At least once each summer throughout my childhood, my parents loaded our dark blue minivan with sleeping bags, roll-up mattress pads, a tent with stakes and collapsible poles, oversized plastic bins of old silverware and paper plates, a small propane stove, faded beach towels, sunscreen and bug repellant, hiking boots, and soft-sided duffle bags full of t-shirts, shorts, and sweatshirts. After a three-hour drive from our house in the suburbs through narrow, winding mountain roads, we arrived at Yosemite for a long weekend of camping.
Most days, following a quick breakfast of instant oatmeal and powdered hot chocolate (complete with mini marshmallows!) at the campsite’s wooden picnic table, we hiked in the mornings and early afternoons, then swam in one of the ice-cold lakes or rivers nearby to wash off the layers of dirt from the dusty trails. In the evenings, we grilled an easy dinner of hot dogs and hamburgers, and once the campfire’s flames started dwindling, we stuck a few marshmallows on skewers to toast and sandwich between graham crackers and chocolate to make s’mores.
Since our hikes sometimes lasted through lunchtime, our parents often stashed plenty of food and water in their backpacks. They knew my brother and I could be bribed to walk an extra mile or two without complaining if we knew we’d “earn” a few extra M&Ms and gummy fruit snacks!
They also brought along not-so-sugary options to eat for lunch, and we always stopped in a shady area, usually with flat-ish rocks or logs to sit on, to munch on fresh fruit, GORP (good ol’ raisins & peanuts!), and peanut butter crackers.
To make the peanut butter crackers, we passed around a box of Ritz or Wheat Thins along with family-sized jar of creamy peanut butter. Each person took a turn dipping a cracker into the jar, scooping up a small amount of peanut butter, and sliding a second cracker across the top to both spread the peanut butter across the entire cracker and add a lid to make a “sandwich” at the same time.
With how often and far we hiked (and with how many calories we burned as a result), we easily polished off those entire family-sized jars of peanut butter during our three-day camping trips!
Although I haven’t gone camping in years, I still love peanut butter as much as I did back then… Especially snuck straight from the jar with a spoon! Because of that, I often forget to save any to bake with (oops!), but the last time I whipped up my easy blender peanut butter, I purposely made a double batch and set aside a full jar to use in recipes. And first on my list…
…were these Peanut Butter Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies! Aren’t they adorable?? These chewy cookies are full of peanutty flavor, and that a creamy cheesecake filling is absolutely irresistible… So thank goodness they have no butter, oil, refined flour or sugar and just 54 calories!
I may end up sneaking these cookies as often as I sneak spoonfuls of peanut butter from the jar…
To make these healthier cookies, you’ll start with white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, similar to that of all-purpose flour, which is perfect for these cookies’ chewy texture. (And it still has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour, like extra fiber!)
Note: Whole wheat pastry flour would be a great substitute, and I’ve included my preferred gluten-free option in the Notes section of the recipe, too.
Instead of refined sugar, you’ll sweeten the cookie dough with coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is exactly what it sounds like—sugar that comes from coconuts! However, it does not actually taste like coconuts. It has a rich, almost caramel-like flavor very similar to brown sugar, and it has a pourable texture like granulated sugar. Many mainstream grocery stores have started to carry it, but you can always buy it online.
Of course, the most important ingredient is the creamy peanut butter! (If you can keep your spoon out of the jar long enough, unlike me…) I highly recommend my easy blender peanut butter. It takes just 5 minutes to make! Otherwise, buy a natural drippy-style peanut butter. The only ingredients on the label should be “peanuts” and “salt.”
Note: Do not substitute chunky peanut butter. The cookie dough will be too dry and won’t come together.
The base of the cheesecake filling consists of Greek yogurt and Greek yogurt cream cheese. I found my Greek yogurt cream cheese at Safeway (their own Lucerne brand), and many Walmart stores carry this brand. If you can’t find Greek yogurt cream cheese, you can substitute either Neûfchatel (⅓-less fat) or regular cream cheese.
To sweeten the filling, you’ll use one of my favorite ingredients in healthier baking: vanilla crème stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that’s clean eating friendly, and it’s very concentrated. A little goes a long way—you only need ¼ teaspoon for the entire filling! This is the kind that I buy because I love its warm vanilla flavor and don’t notice any strange aftertastes like with some other stevia products. You can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, but I usually buy it online here. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
These little gems always bring out my inner Cookie Monster! ?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees that I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your thumbprint cookies and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Peanut Butter Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies | | Print |
- for the filling
- 2 tbsp (30g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp (28g) Greek yogurt cream cheese, softened
- ¼ tsp vanilla crème stevia, or adjusted to taste
- ⅛ tsp vanilla extract
- for the cookies
- 1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp nonfat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 ½ tbsp (72g) homemade creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- To prepare the filling, mix together the Greek yogurt, Greek yogurt cream cheese, stevia, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a zip-topped bag.
- To prepare the cookies, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg white, milk, and vanilla. Stir in the peanut butter until completely incorporated. Stir in the sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
- Roll the dough into 24 balls, and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Gently press your thumb or index finger into the center to make a well. If the sides crack, gently press them back together. Cut off a small piece of the corner of the filling bag, and pipe the filling into each well. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
This stevia powder (¾ teaspoon, or adjusted to taste) may be substituted for the vanilla crème stevia. Alternatively, about 1 ½ tablespoons of granulated sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar may be substituted. I do not recommend substituting another liquid sweetener (i.e. honey, maple syrup, etc.) because it will make the mixture too runny.
White whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat pastry flour. Regular whole wheat flour may be substituted in a pinch, but the cookies will have detectable “wheat-y” taste.
For a gluten-free flour substitute, I recommend the following: ¼ cup (30g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, 3 tablespoons (21g) coconut flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends will work as well, if measured like this.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
I highly recommend using my easy blender peanut butter to make these cookies! Otherwise, substitute a natural drippy-style peanut butter. The only ingredients on the label should be “peanuts” and “salt.” Do not substitute chunky peanut butter. The cookie dough will be too dry and won’t come together.
Light brown sugar may be substituted for the coconut sugar.
Some brands of flour are more absorbent than others. This is the brand that I use. If the cookie dough is too dry and won’t come together after a few minutes of mixing (it does take a bit of effort to get all of the flour worked in!), add additional milk ½ teaspoon at a time until all of the flour has been incorporated.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
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You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♥ Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
♥ Peanut Butter & Jam Thumbprint Cookies
♥ Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
♥ Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
♥ Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Oatmeal Cookies
♥ Raspberry Cheesecake Oatmeal Cookies
♥ Fudgy Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Swirled Brownies
I’ve actually never been camping before, my family wasn’t very “outdoorsy”. My mom hates bugs! Haha! The closest thing to “camping” was setting up a tent in my family room and having a sleepover with friends. But these cookies would’ve made an appearance for sure! 😉
Yesssss I loved those kinds of sleepovers!! We sometimes took the tent into our backyard to feel a little bit more outdoorsy too. 😉 I haven’t been camping in years (I prefer daily showers and a regular mattress to sleep on!), but I still had lots of fun on our trips as a kid!
Ah, family camping memories! I can’t believe you guys went through an entire jar of pb, that is AWESOME. haha! These cookies sound amazing, pb and cheesecake is an awesome combo!!
Thanks Karen! Self-control around PB goes straight out the window when you’ve been hiking for hours… And when you’re a little kid! 😉
Your camping holidays sound so fun! It’s lovely when there are foods that remind us of our past, especially if you can eat the delicious food while reminiscing! I got back from my holiday yesterday and made the cinnamon rolls – I enjoyed one with a hot chocolate, and it was delicious!! The vanilla creme stevia hasn’t arrived yet, but I’m so excited to make the banana bread brownies and the chocolate muffins!
Thanks Katie! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls. Pairing them with hot chocolate sounds absolutely perfect!! 🙂
Oh my goodness Amy – I love all your recipes, but I think this one may be my absolute favourite so far! May I say you are a culinary genius!
That means so much to be Rexine! Thank you!! 🙂