Vegan Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
There is nothing better than the smell of cookies baking drifting through my house, and these vegan gluten-free peanut butter cookies are no exception. I use almond flour, maple syrup, and natural peanut butter to create cookies that taste far richer than a 5-ingredient cookie should. It's a good thing these cookies take just 20 minutes to make, because my boys count down the minutes until they are done, whenever I start baking.
Servings: 12
Calories: 179kcal
Ingredients
- 1½ cups fine ground almond flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (see note)
- ½ cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter (see note)
- ½ cup maple syrup
Optional: For Crispier Cookies
- 2 tablespoons oat flour take out 2 tablespoons of the almond flour and sub with this oat flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 175 C.
- Put flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk well to remove clumps and combine.
- Make a well in the middle and add peanut butter and maple syrup.
- Stir to get everything mixed well.
- Form into balls and put on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Using a fork, make a criss cross pattern on the top of the cookies as you press down the balls.
- Bake for 13 minutes. Until just beginning to brown on the edges. They cook more as they cool, if you overbake they will be dry.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan gluten-free peanut butter cookies recipe is to avoid overbaking them. The cookies continue to set as they cool, so I always pull them out of the oven while the centers still look slightly soft. This keeps the final texture chewy instead of dry.
- Stir peanut butter: I always use natural peanut butter, which has a tendency to separate as it sits. I make sure to stir it thoroughly and bring it to room temperature before using. This way, I can ensure that the oil is distributed evenly through the dough.
- Leave space: These cookies spread slightly, so I leave room between each one on the baking tray.
- Add flaky salt: I never skip adding a tiny sprinkle of flaky salt on top, to make the peanut butter flavor even richer. This is especially important if using natural peanut butter, which does not contain any added salt.
- Dampen hands: I like dampening my hands slightly before rolling the dough or working with the dough to avoid it sticking. If you are using a cookie scoop, this tip can be skipped.
- Chill dough: If it is a warm day or the dough seems extra sticky, I chill it in the refrigerator for 5 minutes before shaping. This makes the dough a lot easier to manage.
- Use smart ingredients: If you would like to swap out the peanut butter for a different nut butter, or are unsure of which brand is the healthiest, be sure to check out my nut butter buying guide.
Nutrition
Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 231mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g