Gluten Free Casually: Quicker than a mix Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies! I can't think of a quicker way to say Happy Valentine's Day! These cookies go together soooo fast and you wouldn't guess there are only 3 ingredients (unless you add extras like M&Ms, pretzels, Chocolate Chips, etc.) I love this recipe because it is so easy and requires minimal ingredients for a cookie. My kids used to make these by themselves after school for a snack (Middle school & High school aged at the time!) This is an old family favorite. This is a great way to say "I love you" without breaking the bank or without sucking up so much time preparing and cleaning up a kitchen mess. (you can press a Hershey Kiss in the center when they come out of the oven hot (try the Caramel Hershey Kisses for a mouth watering twist! The gooey caramel blends fabulously with the peanut butter! I didn't have any of those handy today). I love this recipe because it is awesome for a quick cookie fix. We used to make these on vacation when staying in a rented condo. I could make homemade cookies really quick without buying a bunch of ingredients or needing a mixer. Since there is no flour in this recipe....they are gluten free without altering it! If you tend to like a sweet but slightly salty cookie...you can add a pinch of sea salt for an amazing flavor! If you want the cookies to puff up slightly then you can add 1 tsp. gluten free baking powder. The basic recipe below will give you a nice, soft, slightly chewy cookie. Feel free to add chocolate chips, M&M candies, pretzel pieces or whatever you like or you can just leave them plain!

Quicker than a mix peanut butter cookie recipe:

1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy), I prefer Jif
1 cup sugar (I used raw sugar today but you can use white or brown sugar). Note: The raw and brown sugar will make the cookies chewier than the white sugar. If you prefer a little crispier cookie then flatten these with a fork or glass and bake an extra minute or two!
1 egg

Yep, that is it. No mixer necessary! Mix all the ingredients together with a spoon or fork by hand until well incorporated. If you decide you want to add extra ingredients (chocolate chips, extra peanuts, M&Ms, pretzel pieces, GF Rice Crispies, etc...you can do it now!) I like the sweet & salty combination when adding the pretzel pieces. Sounds gross but it is quite tasty! Spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. I flatten mine slightly with a fork or glass. These do not raise or spread much so don't be skimpy with the scoops of dough! If you are adding a Hershey Kiss or mini Reese cup in the center then roll the dough into balls and bake in ball form. Gently press Hershey Kiss or mini Reese cup in center when you first remove from oven. This will flatten the cookie slightly and make a nice little nest for the kiss or Reese cup to settle into.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 10-13 minutes. Depends on how crispy you like them. Cool & eat! NOTE: If you notice that your peanut butter is a little oily then add a couple tablespoons of gluten free flour or corn starch to thicken it up. These should stay nice and chewy.