Local Honey and Peanut Butter Cookies

I adapted this recipe from a basic peanut butter/honey cookie base I found online. I had the urge to bake after watching Cupcake Wars on Food Network last night and as I'd been feeling sinus-y throughout the day, I think my body kind of lead me to make something with local honey. If you're going to eat a cookie, this is the way to do it: packed with protein, full of natural ingredients and still sweetly a total treat. Click here for more information on the other benefits of local honey.

Added bonus: these cookies are super easy to make and would be a great activity with kids!


Ingredients
½ c. unsalted butter
½ c. local honey (I like to use wildflower, but any will do)
1 free-range, organic egg (I like The Country Hen)
½ c. natural peanut butter (I like smooth but chunky would work)
½ c. dark brown sugar
½ tsp. sea salt
2 c. whole wheat flour
½ tsp. baking soda

Optional
½ c. chopped nuts
6 oz dark chocolate or carob chips

Pre-Baking
*Preheat oven at 350
*Put parchment paper on a baking sheet and spray very lightly with olive oil Pam.

Steps
1. In a large bowl, cream butter, honey and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.

2. In a side bowl, beat egg well. Put well-beaten egg into large bowl with above ingredients. Mix.

3.) Add peanut butter and mix.

4.) Sift flour and baking soda together. Stir into batter.

5.) Add all other ingredients and mix well. Batter should be pliable and just slightly sticky.

6.) Form batter into small balls, about the size of a heaping tablespoon. Place about 1/2 inch from each other on the cookie sheet.

7.) Dip a fork in flour and press down in two crossed directions on the tops of the cookie balls to flatten dough.

8.) Bake at 350 for about 11-15 minutes. Time will vary depending on how large you made the cookie balls. Check every few minutes after 11 to make sure they're not burning. When they're done, they should still feel pretty soft, but the dough will no longer be sticky.

9.) Take hot cookies off the sheet and place on a linen towel to cool. Eat one with a glass of milk as soon as you can stand to touch it :-)

John took all but what we eat last night to work with him and they were almost gone by 2pm!