Sunflower Sunshine Cookies

Who knew sunflower butter could be so, YUM?

I was  a bit skeptical about giving this cookie of an experiment a try, but in the constant pursuit of a "better for you" treat I was lead down a very different path.  You see, these cookies stem from what I call 6 degrees of 'inspiration' (from my cookie that is)!

It all started with my girlfriend who is robbed of the deliciousness that is anything and everything baked with flour or gluten, so I knew these had to be gluten free.  This my friends, is a serious task. In my baking heart, I knew I was not yet ready to get involved with the alternative flour mixing magic that is a safe, gluten free blend...so I decided my little treat had to simply not include gluten at all. Well, if you have tried this before, you know that it pretty much leaves you with peanut butter cookies and macaroons.  So, armed with my basic peanut butter cookie recipe and a new carton of eggs, I was set to dig in to my Kitchen Aid mixer right when I arrived home from work.

But, where's the 6 degree twist you ask? Here it comes...

As I was ready to leave the office, groceries in tow, a girlfriend of mine was arriving back from the allergist..."allergic to peanuts". Seeing the desperate heartache in here eyes I knew I had to cheer her up through sugar on her tastebuds ASAP. My mission: these cookies now had to be nut free too, but how? Cue sunflower butter!

Many more degrees of inspiration came from aisle 6 at the local Whole Foods and before I knew it I was cutting and creating at top speed. The end result was delicious if not magnificent.  Not to mention the ridiculous amount of nutritional benefits sunflower butter has to offer, who knew?! 

So here they are...a little good for you, a little bad, a little sweet, a little salty...'little' however, does not preclude their wondrous flavor.

Ingredients

2 cups sunflower butter (stirred)

2 cups light brown sugar (optional - 2 cups white sugar and add 1 tsp molasses)

2 eggs (beaten) 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of cinnamon

2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 cup granulated sugar (on the side to roll dough in)

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a mixing bowl, combine sunflower butter, sugar and beaten eggs until combined

3. Add vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda and salt

4. Mix well

5. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and dip into granulated sugar

6. Place balls on foil/parchment paper lined baking sheet (if dough is too sticky, refrigerate for 30 minutes)

7. Using a fork, press balls slightly to make a classic crisscross pattern on the top

8. Bake for 9-10 minutes (until light brown)

9. Cool cookies on pan for 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack

10. Store in refrigerator, they will go bad if left at room temperature 

11. EAT!

*Makes 2 dozen