...
  10. Wednesday, December 17th, 2014
    Hey, you made whole wheat cookies! YAY! :D
  11. Posted by Rose | The Clean Dish on
    Wednesday, December 17th, 2014
    My mom used to bake like this but in recent years, she's cut back quiet a bit! These peanut butter cookies look amazing!
  12. Posted by Bea on
    Wednesday, December 17th, 2014
    Holy - Moly 2,000 cookies?! That is so impressive…wow; drumroll for your Mom.

    My husband would love these delicious sounding peanut butter cookies. Delish!
  13. Wednesday, December 17th, 2014
    Definitely can't beat the classics! These look great!
  14. Wednesday, December 17th, 2014
    A chewy classic cookie is always welcome!
  15. Posted by Nutmeg Nanny on
    Thursday, December 18th, 2014
    These are some glorious looking cookies...yum!
  16. Thursday, December 18th, 2014
    I have been slacking on my cookie making this year. BUT OMG at your mom making over 2,000 cookies a year! Holy wow! Hubs loves soft peanut butter cookies so I know I'll at least have to make him some of these!