Healthy Peanut Butter Blossoms
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These healthy peanut butter blossoms are soft chewy and loaded with rich chocolate chunks. They are flourless, gluten free and so simple to bake for any holiday cookie tray.
These cookies are my take on peanut butter blossoms (you know, the ones with the Hershey’s Kisses). PB blossoms are one of Isaac’s favorite cookies so I had to take a stab at making a healthy version and I have to say, this version is just as good…maybe even better than classic peanut butter blossoms!
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“First batch disappeared before I could freeze some for our Christmas dessert tray! Second batch in the oven. These cookies are the perfect sweetness, crisp with a chew too, and the dark chocolate makes them extraordinary. Another family favorite we’ll be making again and again. Can’t wait to try another one of your recipes! Thank you!!!”
Why I Love These Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Holiday classic: These blossoms have that perfect mix of soft peanut butter cookie and melty chocolate, which makes them a must bake treat every single December.
- Crowd favorite: These disappear fast at cookie swaps and holiday parties, and they are always one of the first treats everyone reaches for.
- Naturally gluten free: The dough comes together with just a few simple ingredients and works well for anyone who needs a gluten free treat during the holidays.
Ingredients Needed
Guess what? You only need six simple ingredients for these healthy pb blossoms and it’s likely that you have all six sitting your pantry at this very moment.
- natural peanut butter – the base of these cookies and what gives them that classic peanut butter blossom flavor. I like using a drippy natural peanut butter so the dough mixes easily.
- sugar – sweetens the cookies and helps create that classic blossom-style texture. It gives the edges a little crisp while keeping the center soft. I used cane sugar but coconut sugar is another great option!
- egg – helps bind the dough and gives the cookies structure as they bake.
- vanilla extract – adds warmth and rounds out the peanut butter flavor.
- baking soda – gives the cookies a little lift while they bake.
- chocolate chunks – I used Enjoy Life Mega Chunks, but any dark chocolate chunks/squares will do. I bet Hu Kitchen chocolate gems would work great!
Substitutions
- Nut butter: The traditional recipe uses peanut butter, but I’m assuming you can swap for any other nut or seed butter. I haven’t tested this so if you try a different nut butter, let me know in the comments.
- Vegan cookies: If you want to make these blossoms vegan, swap the egg for a flax egg. I’ve tested it and the cookies still bake up soft and chewy. Also, be sure to use a vegan chocolate option like the Enjoy Life mega chunks so the whole recipe stays dairy free.
How to Make Healthy Peanut Butter Blossoms
Step 1: In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and baking soda until well combined.
Step 2: Spoon 1 Tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball. Arrange each cookie about 1 inch apart onto a baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake at 350ºF for 9-10 minutes.
Step 4: Remove from the oven and immediately press a chocolate chunk into each cookie. Allow to cool completely and then enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Use natural peanut butter for the right texture: A natural peanut butter (the kind with just peanuts and salt) gives you a soft dough that mixes easily and bakes up chewy. Conventional peanut butter is thicker and can make the dough dry and crumbly.
How to Store Homemade Cookies
After letting your cookies cool completely, I recommend storing in an airtight container. They’ll last a few days on the countertop, a week in the fridge and up to 1 month in the freezer. I love making these in advance, freezing and then serving during the holidays!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can. A flax egg works well in place of the regular egg and still gives the cookies enough structure to hold the chocolate chunk. The texture stays soft and chewy.
I recommend it. Natural peanut butter mixes into the dough easily and keeps the cookies tender. Thicker processed peanut butters can make the dough dry or crumbly.
Traditional peanut butter blossoms are usually made with white flour, butter and a Hershey’s Kiss. This version skips the flour entirely which keeps them naturally gluten free, uses natural peanut butter for healthy fats and relies on simple ingredients you probably already have at home. They still bake up soft and chewy with that perfect chocolate bite on top but feel a little lighter than the classic cookie.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter, (regular peanut butter works too)
- 1 cup cane sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 large egg, (or a flax egg)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Chocolate chunks, I used Enjoy Life Mega Chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, egg, vanilla and baking soda until well combined.
- Scoop 1 Tablespoon of the cookie dough, roll into a ball and set about 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a chocolate chunk into each cookie. Allow to cool completely. The chocolate will harden as it cools.
Video
Notes
- If you need the cookies to be vegan, you can use a flaxseed egg instead of a regular egg!
- Make a Hanukkah version by using chocolate gelt instead of chocolate chunk.
- Store in an airtight container on the counter for 3-4 days or in the fridge or freezer for longer storage.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Amazing and turned out great! Everyone loved them!
Yay! So glad you loved this recipe, Jordana. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
I love these and have made than a few years for Christmas. They are so yummy – I use a salted dark chocolate bar broken into squares.
Mine always look darker than the beautiful light golden brown in your pics – but they taste really good! Maybe because I use coconut sugar??
So glad you love these! Yes, coconut sugar will definitely make them look darker than using cane sugar, but it won’t affect the flavor at all. Thanks so much for making the recipe year after year and for coming back to leave a review!
These are amazing cookies!! I had to bake them for almost 20 minutes though. I have a gas oven and everything takes longer. They are chewy. Just how I like a peanut butter cookie!!
Yay! So glad you loved these cookies, Ruth. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Help! Tasted great but were almost raw lol. Guessing it was my almond butter? I only use natural butters but it was way too oily. What brand do you use?
Oh no! And you baked these, correct? It’s interesting they tasted raw. Maybe they needed to bake for longer? My favorite peanut butter brands are Trader Joe’s, 365 organic from whole foods and Crazy Richard’s.
cookies just crumble apart and not staying together
So sorry to hear these didn’t turn out for you, Marcia. Did you change anything about the recipe?
Just made these and they are so good! I love how simple the ingredients are and how quick and easy they were to put together. Also love that they’re vegan so I could eat the dough and not worry if I underbaked them. These will be a staple in our house every holiday season!
YUM! These are a holiday staple over here, Melissa. I am so glad you are loving them as well. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
These got rave reviews! I subbed a real egg for flax, used regular peanut butter, 50/50 coconut and cane sugar, and Hershey’s kisses on top. Will be making again!
They are the same cookie my mom bakes every Christmas but easier and with fewer ingredients 🙂
WOO! This is seriously the best, Sophie. I am so glad these were a hit for everyone. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
so easy! my dad especially loved them. Will certainly make these again. thanks for the delicious & easy recipe.
Aw yay! I am so glad this recipe is a hit, Nancy. Thank you so much for sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me!
These are better than the original. Even my kids and old school husband agree. I used half coconut sugar, half cane sugar and slightly too sweet for me, but not the kids! Next time I’ll use all coconut sugar. I also was worried they wouldn’t hold together, but once they cooled they were perfect! Will be making many more batches.
Ah yay! I am so glad that you and your family are loving this recipe, Allie. Thank you so much for your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
I made these in Brasil. Whole peanut paste with with 3/4 tsp salt per cup instead of peanut butter. I use a regular egg and coconut sugar. Easier to mix if 1st in bowl, sugar, then peanut paste, then beat the rest with a fork in the same measuring cup before adding to the bowl and mixing, I use a rubber spatula to mix and a plastic coffee scoop to ball. My gas oven preheats quick so I preheat just before making balls of dough. I had to adjust the bake time to 8 minutes. Literally everybody loves them.I translated my adapted recipe to Brasilian Portuguese for a class assignment. I tried making them with the unground salt I use in my grinder and love them like that!
This is amazing, Robert. Thank you so much for sharing, I really appreciate your review + star rating!
Do these cookies have flour in them?
Hey Denise- no they don’t.
Just whipped these up and they are sooo delicious! Even my non-vegan family was all over them. I sprinkled a little extra coconut sugar on the top…so good!!
Woo!! So glad these peanut butter blossoms were a hit, Katie! Thanks so much for the review. I so appreciate it!
Always feel safe following recipes on this website! These are my favorite. Perfect snack and highly addictive 😀
So glad you’re enjoying these cookies, Omur! Thanks for the review 🙂
cookies are very tasty, i loved it
Yay! I’m glad these cookies were a hit, Krishnan! Thanks for the review 🙂
The fastest, easiest, tastiest cookies to make! My dad monitors his blood sugar and loves that these don’t make it spike at much. Definitely a regular recipe in our house!
Ahh yay, so glad these cookies were a hit with your dad. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I appreciate it!
Amazing cookies! I am new to your blog and this was one of the first recipes I made. Absolutely delicious and light. No gluten hangover afterwards. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Woo!! So glad you loved these cookies, Cheryl. Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
Hi 🙂 I’m trying to cut down on my sugar intake. If I reduce the coconut sugar amount, is there anything I need to tweak in the recipe?
I haven’t tried reducing the sugar in this recipe, but I think you should be fine without changing anything else. Keep me posted how these turn out for you if you end up trying them.
These are so easy to make and absolutely delicious 😍
So glad you loved these! Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I so appreciate it!
Awesome! Such a quick and simple recipe but full of flavor. I will definitely make them again. Thanks for all of the gluten, egg and dairy free options. It means alot to me to have these choices and knowledge to continue my journey towards better health. It makes the food restrictions less cumbersome and allows me to still bake with my kids.
Ahh, you’re so welcome, Melissa! I’m so glad the recipes have been helpful and that you’ve been enjoying them. 🙂
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First batch disappeared before I could freeze some for our Christmas dessert tray! Second batch in the oven. These cookies are the perfect sweetness, crisp with a chew too, and the dark chocolate makes them extraordinary. Another family favorite we’ll be making again and again. Can’t wait to try another one of your recipes! Thank you!!!
Woo!! I’m so pumped these cookies were a hit with your family. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Fabulous. Whipped it up in 5 minutes, goes great with red wine too! Thank you Brittany!
Ahh yay!! You’re so welcome, Beth. I’m pumped to hear that you loved these cookies. Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I really appreciate it. 🙂
It’s my first time baking a gf/vegan cookie and these are absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to share them with my family. Thanks for making my holidays a little brighter!
Ahh, yay! So glad you enjoyed these cookies, Maureen. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
So delicious and easy to make! Making my second batch
Ahh yay, I’m so glad you’re a fan of these cookies!! Thanks for coming back to leave a review, I really appreciate it. 🙂
Super Delicious, I am going to try it.
Holy smokes, these are absolutely incredible! My mouth is watering just thinking about them. And my kids devoured them. Super quick and easy too! Thanks for another awesome recipe Brittany!
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear!! So glad these cookies were a hit. Thanks for making them and for leaving a review. I really appreciate it. 🙂
These are so good I could cry. Super easy to make too!
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad you loved these cookies, Meghan. Thanks for making them 🙂
The problem I have with many of your recipes is the amount of sugar and carbs.I am always looking for simple recipes that have no sugar, certainly not a cup of it.
I like a chocolate candy recipe I recently received, very much like the squash fudge I tried some time ago. These use no sugar. I used some stevia with the chocolate ones along with coconut butter, raw cacao powder and tahini altho the recipe used almond butter. Both work and probably other nut butters as well.
Would love to see your creativity come up with some ways to do desserts with very low carb content.
Hey Tamarque – You can certainly try these cookies with a sugar-free substitute like swerve or monkfruit and use a sugar-free chocolate. There are usually ways to sub in the sugar for low-sugar or sugar-free options. 🙂
Not everyone is afraid of healthy carbohydrates. Don’t change a thing Brittany. Those sugar substitutes are worse for human health than the real thing! People complaining about sugar can create their own free recipe blogs! (Gaslighting others is never okay!)
This recipe has to be one of the easiest, fastest, healthier versions of a cookie classic that I have ever made!! It’s seriously SO DELICIOUS and they come together in literally minutes. Do yourself a favor and make these!!!!
Ahh yay, so pumped you’re loving these cookies! Thanks so much for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
You call these healthy, but sugar is not healthy.
Hey Sandra – I consider them to be healthier than the traditional recipe which uses flour, white sugar, brown sugar, milk, etc.
Gaslighting abusers are far worse than sugar! 😆
My husband special requested these after I showed him EBF’s cookie week posts. I usually shy away from baking because it’s not my strong suit, but these were SO easy, SO quick, and SO delicious! Highly recommend!
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Kim. I’m so glad these cookies were a hit. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
I followed the exact recipe and they came out way too sweet. One cup of coconut sugar was just way too much!
Hey Cindee, So sorry you didn’t enjoy these cookies! You can always adjust the amount of sugar in my recipes to fit your taste just for future reference. 🙂
Delicious! My family makes lots of gf/df cookies for Christmas and these were one of our favorites this year.
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear, Morgen! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it! <3
Most amazing cookies, I’m obsessed! So easy to make and I think are better than regular cookies (also better for you). Thanks for the great recipe!!
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Michayla! I’m so glad you loved these cookies. They’re one of my faves too! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment and star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
Hi!
I was wondering if you think I could replace almond butter instead of peanuts in this recipe?
Hey Anabell – You could definitely swap out the peanut butter for almond butter!
My daughter was craving peanut butter kisses cookies like her grandmother makes. She asked if I could make a vegan version. I’m glad I found your recipe. These are delicious!
Yay!! I’m so glad you found my recipe too. Thank you for coming back to leave a comment and star rating, Hilda. I so appreciate it. <3
These are delicious, soft cookies. I ran out of peanut butter, so I used half peanut nutter and half cashew butter. My friends loved them too.
OMG – I made these and because I’m gluten and dairy-free I was looking for a healthy replacement for my Mom’s cookies that are like these. These turned out soo yummy. Great recipe and love this site.
These are the best pb cookies I’ve ever made. I’ve made pb cookies using JIF natural pb and white sugar and they were excellent albeit a little fragile. This time I used Skippy natural pb because my boyfriend bought the wrong stuff – and used light brown cane sugar because he also bought the wrong sugar. I also did 1.5 times the recipe with 2 full flax eggs and maybe a bit extra vanilla. I rolled them in small balls and then in white sugar and pressed them with a fork on parchment paper – baked at 325 for about 8 to 10 minutes (my oven burns cookies at 350 it seems….) until puffed up and a shade darker – when I pulled them they were still very very soft. I let them cool on the cookie sheet. The cookies were about the size of a fifty-cent piece – maybe a little bigger. The end result was a SOFT CHEWY cookie. I skipped the chocolate. But OMG they were amazing and not fragile. I have no idea why they turned out so much better – I’m not a baker/cook but maybe the light brown sugar made the difference – with a little extra flax egg? I don’t know. The lower temp and letting them cool on the cookie sheet maybe too? I can’t imagine using a slimy egg though – highly recommend the flax egg.
These are so good! I halved the recipe and only used 6 tbsp sugar, 3 brown and 3 white. I also added a sprinkle of salt. They taste great with coffee and ginger tea. Thank you!!!
Considering the minimal amount of ingredients called for, these came out alright. 🙂 They have the texture of a no-bake cookie and though most of them unfortunately fell apart when picked up, there weren’t any leftovers after the potluck I took them to tonight. I probably wouldn’t make ’em again but I loved how simple they were to whip up!
Love that you flipped the classic peanut butter blossoms! And congrats on finishing your 10-day sugar cleanse. Sugar is so hard to stay away from. I once eliminated all types of sugar (sucrose and fructose) for 14 days and felt like a serious addict until after a week.
Oh man! That would have been really hard without fruit or anything! Did you go right back to eating sugar after cutting it out for the 14 days or have you been eating less since the detox?
I’ve never been able to resist the old standard chocolate and PB combination, especially in cookie form, and even more so when they’re this easy! They look amazing, Brittany!
Yummmm these look fantastic 🙂
So I just read more carefully and I see your note about the egg. Sorry! 🙂
These look fantastic! Do you think it would work with a regular egg instead of flax egg? Thanks!
I have a hunch these would be as delicious as a non-vegan competitor. Delicious!
These look delicious. I have a 3-ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe I love (flourless) so if you ever want to try that to compare, let me know!
PB blossoms are my brother’s favorite! Now I can feel good about making them for him 😉
I used to make these as a kid!!! With Hershey kisses in the middle! So cute!
Yum! Definitely making these this weekend!
I want to hear more about this sugar detox!
Omg I make these every year for Christmas and will be trying out this recipe! I can wait =0) Just a quick questions, are these soft a chewing? The ones I normally make are soft and chewing as it takes unsalted Butter.
These sound like a winner for sure and super easy! I agree, you can’t go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter. I’ll have to check for those chocolate chunks at my store.
I LOVE peanut butter blossoms! Thanks for this vegan version 🙂
Making these asap! Love the vegan variation. Perfect.