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!
We made these exactly to recipe except we used spelt flour – AMAZING!! Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe😊
WOO! This is the best, Bel! I am so glad you’re loving these cookies and they turned out amazing for you. Thank you for your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
these cookies are so delicious – I made them today for the the 5th time and they’re such a hit in my house.
I did drizzle dark chocolate over them and it took them to another level of deviousness.
quick question – can I freeze them? and for how long?
This is great to hear! I am so glad you are enjoying these cookies, Suesally! Yes, the baked cookies can be frozen! Just make sure they cooled completely then store in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 1 month. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
so yummy! so quick and easy to make – my family loved them.
Perfect! I am so glad you’re loving this recipe and it turns out great for you, Sue. Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, it means the world to me!
Sorry, but these were incredibly dry…I even added 2 eggs because the dough was so crumbly and dry. I did 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup splenda instead of the full 1/2 cup of maple syrup or honey. I even put a 1/2 tsp of butter and a “squirt” of maple syrup just to make the dough more moist. I used regular flour as well. I also only baked them 10 mins as one of the comments said to undercook them a bit. I had used no sugar added peanut butter so they weren’t particularly sweet, my fault. I ended up putting a little splenda on top. I also used Kosher salt and that was genius. I loved that you added salt to the top. It was a little surprise. I appreciate the recipe, they were tasty, just really, really dry. It may just be due to the changes I made. I think the eggs were an absolute must, however.
Hi Janet – The reason for these turned out dry was most likely because you didn’t fully follow the full recipe. By removing the liquid sweetener (maple syrup/honey), you removed a key liquid ingredient that helps keep the cookies moist. I hope you’ll give then another try following the recipe as is because these cookies are truly delicious!
Amazing! I’m on the cusp of gluten and dairy intolerance. My sad gut just can’t handle it all anymore. But I have a sweet tooth! And I love peanut butter! So this helps me bring good tastes to my home without the impurities of refined sugars and unnecessary carbs and calories.
So glad you loved this recipe, Beth! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Nagyon finomak lettek! Kicsit nehezen formázhatók, nem úgy mint a videóban, de megoldottam ! Köszönöm a receptet!
Of course! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it.
Very good have been searching for a healthy and tasty peanut butter cookie recipe and this is the one!
Ah I am so glad you found this recipe and are loving it, Mozzaz! Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I so appreciate it!
I really was hoping to love these as I was happy with the list of ingredients. But none of us could eat these. Threw them away. They were crumbly and beyond dry. I used the same almond flour as you and used honey rather than maple syrup. Is there an ingredient missing from the list maybe? Only one other comment is like mine. Where did we go wrong??
Hi Dena – I am sorry to hear these did not turn out as you had hoped. The recipe should have worked fine with honey, it just sounds like they may have been a tad over baked, because there aren’t any ingredients missing from the list. Make sure you bake them for the time listed above and remove them, they will continue baking on the hot pan until you remove them to the wire rack for cooling. Hope you will give these another try.
Just made these yesterday and I already had to make another batch! I think they harden PERFECTLY if they are underdone. So tasty!!!
WOO! I am excited to hear that you are enjoying these tasty cookies, Alex. Thanks so much for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
these did not form into cookies and came out tasting terrible. i threw the whole batch out.
Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that these did not turn out for you, Sarah. Did you change anything about the recipe?
Thank you for this simple recipe. I used 3/4 cup of almond flour and 1/4 cup oat bran. Also, 1/2 honey, 1/2 stevia powder. As it was a bit dry, added 1/4 cup almond milk. Very tasty. As another mentioned, they can burn easily especially on the top rack of the oven. Looking forward to trying your sugar cookie recipe and lots of others on your website.
Yay! I am so glad this recipe worked out for you, AJ. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, I appreciate it and hope you enjoy the sugar cookies too!