Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten-Free)

Name: Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten-Free)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 cup creamy peanut butter; ½ cup granulated sugar; 1 egg (lightly beaten); ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract; ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt; ½ cup chocolate chips (optional) (mini or regular, or chopped chocolate)

By Laura

Posted Mar 29, 2020, Updated Apr 18, 2024

4.99 from 50 votes

44 Comments

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These flourless peanut butter cookies are easy to make with 4 ingredients in 15 minutes! They are delicious, gluten-free peanut butter cookies that are so good no one can tell they’re made without flour or butter!

overhead view of 6 flourless peanut butter cookies

I have been making this flourless peanut butter cookies recipe for over two decades now, because they are so simple and absolutely delicious!

They are gooey and peanut buttery and even can be dipped in chocolate. Plus, they’re easy to make with only 5 ingredients in 15 minutes!

flourless peanut butter cookie cut in half

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies: Ingredients & Substitutions

These gluten-free peanut butter cookies are made with ingredients you probably have on hand! Let’s chat about possible substitutions.

overhead view of the labeled ingredients in this flourless peanut butter cookie recipe

Creamy peanut butter. choose your favorite peanut butter variety! Allergic to peanuts? Any nut or seed butter should work well in this recipe! I recommend using a peanut butter that is solid at room temperature. Some natural varieties do meet this requirement and can be used. If you use a peanut butter that’s liquid at room temperature (like this homemade peanut butter), you will have to chill the dough for 60 minutes before baking.
Sugar. Use granulated sugar or organic cane sugar for the best results. Note. I tired coconut sugar and it did not work.
Chocolate. Drizzling chocolate on top of these cookies, or adding chocolate chips to the batter, is optional, but delicious!

front view of a stack of 4 flourless peanut butter cookies with other cookies around the stack on the table

How to Make Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

These gluten-free peanut butter cookies are made in one bowl and 15 minutes (from start to finish)! Let’s walk through the process together, and don’t forget to watch the video.

Begin by combining the peanut butter and sugar. You can do this by hand, with a hand-held mixer, or in a standing mixer.

You may need to warm the peanut butter

If your peanut butter is too hard to serve (if you store it in the fridge or use a variety that is solid at room temperature), gently warm it in the microwave until it’s soft enough to stir. Be careful not to overhead or you run the risk of cooking the egg when it’s added to the batter.

Next, add the egg & vanilla and beat or stir until everything is combined.

Then, use a 1 Tablespoon measuring spoon or cookie scoop to portion the dough, roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced on a baking sheet.

These Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies are easy to make with 4 ingredients in 15 minutes! These gluten-free peanut butter cookies are so good no one can tell they're made without flour or butter!

Once the dough is ready to go on the baking sheet, use a fork to make a criss cross pattern on the top of each dough ball, gently pressing it down.

Bake

Next, bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the top and edges look just barely set.

Don’t Over-bake

These flourless peanut butter cookies may not look completely done when you remove them from the oven. But they will cook more as they cool on the pan before being transferred to a wire rack.

Cool

Once the cookies are removed from the oven, let them cool on the baking pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dip in Chocolate

If desired, wait until the gluten-free peanut butter cookies are completely cool, then dip them in chocolate. To do this:

Melt some chocolate chips or chopped chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler over medium heat.
Line a large baking sheet with wax paper.
Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, then place on the wax paper.
Let harden at room temperature or in the freezer.
If desired, drizzle a little extra chocolate over the dipped side for a pretty texture.
Enjoy!

a hand dipping a flourless peanut butter cookie in a bowl of melted chocolate

Store/Freeze

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you add chocolate on top, be sure to let it harden completely before stacking them in a container.

front view of a stack of 5 gluten-free peanut butter cookies dipped in chocolate

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe FAQS

Can you make cookies with natural peanut butter?

I recommend using a peanut butter that is solid at room temperature to make these gluten-free peanut butter cookies. Some natural varieties do meet this requirement and can be used. If you use a peanut butter that’s liquid at room temperature (like this homemade peanut butter), you will have to chill the dough for 60 minutes before baking.

Why do peanut butter cookies have fork marks?

This flourless peanut butter cookie dough is denser than other cookie dough. Pressing the cookie dough down with a fork while making a criss cross pattern flattens the cookie dough and makes them bake more evenly.

front view of 6 flourless peanut butter cookies

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