For withstanding another whole summer with moi (the watering, the weeding, the many Rawlucks, the prayer bell wake up chimes, and the general “we have so much time to get organized-ness!”), I thought my little ducklings deserved a yummy treat when they came home from their first day of school.

However, they’re all getting so old that only my baby, Teddy, truly came home to hang out with me…sigh! Ellie came in, ate some dough then rode off to practice. Stevie, on a cross country run, literally ran through our kitchen, grabbed a few cookies and kept running along with his team. Sign of the times and yet another reminder that I’ve made the right decision to slow down my work life to savor time with my family. And, eat a few cookies with them too. 

A good friend, Chrissy Bowen, emailed me her recipe for these cookies a really long time ago, like way back when we still used “email”on a regular basis. I started with her recipe and then made it gluten-free (GF) and vegan (V), if you can go Kiss-free. Enjoy a few with your little ducklings!

1 3/4 C Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose GF Baking Flour

1 t Baking Soda

1/2 t Salt

1/2 C Smart Balance Buttery Spread- Original at room temperature

1/3 C Peanut Butter at room temperature

1/2 C Sugar in the Raw, natural cane turbinado sugar (plus extra in which to roll cookies)

1/2 C Brown sugar, firmly packed

1 T Flaxseed Meal mixed with 3 T warm water into a paste

1 t Vanilla

1 Bag of Hershey’s Special Dark Kisses (Less dairy!)

Preheat oven to 375*

Mix flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl and set aside. With a wooden spoon, cream together Smart Balance and peanut butter while gradually adding the sugars. Add the flaxseed meal paste and vanilla. When blended, slowly incorporate the dry ingredients. When dough is formed it may be a bit crumbly…don’t be alarmed, your cookies will be great! Make 1″ balls with dough, roll in sugar and place on a greased cookie sheet (or un-greased Silpat). Bake for 8 minutes at 375*. Remove from oven, let cool just enough to still be able to press the Kiss into the center but not melt the chocolate. Place on cooling rack and be really patient until bottom of cookie is crisp. Teddy showed EXTREME discipline at this point however, her mother did not.

*Vegan option: Skip the Kisses and enjoy!