Chocolate Peanut Butter Spelt Cookies

I am a chocolate chip cookie fan. Mmmmm....chocolate chip cookies....

I need a recipe that isn't quite so guilty though, so I played around with a recipe to make one that is somewhat more nutritious.

Start with a half cup of chocolate pieces. I use Lindt Couverture for extravagance. Melt in the microwave until almost melted. Add in 1 3/4 cups peanut butter. I used up the last of chunky and some smooth. Then melt those together for another 30 - 60 seconds or so to melt the peanut butter. Stir part way through. My crunchy peanut butter was organic and had gone hard and separated so it didn't melt down but that's ok, it will get blended it just fine.

Next stir in 1 3/4 cups brown sugar, 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla. They will get fully blended in later.

In your mixer bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups spelt flour,  1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt.

Oops, spilled salt into the brown sugar! Had to scoop out a bit and add it in.

Add the peanut butter mix and mix well using the paddle attachment. Stir in 1 3/4 cups of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.

Ingredients (Makes 24 Cookies)

1 3/4 cups crunchy peanut butter

1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups spelt flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

6 ounces of semi-sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped (or 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

stir in brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs.

In large bowl, add spelt flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Add peanut butter mixture and stir until well blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop dough by 2 tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake 8 - 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow these spelt flour cookies to cool 3 - 5 minutes before removing and placing them on wire racks to cool completely.