Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

This recipe for flourless peanut butter cookies is your new go-to when you need something sweet ASAP! They are ridiculously easy to make and require only five simple ingredients. Just mix everything together in one bowl, scoop out the cookie dough balls, press with a fork, and bake. And since they’re flourless, these cookies are also naturally gluten free! I’ve also included a really simple swap if you prefer to make these vegan as well.

What makes these the BEST flourless peanut butter cookies?

How is it that five simple ingredients can produce delicious peanut butter cookies? It’s all about the exact ingredients used! Most flourless peanut butter cookies use standard creamy peanut butter, but not these.

Natural peanut butter is used in this recipe, meaning its peanut butter made from one ingredient – peanuts. This gives these cookies a true peanut flavor with an extra soft and chewy texture. Since natural peanut butter tends to be oilier, the added moisture produces a peanut butter cookie that is anything BUT dry and crumbly.

Another key ingredient is honey. Just two tablespoons is enough to help enhance the sweetness while also doubling down on the soft and chewy consistency. Using a sugar in liquid form is the best way to achieve this type of texture. Plus, peanut butter and honey go hand in hand! But don’t worry, it most definitely does not overpower these cookies.

Last but not least, these cookies are ever so slightly under baked. Doing so will ensure that soft texture because no one wants a dry peanut butter cookie. These cookies are pulled from the oven when the edges are a smidge darker and the center looks a tad bit underdone.

Finishing these cookies off with a pinch of sea salt takes them over the edge. It just helps bring out the peanut flavor even more.

How to make flourless peanut butter cookies

The beauty of this recipe is that there’s a good chance you already have all the ingredients to make these peanut butter cookies. Here’s what’s involved:

• Creamy or Crunchy Natural Peanut Butter
• Honey
• Light Brown Sugar
• Vanilla Extract
• 1 Egg

These ingredients are added to a mixing bowl all at once. Then, using a spoon or rubber spatula, mix until it forms a thick dough. The dough will appear very thin at first but as the peanut butter and egg emulsify, the dough will transform from thin and sticky to thick and moldable.

Once it reaches that thickness, scoop out heaping tablespoons of dough and roll into a smooth ball. Place the cookie dough balls a couple inches apart on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I was able to fit 9 on one sheet and since the recipe makes 18 cookies total, the cookies will need to be baked in two batches.

After the dough balls are placed, use the back of a fork to press the cookies flat in the signature peanut butter criss-cross design. Then bake!

When the cookies are fresh from the oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt. This is optional, but highly recommend as it takes these cookies to the next level! Helping to enhance all of the flavors in these flourless peanut butter cookies.

Chocolate dipped flourless peanut butter cookies

This is an optional step as the cookies are DELICIOUS on their own, but feel free to add chocolate! After all, peanut butter and chocolate go hand in hand.

After the cookies have baked and cooled completely, add dark chocolate and coconut oil to a heat-safe dish. I prefer a 2 cup measuring glass. Microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth.

Then dunk half of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a plate or tray lined with parchment or wax paper. Chill for about 20 minutes to set the chocolate and you’re good to go!

Can you use a different chocolate besides dark chocolate? Sure! I just prefer dark because it doesn’t add too much sweetness to these already sweet cookies. Semisweet can be used instead.

Can you freeze flourless peanut butter cookie dough?

Yes! Roll and press the dough into shape and then transfer to a freezer storage bag. The cookies can freeze for about 3 months.

To bake, take the cookies out the freezer while the oven preheats. Then bake as usual!

Can these cookies be made vegan?

The only ingredients that aren’t vegan is the honey and one egg in this recipe. To swap this out, use a flax egg instead. Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2 1/2 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to gel before use. Then sub maple syrup for the honey!

For more easy peanut butter recipes, check out my:

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
• Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
• Peanut Butter Snickerdoodles

Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make these flourless peanut butter cookies. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!

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