PB & Chocolate Cookies (Vegan)

Now I've raved about Dreena Burton's cookbook before (Eat, Drink and Be Vegan) but this recipe was outrageously delish! My husband and I ate every one of these cookies and wouldn't even share with the kids because they were that good :) I'm already thinking about making more!

1/4 cup unrefined sugar**
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup + 1 tbsp barley or spelt flour (or 1 cup all-purpose...I used spelt)
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2-2 1/2 tbsp agave nectar (I was out so I used 4 tbsp brown rice syrup...you can just use more maple syrup too)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4-1/3 natural peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first 7 ingredients (through baking soda). In separate bowl, combine maple syrup through oil until well mixed. Add wet to dry ingredients and stir until just combined, do not overmix. With a knife, cut peanut butter into batter, just barely so there are still nice chunks and swirls visible. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop rounded tablespoons of batter onto sheet. Bake for 11 minutes (longer and they'll dry out) and then let cool for a minute or so on pan and transfer to cooling rack.

Yum!! `

**Update on my first vegan cookie post I hadn't tried unrefined sugar yet. Let me update that I bought a couple pounds of it and just love it! It's more like brown sugar in taste, and makes me feel oh so much better when I use it. I'm pretty close to just chucking all the white stuff in the garbage. I feel awful (physically and emotionally guilty :) every time I use it!