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!
Does coconut flour at work in this recipe
Hi, Marie. Coconut flour is not easily substituted 1 for 1 with other flours. I recommend trying these Coconut Flour Cookies.
Easy to make and very versatile. I used a mix of PB and Almond butter. I also halved the amount of Maple as we don’t love things to sweet…. this may have made them more crumbly but still very much enjoyed. Thank you
Yay! I’m so glad these cookies were a hit, Lisa. Thanks for making them and leaving a review, I really appreciate it.
These are amazing! Best peanut butter cookies EVER!! Had to add extra almond flour because our organic natural peanut butter was really runny. Turned out really well, I don’t think you could mess up this recipe. Thank you! A new go to!!
Oh yay! So happy to hear you love these cookies, Connie. Good tip about the extra almond flour too. Thanks so much for the review!
Great low sugar cookies! Very tasty treat and so easy to make. Love your recipes 😋 😍
Yay! Happy to hear you loved these cookies, Nicole. Thanks so much for the review. I really appreciate the feedback!
These are delish!! I made them for a party and multiple people asked for the recipe
Ah yay! So pumped to hear these cookies were a hit, Ashley! Thanks so much for the review. I really appreciate it!
These were delicious but I had trouble with the fork because they were too sticky. Maybe I should have added more almond flour?
You were having trouble making the fork indentations because the dough was too sticky?
Me too they were delicious but no way was that fork thing going to work.
Try a plastic fork if you have one. I don’t understand it, but it worked perfectly. I was having the same issue initially with my metal fork.
Any idea on weight in grams for the peanut butter and flour (UK!)? Thank you.
Hey David – 1 cup of peanut butter is equivalent to about 240 grams and 1 cup of almond flour is about 112 grams. Hopefully that helps!
So simple to make but truly delicious!
Thank you for this recipe ❣️
So glad you enjoyed these cookies, Elinor! Thanks for the review. I appreciate it!
Hello! would the cookies come out okay if I decrease the amount of maple syrup used?
Hey Rae – That should be just fine! Let me know how they turn out for you.
OMG! DELICIOUS!
I blended peanut butter with maple syrup in the blender to make sure the mix is smooth.
The flavor is so great! I’m not even a big fan of sweet food, so probably next time will add less maple syrup. But they are soooo DELICIOUS. Thank you for the recipe. And so easy to make!
Yay!! So glad you loved these cookies, Diana. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!