Two Sunflower Seed Butter Cookies

I can't believe I waited this long to try out the sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter. While I'm allergic to (some) tree nuts, I was always able to eat peanuts. Most of the time I don't miss them, but Mr. ETB does. I made him some sunflower seed butter cookies, and he thought they were convincing enough to post. Danny liked them as well, though obviously he has no reference for peanut butter. Me? I'm indifferent, but I was never in love with peanut butter to begin with. The brand we purchased was made on dedicated nut-free equipment in a nut-free facility, which makes a big difference with something like nut butters that are hard to clean off. It wasn't cheap, and I don't see using it very often, but for an occasional ingredient in baking it works fine. I thought the flavour lacked some of the depth of peanut, though I wonder if a tablespoon of honey might have helped with that (or sesame seeds)?

I don't do the whole cross-hatching the cookies with a fork business. I've never had it work well, it makes the cookies look squished, and frankly, it seems pointless. If your expectations involve cross-hatching, then you should do it, otherwise, I find rolling in sugar produces an attractive crinkle top similar to a ginger snap-and who wouldn't want additional sugar when you're already consuming something bad for you?

Sunflower Butter Oat Cookies with Chocolate Chips:

Yes, you can use raisins rather than chocolate chips, but really, that won't make it any healthier, oats or not.

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup sunflower seed butter
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarb.
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups quick oats
1 cup mini chocolate chips (or finely chopped chocolate0
Cream sugars and butter. Add eggs, and sunflower butter and mix well. Sift dry ingredients and add gradually. Stir in vanilla. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. It helps to chill the dough between batches if the kitchen is hot. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto ungreased sheet and bake 15 minutes or until just brown at the edges. Let stand a minute on sheet before removing to a rack to cool. Nakes about 5 dozen.

Crinkle Top Sunflower Seed Butter Cookies:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sunflower seed butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups plain flour
3/4 teaspoon bicarb.
1/4 teaspoon salt

Granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets. Cream together the butter, sunflower butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Sift together flour, bicarb, and salt. Slowly blend into creamed mixture. Shape dough in 1 inch balls and dip tops in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool a minute on sheet before transferring to a rack to cool. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.