Delicious flourless peanut butter cookies made with 5 simple ingredients! This easy recipe is gluten, grain and dairy free. And filled with that nostalgic, irresistible peanut butter flavor you know and love. The perfect treat for kiddos and adults!
Peanut butter cookies are a timeless classic. These flavorful cookies never go out of style and are always recognized by the traditional criss-cross pattern. They’re one of my very favorite cookie varieties (so much so that I even make a DIY dog treat version for my pup, lol!) and I wanted to make them a bit healthier than your average peanut butter cookie.
These peanut butter cookies turned out so tasty! In fact, you won’t even miss the flour and butter.
Flourless peanut butter cookies are the perfect guilt-free treat for the holidays, family gatherings or an after school snack. I’m bringing this recipe to you just in time for cookie baking season and it will be a crowd pleasing addition to your Christmas cookie tray!
Ingredients Needed:
Because these healthy peanut butter cookies contain no butter or flour, the delicious peanut butter flavor really shines. Plus, they use just 5 key ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need to make them:
- Natural peanut butter – I used all-natural salted peanut butter. Creamy or chunky will work. If you happen to be allergic to peanut butter, almond butter will also work well.
- Egg – One egg will add the perfect amount of structure, stability, and richness.
- Sweetener – I like to use either monkfruit or coconut sugar to sweeten these healthier peanut butter cookies. Feel free to swap with brown sugar or granulated sugar, though, if that’s what you’d like.
- Vanilla extract – For a boost of delicious flavor!
- Dark chocolate – I couldn’t resist dipping these cookies into dark chocolate once they were cooled. Feel free to skip this extra step and enjoy the peanut butter cookies as-is, sans the chocolate.
- Coconut oil – For mixing with the optional dark chocolate.
How to Make Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies:
The best part about these healthy peanut butter cookies is how easy they are to make. You only need one bowl, no mixer or chilling the dough required. You’ll have warm cookies in under 20 minutes!
- Prep – Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, a silicone mat or lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Combine ingredients – In a large bowl, stir the peanut butter, egg, monkfruit or coconut sugar and vanilla together until fully combined.
- Roll balls of dough – Scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough and roll it to form balls, then flatten into a disc-like cookie shape. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with the remainder of the dough.
- Criss-cross pattern – Using a large fork, flatten cookies slightly, then turn fork in the opposite direction and flatten just slightly again.
- Bake – Place cookies in the oven for 10 minutes or until cookies just start to look brown. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
- Dark chocolate dip – If you’d like to add the dark chocolate coating to half of the cookies, melt chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. Stir coconut oil into melted chocolate. Dip one-third or half of the cookie in the chocolate and place back on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a bit of flaky sea salt and repeat until you’ve worked through all of the cookies. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for one hour and until the chocolate is set.
Why do peanut butter cookies have a criss-cross pattern?
The crosshatch pattern, made with a fork, on the top of peanut butter cookies is a classic trait of nearly all peanut butter cookies. And isn’t just for looks!
Peanut butter cookie dough doesn’t spread much when baking, so pressing down on the cookie dough helps to flatten the cookies a bit, so they bake up perfectly. As an added plus, you never need to ask which cookies are peanut butter!
It’s very easy to make the criss-cross pattern. Simply, use the tines of a fork to gently press it into the top of the cookie, then repeat and make the fork imprint perpendicular to the first. Easy peasy!
What makes flourless peanut butter cookies healthy?
- There’s no flour, so these cookies are naturally gluten free and grain free.
- They are dairy free because there’s no butter needed. However, if you’re adding the dark chocolate, be sure to buy dairy-free chocolate.
- No need to add oil – the peanut butter keeps these cookies moist with natural oils and healthy fats.
- For a cookie, they are high in protein, thanks to peanut butter and eggs. Each cookie is filled with 7 grams of protein!
Customize Your Peanut Butter Cookies
These flourless peanut butter cookies are fantastic as-is, but sometimes it’s fun to change things up. Here’s some ways to get creative and experiment with your favorite ingredients!
- Nut butter – Feel free to use any nut butter you’d like. Almond butter is also a great choice. You could even use homemade peanut butter or almond butter!
- Mix-ins – Have fun with your favorite add-ins like nuts, chocolate chips or a chocolate drizzle! You can also omit the chocolate to keep them strictly peanut butter.
- Refined sugar free – To make these cookies refined sugar free, use monkfruit or coconut sugar and omit the dark chocolate coating.
- Holiday cookies – Drizzle with or dip the cookies into white or dark chocolate and then add holiday sprinkles or colored sugars over the melted chocolate.
Storing & Freezing
- To store: Keep these cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about 1 week.
- To freeze: Once the cookies are completely cooled, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature!
More Healthy Cookie Recipes
Looking for more delicious cookie recipes that are made healthier? Give our other favs a try:
- Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pulp Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies
If you make these flourless peanut butter cookies, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how they turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for me and our Clean & Delicious community (thank you!).
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all natural peanut butter I used salted
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup monkfruit or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, a silpat mat or lightly coat with cooking spray. In a large bowl, stir together cookie dough ingredients (peanut butter, egg, monkfruit or coconut sugar and vanilla) until fully combined.
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the dough into your hands and form a ball, then flatten out into a disc-like cookie shape. Place on baking sheet and repeat until you have worked through all of the dough. Using a large fork, flatten cookies slightly then turn fork going in the opposite direction and flatten just slightly again (this will create a criss-cross pattern).
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are cooked through, golden brown and fragrant. Cool to room temperature.
- Melt chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. Stir coconut oil into melted chocolate. Dip one-third of the cookie into the chocolate and then place back on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a bit of flaky sea salt and repeat until you have worked through all of the cookies. Place the baking sheet in the fridge for one hour or until the chocolate has set up. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Keep cookies stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Freezing Instructions: Cookies can be frozen up to 2 months, then thawed overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying.
Comments
Betty says
Are the nutrients per serving = to one cookie?
Dani says
Yes:)
Deborah says
I made these for my 8 yr old grandson today and they were delicious and a big hit! I made a double batch and did not add the salt. They are so easy and look so yummie
too.
Carol says
where do the 4.6 grams sugar come from? The erythritol? The chocolate?
Dani says
The chocolate š
Sharon Rubbicco says
Where can I get erythritol?
Dani says
They have it at whole foods and you can always get it on Amazon š
Gabby says
Could I use coconut sugar and how much?
Dani says
Yes! Just swap it out for the erythritol š
Winnie says
Hi Dani, can I use other sugar than erythritol? I don’t like the taste of it.
Patti says
I would like to know the answer to Winnieās question as well!
Dani says
Yes! Any granulated sugar will work in its place. It’s a 1:1 swap.
Kate says
I used monkfruit sweetener as a swap…. yummy treat!
Dani says
Great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Michele says
I made these cookies for a group that I facilitate that has some gluten-free members. One of the members of the group said she wanted to find a good peanut butter cookie and I told her I had one! I let my skeptical husband and neighbors try them and they LOVED them! My neighbor even asked for the recipe. I had to let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a rack to finish cooling. I forgot to add the salt, but they were still delicious!
Dani Spies says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Michele! Thanks for letting me know.
Nat says
Can you substitute almond butter instead of peanut butter
Dani says
YES!
Rosanne says
Hi. I am about to make these and I cannot find the temperature to bake them
At. Help!
Dani says
Bake them at 350 F š
Kathryn Feuvrel says
I made the cookies using milk chocolate dipping baking chips I had on hand, with the salt sprinkles, and they tasted just like a brand name Peanut Butter Cup. AMAZING!
Dani says
Yum! Thanks for the review, Kathryn!
Sharon says
Thank you for the answer to the temperature. I couldn’t find it anywhere in the recipe. Could you please tell me if the cookies are soft and dough-like when they are done?
Sharon Kusterer says
These cookies are delicious! Even my husband liked them. They looked a bit softer when they came out of the oven but they hardened a bit and taste perfect!!! Yum!
Dani says
Yum Sharon! Glad you could enjoy this with your husband!
Dani says
Hi Sharon, they are flour-less which will result in a more soft rather than a dough-y texture.
ShelkeyRae says
I do alot of baking with granulated Splenda. Sometimes the sweet is a bit dry with 1:1 splenda instead of sugar. I add some unsweetened applesauce to counteract the dryness.Now i need to cut the sodium in baking too, for my diabetic who now has chronic heart failure w/edema. Have you used any of the non-sodium baking soda or baking powder? Will leaving out added salt affect the leavening actions?
Dani says
I honestly have not tried that, but definitely give it a try and let me know how it turns out.
Amy Bean says
Hi, Dani-and thanks so much for the delicious recipe. I just made it for my husband and myself. Hard to believe this treat is gluten-free, flour-free and sugar-free! This will be a wonderful cookie to make for others in our family with dietary restrictions. It was ridiculously easy, and especially yummy because the level of sweetness is well-balanced with the flavors of peanut butter and dark chocolate. I used a 1:1 erythritol brand of sugar substitute purchased at my local grocery store; if they stock it in my small town, you can probably find it anywhere. Thanks again and best wishes~
David De George says
Can a chia egg be used instead of a real egg?
Mary says
This peanut butter cookie recipe is a keeper! So simple to make, just a few ingredients and so very good! Thank you. I will make these again. Since I was making them for a friend, I substituted out the egg with an egg replacer and they still turned out great.
Michelle says
Thank you Dani. I tried these yesterday, they are awesome! 2 quick questions:
1) Can we use chocolate chips in the batter instead of dipping in melted chocolate?
2) Do the cookies need to be stored in the fridge or can we leave them on the counter?
Thanks again for all you do- you are AWESOME!!!!!
Dani Spies says
Hi Michelle! I’m so glad you liked them. To answer your questions – yes! – you can use chips on the batter for sure. And you can store them on the counter or the fridge! I actually prefer this recipe at room temperature, so I usually leave them on the counter.
Yana MIteva says
Hi, how much sugar do you use? Because on the video is 1/3 but on the recipe is 1/2
SuzuSaintJames says
I’m not familiar with monk fruit or coconut sugar. Are they a 1 to 1 substitute for regular sugar? (It would be helpful if you added the answer to all your recipes’ notes. (As most sugar substitutes say what their substitution ratio is to regular sugar.)
Dani Spies says
Both monk fruit and coconut sugar can be subbed 1:1 with any type of granulated sugar you have or prefer.