Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (Naturally Gluten and Dairy Free)
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You only need 5 basic ingredients to make these soft and chewy flourless peanut butter cookies. Even with no butter and no flour, they are still one of my favorite peanut butter cookies I’ve ever made. Bonus points: this is a no chill cookie dough recipe, so they’re ready in no time!
ONE OF THE BEST PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES I’VE EVER MADE
When it comes to cookies, I know what I’m talking about. With over 150+ cookie recipes on my site to choose from, I never have a problem recommending a cookie to someone looking for something specific.
Gluten free, dairy free, and egg-free (or vegan) recipes are not my specialty, but when something is naturally that way, I’m all about sharing it. Especially if, when tested by my taste-testers, people are nonethewiser to what’s happening inside their baked good. Just like my gluten and dairy free chocolate cake…
These cookies hold their own against my classic chocolate chip cookies, vanilla sugar cookies, and compost cookies, which are three of the most popular cookie recipes on my site. They are unbelievably easy to make, full of peanut butter flavor, and whenever I tell folks they’re flourless, butter-free, and dairy free, they’re always shocked.
And then they go back for another, of course!
INGREDIENTS FOR PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES WITHOUT FLOUR
You only need 5 simple ingredients for these flourless cookies:
EGG: this is your binder, so don’t leave it out. If you are looking for an eggless peanut butter cookie, check out my almond flour peanut butter cookies that have no flour, no eggs, and no butter, so they’re vegan!
VANILLA EXTRACT: this is just to add a little flavor!
CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER: the little bits of peanuts in each bite add such a fun texture to these peanut butter cookies. If you like chunky peanut butter and can tolerate flour, check out my frosted peanut butter cookies and ultimate peanut butter cookies next!
LIGHT BROWN SUGAR: lots of sweetness and lots of moisture. You can use granulated sugar instead, but cookies made with brown sugar will be a little bit chewier.
BAKING SODA: this leavener will help the cookies rise and spread. Do not leave it out!
WHY ISN’T THERE ANY SALT IN THIS RECIPE?
I have used so many different kinds of peanut butter to make these cookies, and some crunchy brands are saltier than others. You’ll see below that I suggest adding in a bit of salt if you think your cookie dough needs it, but I often don’t add any salt at all. See “how to” section or recipe card below for specifics on this.
HOW TO MAKE FLOURLESS PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
STEP #1
In a small prep bowl, whisk together the egg and vanilla extract until the egg is fully beaten, then set this aside.
STEP #2
Next, stir together the peanut butter, brown sugar, and baking soda. Taste a small portion of the mixture and decide whether or not you need salt. Be sure to see the notes at the bottom of the recipe for how to proceed with your recipe.
STEP #3
Once your peanut butter base is the desired saltiness, add the egg and vanilla extract mixture and stir until it is completely incorporated.
STEP #4
Drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, then bake. To keep them soft, bake for 10-11 minutes. If you want them crunchier, bake for 14 minutes.
GLUTEN FREE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES SUCCESS TIPS
TIP #1
Be sure you’re using no-stir peanut butter and one that is solid at room temperature. Natural peanut butter that needs to be stirred won’t work very well in this recipe, though it’s not impossible! You may have to chill your cookie dough in the refrigerator to keep the dough together.
TIP #2
If you decide to add salt, be sure you’re really mixing it into the dough. Since these gluten-free peanut butter cookies don’t have any flour, there aren’t any dry ingredients to mix the salt into, therefore adding it into the wet dough could lead to pockets of concentrated salt. But! Since there’s no flour in this dough, there’s also no worry about overmixing it, so work the salt in as well as you need to.
CAN I USE CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER?
You can absolutely use creamy peanut butter! I just like the chunks of peanuts in my cookies. Be sure you’re paying attention to tip #1 above about choosing the right texture.
CAN I MAKE THESE WITHOUT EGGS?
I have not made these flour free peanut butter cookies without eggs, but you can use any egg substitute you are familiar with! Do not just leave the egg out– this cookie dough needs a binder.
CAN I USE ANOTHER NUT BUTTER?
You can use any nut butter you like in these cookies! Just be sure you’re choosing a no-stir nut butter. One that is too oily won’t work as well with this cookie dough.
CAN I ADD CHOCOLATE CHIPS?
Turn these into flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies by adding about ½ cup of chocolate chips. If adding chocolate chips, you can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter.
I’m not kidding when I say these are some of the best peanut butter cookies I’ve ever had. They are my go-to when I need a quick cookie and I know peanuts are safe for where I’m going or who I’m serving them to. They just get better and better as they sit and I’m confident you’ll add this no flour peanut butter cookie recipe to your go-to list, too, once you snag your first bite!
More gluten free favorites in my recipe collection: gluten free apple crisp, almond flour pecan sandies, and gluten and dairy free chocolate cake.
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten and Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (220g) crunchy peanut butter1
- ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In a small prep bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla extract until egg is fully beaten. Set aside.1 large egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a medium size bowl using a spatula, stir together the peanut butter, brown sugar, and baking soda. Taste a small portion of the mixture and decide whether or not you need salt. See notes2 for how to proceed with your recipe.1 cup (220g) crunchy peanut butter1, ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Once your peanut butter base is the desired saltiness, add the egg and vanilla extract mixture and stir until it is completely incorporated.
- Using a cookie scoop (I use this #50 cookie scoop for all of my standard size cookies), drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Place no more than 8 cookies per baking sheet, then bake cookies for 10-11 minutes or until edges and tops start to brown. If you prefer crunchier cookies, bake for up to 14 minutes. They will firm up as they sit.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature up to 7 days. Cookies may be frozen, up to 2 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls may be frozen, up to 3 months. Do not thaw and bake from frozen for 11-12 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Peanut butter: you may use homemade, natural, or commercial peanut butter, but be careful with more oily consistencies. I find the best texture with traditional peanut butter. If using natural peanut butter (either homemade or peanut butter that is made with just peanuts and salt), be sure any excess oil is stirred in and peanut butter is thick. If it is thin, this recipe wont work well. Almond butter may also be substituted for the peanut butter. You can also use smooth peanut butter, but I like the texture of the crunchy peanut butter.
- Taste the dough: I have used so many different kinds of peanut butter to make these cookies, which is why I don’t have a blanket amount of salt to add. Some crunchy brands are saltier than others. I advise giving the mixture a taste, then adding ¼ teaspoon of salt if you think it needs some salt. Be sure you’re fully mixing it in! Do not exceed ½ teaspoon of added salt.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Oh Lynn, you are torturing me! I have a list of things to bake when Lent is over and I can come out of peanut butter purgatory! These are on the top of the list!
Your photos in this post have me (almost) licking my computer screen. So gorgeously composed – it seems like I could just reach in and grab a cookie (or four).
I am definitely a chunky, texture-loving girl. No smooth peanut butter in our house! And yay for third-times-a-charm. Persistence pays off deliciously 🙂
Oh, no! I forgot that PB was off your list for a little while. I’m terribly sorry… I really am! But as soon as Easter rolls around, you need to whip these up. They take no time at all! Which is awesome but also a little dangerous as well, haha. Also, I’m so glad we are in agreement about the texture of peanut butter. There really is no fun in creamy!
I love a classic peanut butter cookie! I especially love how these are flourless and how little ingredients they require. Delicious!
Me too, Thalia! I hope you try them! 🙂
Oh gosh, these look fantastically delicious! I generally prefer chunky peanut butter, but find myself most often buying creamy because it’s easier to make sauces with. Can’t wait to try these 🙂
Yes, we buy creamy for smoothies and such because it just makes life easier… But surely the only way to eat an apple or celery or ANYTHING WITH PB ON IT is crunchy!!
Hi Lynn, I “accidentally” bought a jar of crunchy peanut butter (grew up on creamy so don’t normally buy crunchy), and was searching online for some recipes to use it and found your site and this recipe. I literally just pulled a batch out of the oven, and they are DELICIOUS! Thanks for experimenting and discovering such a yummy recipe with so few ingredients! Definitely going in my recipe box, and will share with my gluten-free friends and refer them to your site for more inspiration. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
I’m so glad to hear about your happy accident! Thanks for letting me know, Christine! I hope to see you around the blog more often 🙂
I make my own peanut butter and used it in this recipe. I’ve made them in the past with no issues, but this time I made the peanut butter just minutes before making these cookies and the dough is soooo thick. I started researching and found your blog. I see you’ve said “If it is thin, this recipe wont work well.” Do you know why? And do you know if there is a way to fix it or is the dough ruined? Thanks!
Hi Adrianne– bummer! I advise against the thinner “natural” peanut butters because I tried this with that and it didn’t work at all. There was no “glue” to hold it together. That being said, if you say your dough is very thick, perhaps you need a bit more liquid. Maybe try adding a teaspoon of water at a time to the batter? Or maybe another egg? I’m not quite sure what to tell you without looking at it, but maybe something to bring a tiny bit more moisture to the dough would help.
My oh my, these are good! Unbelievably easy, and sooo tasty! Thanks for sharing. The Skippy Natural was a great suggestion. Our store carried it in the extra chunky version, and it worked out perfectly. Crispy edges, chewy middles — perfect! Made them a tiny bit smaller, as they’re very rich, and got 22 from the batch.
Thanks so much for this, Suzy! This recipe is almost 5 years old now, so I’m glad to see it getting some love! It’s a favorite of mine!
My kids and I absolutely love these cookies. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe.
I’m so glad, Hanna! Thanks for letting me know!
I just made these cookies and they’re soooo delicious! I used chunky almond butter instead of peanut butter to get a more neutral flavor and it worked out great! I ended up baking them for 14 minutes because I prefer a crisper cookie, and the cookies got nice almost-crispy edges and a softer middle, which wasn’t exactly what I was going for, but they were still incredible! So happy with this 🙂
Awesome, Lizzie! So glad you enjoyed them.
The fact that these are gluten free is just a perk, I promise, people! If you want a peanut butter cookie, look no further than these! Your gluten-full and gluten-free friends will both thank you for your…well, let’s face it, not much effort needed with these cookies to yield the delicious results! Yet another simple, delightful cookie for a wider net of folks to enjoy. 🙂