Peanut Butter Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies

Yields: 24 cookies

These chewy cookies are perfect for anybody who loves peanut butter or cheesecake—or both! The recipe is easily doubled to serve more. The cookies will keep for at least a week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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.

Notes: Neufchâtel (⅓-less fat) cream cheese or regular cream cheese may be substituted for the Greek yogurt cream cheese.

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}

Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2016/08/30/peanut-butter-cheesecake-thumbprint-cookies/