Add to: Recipe Box | Grocery List | Meal PlannerRecipe submitted by Meaghan Myers (
megm55@hotmail.com)
Peanut Butter Fudge CookiesIngredients (use vegan versions): 1/2 cup shortening
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup apple sauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
3 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Directions:Mix all ingredients together.
If dough is too dry add more peanut butter.
Drop balls on to cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 11-13 min.
Sorry if this sounds a stupid question, but what is shortening? Maybe its because I'm in the UK but I've never heard of it.
Archived comment by: alison
its like a solid form of vegetable oil
Archived comment by: meg
Very yummy cookie! I can't stop making or eating them- they're so easy! Thank you for posting this recipe!! I used vegan margerine and only half of the amount this recipe calls for- it still was very moist. I also used strawberry flavored applesauce (not exactly pure, but not terribly bad for you) which brought out the cocoa flavor into an almost smooth truffle-like flavor. Vegan chocolate chips and oatmeal can be added without much change to the cookie. Highly recommended!
Archived comment by: angella
Fantastic!!! I took a cue from another reviewer and used 1/4 cup EarthBalance vegan margarine instead of the 1/2 cup shortening, and they turned out great! These were one of my holiday cookies this year, and EVERYONE who tried them loved them! South Park fans take note: If you make these oval-shaped instead of round, they would make PERFECT Mr. Hanky cookies. ;-) Heh.
Archived comment by: secular Pagan
These cookies were soooo good! I used margarine instead of shortening as well. They were very chewy & moist, exactly as peanut butter cookies should be.
Even days after they were made! The only problem was...I didn't taste the fudge part at all. I put the 3 tbs of cocoa powder, but I couldnt taste it at all. Maybe that was because I was using drinking cocoa...that had vegan sugar & everything mixed into it already.
Archived comment by: kristina
these cookies are amazing..so easy. i too substituted 1/2 cup vegan margarine for the shortening and they came out fine. i also added Tropical Source peanut butter chocolate chips, which only added to the goodness.
Archived comment by: alix
I must agree that this cookies taste soo yummy! I made them a few weeks ago with my boyfriend but I've had to come back here to get the recipe for myself! They are soo yummy and seem to be quite healthy too!
Archived comment by: xpeax
These cookies are unlike anything I've ever had. My brother ate an entire tray of them by himself and my sister tortured herself all night trying to figure out how I did it. Theyre amazing!! Ü
Archived comment by: waterlilypo
Great recipe! Thank you. I used margarine instead of shortening, and also replaced the applesauce with half a cup of plain soy milk and a third cup of flax eggs - flax seeds blended with water until creamy. I added vegan chocolate chips. So Yummy!
Archived comment by: drumgirl
Everyone I have given these cookies to loves them, even my non-vegan family and boyfriend. I made a couple changes, used Sucanat instead of brown sugar, 3/4 c sugar and 2 Tbsp molasses, and used safflower oil instead of shortening. I also found that using fresh peanut butter (Whole Foods) gave the cookies a chunky sort of quality almost like they had oatmeal in them. Delicious!
Archived comment by: sCAngel86
these cookies were so yummy!! I recommend addiding a little more cocoa for more of a fudge taste.
Archived comment by: bcookie
These were pretty good. About half the ammount of peanut butter I used was unsalted so that might have something to do with it. They tasted very different, but good.
Archived comment by: cookiemonster
These were very good! I didn't have any shortening so I used margarine instead and like another baker, I used strawberry applesauce in mine plus vegan chocolate chips. They were a big hit with the omnivores at work. =)
Archived comment by: havfaith
Yum! I made these for non-veg husband and kids, and we all loved them! I substituted Light Parkay for the shortening (its vegan) and I didn't have any applesauce so I mushe'd up some pears in the baby food grinder. I also cut down each of the sugars by 1/4 cup and the cookies were still sweet enough. I used *heaping* tablespoons of cocoa to give them an extra chocolatey flavor. Hubby said the dough tasted weird and tangy, but when they were out of the oven he wolfed them down, just like the rest of us!
Archived comment by: dornorozeto
SO GOOD! these cookies are REALLY good. i like to leave out the cocoa powder and use the batter in tiny muffin tins. then i make little wells in each and fill it with chocolate chips. so its like little peanut butter cups. YUMMY! everyone loves them!
Archived comment by: dykearific
these cookies are amazing. i dream of them often and don't make nearly as much as i ought to.
Archived comment by: seejayneeat
My cookies spread a ton on the sheet! I think its best to not put non-stick spray on the cookie sheet! Oops! Live and learn...they're not too attractive, but they taste great!
Archived comment by: vegansarah
I personally thought these cookies were too sweet and not peanutty enough. If I make this recipe again I'll probably cut the sugar down, add some oatmeal to give them some substance, and increase the peanut butter. These are some REALLY sweet cookies, so if that's not what you're looking for, I wouldn't make them.
Archived comment by: virtuallyannette
I, also, added vegetable oil instead of shortening, then added a few tablespoons molasses. They turned out very moist and while not overwhelmingly peanut-buttery or chocolatey, they were addictive. I gave some to friends and neighbors and they enjoyed them too.
Archived comment by: jqtoyou
Not very good. I'm not sure why. I followed the recipe except subbed margarine for the shortening and reduced the sugars slightly. I know many people seem to have had good luck with this recipe, but I did not.
Archived comment by: willwolf
Oh My Gosh, these are some of the best cookies I've ever made. Three words... delicious, delicious, delicious.
Archived comment by: karmicVegan
These came out just ok for me. I added extra cocoa powder and peanut butter, but they still lack good flavor. If I ever make them again, I think I will add some chocolate chips or peanutbutter chips.
Archived comment by: ameliajoy
Wow. Most cookies harden over time, but these stay soft and delicious! In fact, I took these to work to impress my non-veggie co-workers, and they loved them! Five-days later the cookies are just as good as day one. I did use EarthBalance Vegan butter instead of shortening, and added more chocolate (next time I think I'll add a bit more) Plus, instead of sugar (it gives me headaches!) I used Xylitol (a natural plant-sugar, kinda like Stevia only measures cup for cup like sugar) and added a couple TBS of molasses. My co-workers were quite impressed, and I am quite satisfied!
Archived comment by: tofu_4U
These were great. I didn't add the cocoa powder or extra bit of oil, though, and I did add chocolate chips and used Earth Balance in place of shortening. These stayed soft without refrigeration, were great and chewy, and best of all, just as peanut-butter-y as I wanted. I was suspicious of the full cup of apple sauce, but everything worked out fine. They were perfect!
Archived comment by: faunablues
These did not work for me
The texture was all wrong...they tasted like something that was trying to be healthy, instead of like delicious, dense cookies, as I had been hoping. I suspect it was the applesauce that was the problem. Oh well!
Archived comment by: curiale
