Peanut Butter Cookies
-The Art of Cooking for the Diabetic by Mary Abbott Hess, RD, MS and Katharine Middleton

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh orange rind
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 egg, well beaten
1/3 cup orange juice
sugar substitute equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar*
3/4 cup seedless raisins


Preheat oven to 400F. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cream together margarine, peanut butter, orange rind and vanilla. Add egg, orange juice and sweetener. Blend well. Add dry ingredients gradually, mixing well after each addition. Add raisins and mix well. Measure 1 level tablespoonful of dough for each cookie. Roll between hands to form a ball. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork. Bake about 15 minutes. Store cookies in a tightly covered tin. These cookies have better flavor and texture 24 hours after baking.

Makes 12 servings (2 cookies each)

*1/2 cup sugar sweetness equals 12 packets of saccharin or aspartame sweetener

Per serving: 191 calories, 5g protein, 10g total fat, 22g carbohydrates, 2.5g dietary fiber, 23mg cholesterol, 224mg sodium.

Food Exchanges: 2 Fat, 1 1/2 Bread