Crisp Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 cup (180 mL) tapioca flour
3/4 cup (180 mL) buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) guar gum
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) fine sea salt
1 egg
3/4 cup (180 mL) raw cane sugar 1/2 cup (125 mL) natural creamy peanut butter*
1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1 cup (250 mL) brown rice crisp cereal
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted peanuts, chopped, toasted

*Can substitute cashew butter, if you wish.

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flours, guar gum, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Stir to blend.

Place egg and sugar in mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter, unsalted butter, and vanilla; beat just until blended. Add flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon until combined. Fold in cereal and nuts.

Scoop out tablespoons of dough and place 1 in (2.5 cm) apart on prepared baking sheets. Gently press down with a fork dipped in water. Bake in centre of preheated oven until cookies are golden and crisp, about 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 3 dozen.

Store in tightly covered container at room temperature for up to a week.

Each serving contains: 81 calories; 2 g protein; 4 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 10 g carbohydrates; 1 g fibre; 31 mg sodium

TIPS: Tapicoa starch is flavourless and offers a lighter texture. It’s best used for only 50 percent of the total flour content, so we paired it with buckwheat. Contrary to its name, buckwheat is a member of the rhubarb family; it’s chock full of protein, fibre, and minerals.

Guar gum is a binding agent, but use it sparingly. You can also use xanthan gum in place of the guar gum. For crispiness we added an organic brown rice cereal.

Source: "Gluten-Free Holiday Goodies", alive #338, December 2010