Ann Romney’s Peanut Butter Oat M&M Cookies and My Gluten Free Version of Peanut Butter Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Over the weekend I made Ann Romney's M&M Cookies, which I’ve made before (linked here).  I made them for a family get together but I made a few slight changes and wanted to post my version of the recipe.  Though you can find the recipe on my first link here to Family Circle Magazine that has the recipe posted.  As well, you can find the recipe in Ann’s wonderful cookbook, The Romney Family Table.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I sure love Ann and her family and all that they stand for in life.  Not to mention, she is an LDS mother of all boys who has MS—we are twins! ; )  Though I would die if my husband ever decided to run for president!

For this recipe, I used less sugar and I added salt.  I also used milk chocolate chips, though her recipes doesn’t say which kind, she probably uses semi-sweet.  The reason I decided to make these cookies was because I had a bag of mini M&Ms to use.  These came out a little thicker than the first time I made them, which is actually what I wanted and worked because I used less sugar.  Sugar melting in a cookie is one of the things that make them spread more.  Everyone who ate the cookies at the family gathering said they were great!  I felt a little jealous that I didn’t get to eat one.

Ann Romney’s Peanut Butter Oat M&M Cookies, adapted by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup (not packed) light brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1  1/2 cups peanut butter (I used smooth, Ann uses crunchy)

1 tablespoons light corn syrup

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4  1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk chocolate chips

2/3 cup mini M&M’s candies (or regular sized ones)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, peanut butter, sugars and corn syrup.  Beat until well combined.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  Add the baking soda, salt and oats and mix until well combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips and M&Ms with a spatula.  Drop dough (with a cookie scoop about 2 tablespoonsful) onto baking sheets leaving about 2 inches between each.  Bake for about 14 minutes, until lightly browned.  Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.  Makes about 3 dozen.

I decided these cookies would and should be made gluten free (after all, they don’t have flour in the first place).  So I made some for me!  I used coconut oil instead of butter.  I also used coconut sugar and a little organic brown cane sugar instead of granulated sugar and brown sugar.  Raw honey replaced the little bit of corn syrup.  Gluten free oats and organic natural peanut butter along with some Enjoy Life chocolate chips rounded out my version.  Yay, they’re good!

Peanut Butter Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies, Gluten Free, by Katrina, Baking and Boys!

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup organic cane brown sugar

3/4 cup organic natural peanut butter

1/2 tablespoon raw honey

1  1/2 large eggs (for 1/2 an egg, whisk the egg then measure out 2 tablespoons)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2  1/4 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips (or chocolate of your choice)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, coconut sugar and brown sugar.  Mix together well.  Add the peanut butter and honey.  Stir together until well combined with a spatula. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.  Fold in the oats, baking soda and salt.  Next fold in the chocolate chips.  Scoop dough onto baking sheets.  Bake for about 12 minutes until golden brown.  Let sit on baking sheet for a few minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.  Makes about 18 cookies.

Happy me!  Happy you if you make either one of these cookies!

Ann Romney’s M&M Cookies (From Family Circle Magazine)

Ann Romney’s M&M Cookies with Peanut Butter & Oats

After seeing on The Today Show yesterday the two cookies chosen by the presidential candidate’s wives, Ann Romney and Michelle Obama, which is a tradition Family Circle magazine started a number of candidates back, I decided that Ann Romney’s M&M Cookies needed to be made here and tested.  I just finished baking them and wanted to hurry and write about them before we head out for a day trip.  They are that good.  You should make them soon.

I love that they only have oats, so if you wanted to make sure and get the gluten free oats, these would be gluten free.  With no added flour, I was worried they would flatten out too much, but these turned out perfectly.  They are baked at a lower temperature (325 degrees) and I think that helps with not-too-much spreading. 

I did not change anything about the recipe except that Ann’s suggested time for baking is 18 minutes and we like more of a chewy/soft cookie here, so I only baked them for 14 minutes.  Perfection! 

Since I didn’t change the recipe, which Ann was quoted as saying “no one in her family can resist them”, here’s the link to the recipe.  Ann Romney's M&M Cookies

On a side note, with wholesome oats and the Skippy Natural chunky peanut butter I used, these cookies are a great treat.  I was quite surprised to see Michelle Obama’s cookies (isn’t she on a big kick to get the nation’s kids healthy???), are FULL of butter and shortening—shortening, you know, the butter-flavored kind full of trans fats.  I was just a little shocked to see that as the cookie she picked to go up against Ann Romney’s cookies.  I think Family Circle has reported that 4 out of the last 5 times the potential first ladies have gone up against each other with their cookie recipes, the winning cookie has also been the presidential candidate who won the election.  Hmmm?  Can’t wait to see!  (And I’ll bet you can’t tell who I’d like to see as our next president and first lady!)  Let’s not get all political here, this is strictly about cookies….;)