Chinese Peanuts cookies are one of the many Chinese New Year cookies. Beside, they are no doubt the most popular and traditional cookies. Likewise, they are also easy to make, temptingly delicious and melt in your mouth. In addition, with Chinese New Year just less than one month away. These cookies will be one of the many festive favourites. Whether its for gifts or to serve at home to family and friends during their visits.
Conventionally, they make these peanut cookies with finely ground peanuts and then combined with all-purpose flour, sugar and pork lard. Whereas, for my gluten free Chinese Peanuts Cookies recipe, I am using a mix of ingredients. Including ground unsalted peanuts, gluten free all-purpose flour, desiccated coconut and agave sugar. This recipe is also vegan, dairy free, soy free, egg free, low carb and refined sugar free.
Check out my other gluten free Chinese New Year cookies recipes. Peanuts Cookies, Cashew Nuts Cookies, Walnut Cookies, Paleo Almond Cookies, Daisy Custard Butter Cookies and Cacao Dahlia butter Cookies.
History of Peanuts
The peanut plants originated in South America and was first launched in China by Portuguese traders in the 17th century. Scientifically, peanuts are not classified as nuts. They in fact belong to the legume family and hence, associated with beans, lentils and soya. Likewise, European traders distributed globally these peanuts (Arachis hypogea). But they now cultivate peanuts widely in tropical and subtropical regions. While peanuts (also known as groundnuts, earth nuts, and goobers) or huasheng in Chinese. They commonly manufacture peanuts into peanut oil (arachis oil) used mainly in Chinese and other Asian cuisines. Moreover, they often feature peanuts in Chinese dishes like Kung Pao Chicken and in many types of cookies and desserts.
Nutritional Values and Health Benefits of Peanuts
Furthermore, peanuts are not only full of flavour. Similarly they are also low in carbohydrates, rich in plant-based source of protein, mono and polyunsaturated fats and fibers. The good fats are mostly oleic acid and linoleic acid. Moreover, peanuts also has very low glycemic index. Nonetheless, peanuts are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Specifically, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin E, copper, manganese, phosphorus and magnesium. In addition, peanuts comprise numerous plant compounds that include antioxidants like coumaric acid and resveratrol.
On the whole, the health benefits of peanuts may include:
- Decrease risks of cardiovascular disease;
- Lower risks of stroke;
- Reduce risks of colon cancer;
- Aid in weight loss;
- Help prevent gallstones; and
- Reduction in the risks of age related neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 320 g peanuts unsalted
- 320 g gluten free all-purpose flour
- 30 g desiccated coconut
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ¾ cup rice bran oil
- ¼ cup agave syrup
Garnish:
- ¼ cup peanuts unsalted, halved
Instructions
- Add all the unsalted peanuts into a food processor and ground until you get a smooth paste.
- In a medium bowl, combine and mix all the wet ingredients.
- In a large bowl, whisk the rest of the dry ingredients together and add in the peanut paste. Mix and combine well with a spatula.
- Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well with a spatula.
- Use your hands to knead the dough until you get a smooth dough.
- Preheat fan-forced oven to 160C or 320F. Position the oven rack in the lower third of your oven.
- Using your hands squeeze some dough together and form a small ball (20g/1oz), repeat until you have used up all the dough.
- Place each cookie dough ½ inch apart, onto large non-stick baking trays lined with baking paper.
- Press each halved peanut gently onto the center of each cookie dough.
- Bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking trays for 5 to 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, store in an air-tight container.
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