What is better than a classic peanut butter cookie? How about these Heart Shaped Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies! Rolled first in white sugar then covered in colorful vegan sprinkles just prior to baking. I included that oh-so-recognizable fork impression peanut butter cookies have come to be known for. Just looking at them, you KNOW what they are 🙂
This recipe could not be simpler. To vegan butter that you have melted, add both sugars, unsweetened applesauce and the peanut butter, mixing until creamy. I use a stand mixer which brings this recipe together in no time at all!
To that mixture, add flour and baking soda until you have a smooth cookie dough.
Using a small cookie (or ice cream) scoop, form balls of dough and immediately place them into white sugar. You can give them a quick roll and then place them back into the white sugar if you’d like.
By the way, you can find a set of 3 of these cookie scoops on Amazon.com very inexpensively. I use them for everything!
Place the formed balls onto a parchment-line baking sheet and then let’s proceed to the fun part!
Using a small heart shaped cookie cutter (approximately the same size as your cookie scoop), give the dough a small press with a fork. First in one direction, then the other forming that iconic peanut butter cookie design.
I found these little pink, white and red vegan heart sprinkles locally, but you can find an array of vegan sprinkles online these days and especially from Amazon.com.
Whether you decide to sprinkle (or not to sprinkle), they are just delicious. Pro-tip: bake these a little less than the recommended time for a softer cookie as they will continue to set up as they cool. I let the bottoms just get barely golden and then cool on a rack. Chewy on the inside and that sugar gives them a slightly crispy exterior. Yum!
Did you make this recipe for Heart Shaped Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies? If so, leave a comment below and let me know what you thought. If you enjoyed the recipe, please PIN it for later 🙂
Heart Shaped Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 c Sugar
- 1/2 c Brown Sugar I prefer light brown in this recipe
- 1/2 c Vegan Margarine in stick form, MELTED in a pan or the microwave
- 1/2 c Peanut Butter smooth works best
- 1/4 c Unsweetened Applesauce
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla
- 1 1/2 c All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
Instructions
For the Heart Shaped Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add both sugars and melted vegan margarine.
- Combine until creamy in texture, then add the peanut butter, applesauce and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated.
- Add the flour and baking soda and mix until you get a smooth cookie dough.
- Using a cookie (or ice cream) scoop, form 1" balls and immediately place into a bowl of sugar, then onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Place one ball inside a heart-shaped cookie cutter that is roughly the same size as your cookie scoop and using a fork, press once in each direction as shown. You can hand-form the hearts, but it's really time consuming and these produce much sharper cookies. Repeat until all cookies are formed.
- Sprinkles are optional, but if you decide to use them, add them now before baking.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes (all ovens are different). I judge them by a lightly golden browned bottom and otherwise "set" cookie. They will continue to set as they cool. Over baking will produce a tough cookie.
- Store covered for up to 5 days. Enjoy!