Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
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These healthy peanut butter cookies are soft, chewy and made with just 4 simple ingredients. Naturally sweetened and easy to make in one bowl, they’re the perfect better-for-you treat.
If you have ever wanted a peanut butter cookie that comes together with basically no effort and still tastes completely satisfying, this is it. Four ingredients, one bowl, no eggs, no butter, no traditional flour. I know that sounds too good to be true but I promise it works and these cookies deliver every single time!
If you are a peanut butter cookie lover you are also going to want to try my peanut butter oatmeal cookies for another easy one bowl version that is just as simple and delicious.
Table of Contents
Why I Love These Peanut Butter Cookies
- Only 4 ingredients: Peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and almond flour. That is genuinely it. No butter, no eggs, no complicated steps.
- One bowl, easy cleanup: Everything comes together in a single bowl which means less mess and more time to enjoy the cookies.
- Perfectly soft and chewy: The almond flour gives these cookies a texture that is hard to beat. And if you are a fan of baking with almond flour, my almond flour chocolate chip cookies are another must try.
- Naturally sweetened: Just maple syrup for sweetness which means these cookies are not overly sugary. They taste indulgent without the sugar crash.
“Saw the recipe and wanted to try them out. Worst idea ever. Already on the third batch this week and I’m running out of peanut butter! Very good and if you love peanut butter you will LOVE these.”
Ingredients Needed
- creamy natural peanut butter – the star of the show and what gives these cookies their rich nutty flavor. Look for a brand with just peanuts and salt as the only ingredients. Make sure it is drippy and well stirred before measuring as a thick or dry peanut butter will affect the texture of the dough.
- maple syrup – the natural sweetener that holds the dough together and adds just the right amount of sweetness.
- vanilla extract – adds warmth and rounds out the overall flavor of the cookie.
- almond flour – gives these cookies their soft, slightly chewy texture and keeps them naturally gluten-free. Make sure you are using finely ground blanched almond flour and not almond meal. I love Bob’s Red Mill super fine almond flour for the best results.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
- Almond flour: I highly recommend using almond flour for this recipe for the best results. I have tested it with oat flour and the cookies will still turn out, but they are a bit drier because oat flour has less fat than almond flour.
- Peanut butter: I’m assuming you can swap with any nut or seed butter, but I’ve only tested the recipe with natural peanut butter and almond butter, which is also delicious!
- Maple syrup: You can totally use another liquid sweetener like coconut nectar or honey. I’ve tested these with honey and they were yummy, but I personally like the flavor of maple syrup better.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
Because we’re not using eggs, butter or traditional flour, these cookies can be made in one bowl. Woo-hoo for less dishes! Here’s how to make them:
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2: Add the peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla to a mixing bowl and stir until combined. Add the almond flour and stir until fully incorporated.
- Step 3: Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each ball with a fork in a crisscross pattern and sprinkle with flaked sea salt if using.
- Step 4: Bake for 12 minutes or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.
Brittany’s Tips
- Use drippy natural peanut butter: This is the most important tip for this recipe. A thick or dry peanut butter will make the dough too stiff and hard to work with. Give your jar a good stir before measuring and make sure it is at room temperature. If your dough still feels too sticky just add an extra tablespoon of almond flour at a time until it comes together.
- Do not skip the cooling time: These cookies are soft and fragile straight out of the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They firm up as they cool and the texture is so much better once they have had time to set.
How to Store
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: These cookies keep really well in the fridge for up to 7 days. The texture firms up a bit when cold which I actually love.
Freezer: Peanut butter cookies freeze beautifully. Place cooled cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or enjoy straight from the freezer for a cold treat.
Frequently Asked Questions
This usually comes down to the brand of natural peanut butter you are using. Some are much runnier than others. If your dough feels too wet or sticky simply add an extra tablespoon of almond flour at a time until it comes together.
Absolutely and I highly recommend it! Fold in a few tablespoons of your favorite chocolate chips after the dough comes together for a peanut butter chocolate chip version that is truly hard to resist.
I would not recommend it. Almond flour has more fat and less starch than regular flour which is what gives these cookies their soft texture. Oat flour can work as a substitute but the cookies will be slightly drier.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
- ½ cup maple syrup, or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup almond flour
- flaked sea salt for topping, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla into a mixing bowl. Once combined, add in almond flour and stir until incorporated.1 cup creamy natural peanut butter, ½ cup maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup almond flour
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet. Alternatively, you can scoop dough with a spoon and roll it into a ball.
- Flatten each dough ball with a fork, making a crisscross pattern and sprinkle a little flaked sea salt on top of each cookie, if using.flaked sea salt for topping
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until cookies begin to brown. Remove from oven, allow cookies to cool on a wire rack and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Almond flour: Finely ground blanched almond flour is strongly recommended. Oat flour can work as a substitute but the cookies will be slightly drier.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Thanks for the recipe,it fast and easy and most of all its delicious, thanks again!!!!!!
So glad you loved this recipe, Kim! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
I was going to make my usual cookies with peanut butter, egg, and brown sugar but I broke the glass canister that house the sugar. I knew that I had seen a peanut butter cookie recipe using maple syrup on Instagram but my phone was charging. I am so glad because this recipe is just what I need as I am trying to eliminate dairy. It is so delicious that I have to keep telling myself that I can’t eat the all at one time.
Ahh yay!! So glad you loved these cookies. Thanks for coming back to leave a review, Kay. I so appreciate it!
I made these and added dark chocolate chips and ME OH MY SO YUMMY :D. This recipe became a template for banana oat bars with peanut butter too :D. I always have tons of fun looking at your website, well done!!
Ohh I bet the addition of the dark chocolate was SO good!! I’m glad you’ve loving the recipes, Matilde. 🙂
Sooooo good! I added a chocolate kiss on top since I was craving peanut butter and chocolate. Delicious!
These cookies were easy, delicious, and a hit with my whole family! Even my dad, a self-proclaimed “peanut butter cookie connoisseur”, approved! We will definitely be making them again soon
So glad these cookies were a hit, Brooke! Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I never bake, but the recipe didn’t leave me shaking in intimidation and I had all the ingredients on hand! Pretty tasty, indeed. Consistency was less cookie-like for me, more of a grain bar mouth feel to it but it’s def a keeper. Thank you!
Made these this morning with maple syrup. They were super easy and delicious! I ended up refrigerating the dough for about an hour so it was easier to shape into balls. I might try a batch tomorrow with honey to see if I can tell the difference.
Ahh yay, so glad you enjoyed these cookies!! Let me know if you try them with honey and what you think. 🙂
So easy and delicious! My mother is a skeptic of healthy desserts and even she couldn’t stop eating them! They were very fast and simple to make. I used whole wheat flour instead of almond flour in a 1:1 conversion and it worked out just fine.
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m so glad these cookies were a hit. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3
I followed this exact recipe but the dough was super sticky. It was really hard to roll into a ball and flatten. Am I missing something?
Mmm, and you used almond flour and maple syrup or did you use honey?
These were sooooooo good! The only bad thing is that I’m constantly snacking on them! I even had some for breakfast! Ha!
Aren’t they good?! I’m glad you enjoyed these cookies! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂