Naked Peanut Butter; Breakfast Cookies

Remember when Jamie Oliver first started his career? He was the Naked Chef…. and his tagline was ‘Not me, it’s the food !’

He was promoting simple, easy, ‘naked’ food.

A few weeks ago I was approached with the idea for this post featuring powdered peanut butter aka Naked Peanut Butter.

Seriously?

Powdered peanut butter?

Why would anyone want powdered peanut butter !?!

Turns out I would want powdered peanut butter…..

Not for spreading on toast but for cooking and baking.

I could see adding a spoonful or two to a stir-fry or skillet dinner…. or to something in the slow cooker. One would get the peanut butter flavor without the additional sugar, fat, etc. Plus it would be easier to stir in.

Or I could add it to my yogurt ! I like that idea.

And powdered peanut butter with chocolate added? The baking possibilities are endless

Like these cookies…. I am always happy to have cookies for breakfast.

Easy Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

Cookies are delicious any time of day. These cookies are the perfect breakfast for busy mornings, or when you need something to take on the go. They’re especially great if you’re craving something sweet, but healthy. They’re also vegan-friendly.

Thanks to the ripe bananas in this recipe, you can have a sweet, indulgent breakfast without the added sugar. Plus it’s a great way to use up your brown bananas. 

The oats provide a great texture that will keep you full all morning. The peanut butter glaze is literally the icing on top of a satisfying breakfast (although they make a wonderful snack too).

Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 13 – 15 minutes

Total time: About 20 minutes

Makes 10 – 12 cookies, depending on their size. 

Ingredients

• 3 small (or 2 large) bananas, mashed
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup peanut butter powder
• ¼ – ½ cup milk of choice

*Optional add-ins:

• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• ¼ dried fruit, like raisins or cherries

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment.
• In a large bowl, combine the banana, oats, cinnamon, flax and chia seeds, and salt. Stir in any add-ins you’d like.
• Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, scoop cookies onto your prepared cookie sheet. Press down on each cookie with clean hands or a glass to flatten them a bit. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until just firm.
• While your cookies are baking, make the peanut butter drizzle. Simply whisk the peanut butter powder and milk together, adding milk as needed until a nice glaze forms. 
• After the cookies have cooled a bit, drizzle them with peanut butter glaze. Store in the refrigerator. 

*Note – if you prefer to use regular peanut butter, simply warm about ~¼ cup in the microwave and omit the milk.

Peanut Butter Powder

If you’re curious, peanut butter powder is simply slow-roasted peanuts that are mechanically pressed to remove their fat and oil. 

Regular peanut butter adds a lot of calories and fat to recipes (200 calories per 2 tablespoons). So, using powdered peanut butter is just a healthier way to indulge (only 50 calories per 2 tablespoons). 

To make the creamy peanut butter texture you’re familiar with, all you need to do is add a little liquid like water or milk. 

Powdered peanut butter works well in most recipes that call for peanut butter. It adds a very rich, nutty flavor to milkshakes or smoothies, oatmeal and baked goods. 

It’s also surprisingly simple to use in savory dishes, like Asian-inspired dishes that use peanut sauces. These recipes are usually pretty high in calories thanks to the rich (but tasty) sauce. So making a version at home, using this swap for regular peanut butter, means you get the same rich sauce but without the guilt.

Hopefully this recipe inspires you to eat cookies for breakfast! 

One last comment….. powdered peanut butter would likely be in my pantry when I needed it instead of having mysteriously disappeared.