Peanut Butter Cookies!

   I love cookies.  When I was first changing my diet to gluten free I tried pre-packaged gluten free cookies.  After trying several I was afraid there was no hope for cookies.  Now that I have found a flour blend that I like there is hope again. 
   I made these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies last week on our "cheat" day.  My husband and I have designated Sunday as "cheat" day.  We pay attention to what we eat all week.  We stay away from sugar, processed foods, pasta and bread.  Then on Sunday we eat what we want and as much as we want.  I, of course, continue to stay off gluten.  On "cheat" day though I usually make a yummy goody like cookies, and we tend to have pizza for dinner. 
   Last week my husband was out of town for business on cheat day and my girls and I had dinner at my sister's house.  I decided to take over these cookies as desert.  My brother in law couldn't believe they were gluten free.
    My family has realized that gluten free does not mean taste free.  I will concede that my first several attempts were not exactly something to have the taste buds singing!  In fact my cookies came out flat, gritty and tasting somewhat like beans.  Yuck!  My cakes were heavy, crumbly and tasted  like (in the words of my husband) the bottom of my shoe.  Now that I have things  figured out my baked goods are super yummy.
   Here is the recipe for those yummy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Mix together in a bowl:
3/4 cup fine ground brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour (starch)
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1 tsp xanthum gum
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Blend together in a separate bowl until creamy:
1/2 cup shortening (butter makes the cookies flat)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup of peanut butter
Beat in:
1 extra large egg
1/2 tsp gluten free vanilla(Costco's vanilla is g-free)

Slowly add in flour blend
Once everything is mixed together add chocolate chips.  I usually add about 1 cup.

Bake for about  13 minutes in 375 degree oven.

I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as my family!