The easiest peanut butter cookies that are also gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-less. With a soft and chewy center, crispy exterior, and salty-sweet flavor, they are destined to become a favorite. Just 6 simple ingredients and ready in 20 minutes!
These cookies were created for my fellow peanut butter-lovers.
Just 6 simple ingredients are all you need to make rich and chewy cookies full of nutty flavor. They are so easy to make, and because we don't use any refined ingredients (honey is used as the sweetener), you can eat them guilt-free.
Using almond flour makes them tender and moist [see: almond flour thumbprint cookies], so no dry and crumbly cookies here. They are salty-sweet and full of rich peanut butter flavor.
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👩🏼🍳 Why This Recipe Is The Best
- Mouth-watering salty-sweet peanut butter flavor
- Crispy and crunchy exterior with a soft and chewy interior
- Made with simple ingredients
- Easy cookie recipe with "Make Ahead" option
- Healthy cookies (dairy-free & gluten-free) that are high in protein, low-carb, and with no refined ingredients
🥜 Ingredient Notes
- Natural (unsweetened) peanut butter - If your peanut butter contains salt, be sure to leave out the added salt. Similarly, if you use sweetened peanut butter, omit the honey.
- Honey - I love the floral notes that honey provides, and it pairs beautifully with peanut butter.
- Almond flour - Using almond flour provides nutty flavor, slight sweetness, extra moisture, and it makes a soft and tender crumb for baked goods.
- Salt - If your peanut butter already contains salt, do not add more salt or you will have very salty cookies.
- Flaky sea salt (optional) - This is not a necessary ingredient, but I love the flaky crunch of course salt on my cookies.
📋 Variations and Substitutions
- If using sweetened peanut butter, omit the honey.
- Make your own almond flour. Use up your blanched, slivered almonds!
- Substitute almond butter, cashew butter, or tahini paste for a slightly different flavor.
- Make vegan: Use maple syrup or brown sugar in place of honey.
- Incorporate mix-ins: Add ⅓ cup of peanut butter chips, M&M's, or chocolate chips for a fun twist!
🔪 How To Make Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
*See recipe card below for printable instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract until well-combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk almond flour, baking soda, and salt (if using). Add to wet ingredients and combine thoroughly. Your dough will be very thick.
Using a large spoon or cookie scoop, roll cookie dough into balls using your hands and place on baking sheets.
Using a fork dipped in water, press down twice on each cookie, creating a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle cookies with a pinch of flaky salt (if using).
Bake for 10 minutes. Let cookies rest on baking sheets for a minimum of 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
⏲ Expert Tips and Tricks
- Use natural, unsweetened peanut butter. Some brands contain salt, so if you are using one that does, simply skip the additional salt in this recipe. I recommend tasting your cookie dough once everything is mixed, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary.
- Your cookie dough will be quite thick. This is good!
- Let cookies rest after removing from the oven. This is very important as almond flour is quite delicate; we need to let the cookies firm up before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Don't overbake. Bake for the allotted 10 minutes. You might be tempted to let them go longer, but doing so will lead to burnt cookies.
- Wet your fork with water before pressing. This helps to avoid your cookies from sticking to the fork.
- Make ahead: Mix cookie dough and store (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Storage: Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature (or in refrigerator) for up to 5 days.
- How to freeze: Layer completely cooled cookies with parchment paper and place in a freezer bag. Cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze your cookie dough portions (after pressing with fork) and bake directly from the freezer.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Almond flour is made from finely-ground almonds that have been blanched and peeled. It is a different product than almond meal, which is made by grinding whole (unpeeled) almonds. Almond flour has a nutty and slightly sweet flavor, is high in protein, and low in carbs. Its higher fat percentage makes for moist and tender baked goods, so it is a great product for dairy-free and egg-free recipes.
Too much regular flour can lead to dry and crumbly peanut butter cookies, so this should not be a problem for this recipe using almond flour. You should end up with soft, moist, and chewy cookies with a crispy edge.
Using peanut butter that is full of sugar and palm oil can mute the nutty flavor. Because we use natural (unsweetened) peanut butter and just a few other simple ingredients for our cookies, they are peanut butter-forward with a rich and nutty flavor.
🍪 Related Recipes
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📖 Easy Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup natural (unsweetened) peanut butter
- 7 Tablespoons honey
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (if peanut butter already contains salt, do not add)
- flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract until well-combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk almond flour, baking soda, and salt (if using). Add to wet ingredients and combine thoroughly. Your dough will be very thick.
- Using a large spoon or cookie scoop, roll cookie dough into balls using your hands and place on baking sheets.
- Using a fork dipped in water, press down twice on each cookie, creating a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle cookies with a pinch of flaky salt (if using).
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cookies rest on baking sheets for a minimum of 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Use natural, unsweetened peanut butter. Some brands contain salt, so if you are using one that does, simply skip the additional salt in this recipe. I recommend tasting your cookie dough once everything is mixed, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary.
- Your cookie dough will be quite thick. This is good!
- Let cookies rest after removing from the oven. This is very important as almond flour is quite delicate; we need to let the cookies firm up before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Don't overbake. Bake for the allotted 10 minutes. You might be tempted to let them go longer, but doing so will lead to burnt cookies.
- Wet your fork with water before pressing. This helps to avoid your cookies from sticking to the fork.
- Make ahead: Mix cookie dough and store (covered) in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- Storage: Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature (or in refrigerator) for up to 5 days.
- How to freeze: Layer completely cooled cookies with parchment paper and place in a freezer bag. Cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze your cookie dough portions (after pressing with fork) and bake directly from the freezer.
Kevin
I surprised my wife with a batch of these over the weekend and we both thought they were awesome!! Lots of peanut butter flavor and the texture is great. Thanks for the recipe!
Gastronotherapy
So happy to hear that they were a hit, Kevin!