Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (250g) natural creamy peanut butter (salted, peanuts only)
  • ¾ cup (150g) coconut sugar
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp (3g) baking soda
  • ¼ tsp (1.5g) sea salt
  • 2 tbsp (15g) oat flour
  • 24 dark chocolate hearts (minimum 60% cacao)
  • 2 tbsp (25g) coarse sparkling sugar for rolling

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. <small>Note: This ensures a consistent temperature for the first batch.</small>
  2. Whisk the dry ingredients (oat flour, baking soda, and sea salt) in a small bowl to remove any lumps.
  3. Cream the peanut butter and coconut sugar in a large bowl using a sturdy spatula or electric mixer until the mixture looks smooth and slightly lightened.
  4. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the peanut butter mixture, beating well until the dough becomes glossy and pulls away from the sides.
  5. Fold in the dry mixture gently until no white streaks of oat flour remain.
  6. Scoop the dough into 1.5 inch balls and roll each one in the sparkling sugar until they are fully coated and shimmering.
  7. Arrange on the sheets about 2 inches apart, pressing down very slightly with your palm to create a thick disc.
  8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are just set and the tops look slightly cracked. <small>Note: They will look underdone in the center, but they firm up as they cool.</small>
  9. Press the frozen hearts into the center of each warm cookie immediately after removing them from the oven.
  10. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes until the chocolate partially sets but maintains its shape, then move to a wire rack.