The Best Vegan & Gluten-Free Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies: Healthy & Delicious!
These Almond Flour and Peanut Butter Cookies are not just delicious little treats; they are a delightful surprise being completely vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. Crafted to melt in your mouth with every bite, these flourless peanut butter cookies offer a fantastic, healthy snack that the entire family will adore. Dive into this recipe and discover how easy it is to make a wholesome indulgence!
[feast_advanced_jump_to]
Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Recipe
These Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies are truly a game-changer. Despite being incredibly healthy, they boast a rich, satisfying flavor and an irresistibly crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes them utterly addictive. You might find it hard to believe they meet so many dietary requirements without sacrificing a single ounce of deliciousness!
Following in the footsteps of beloved recipes like my Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls and Banana Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies, this recipe is meticulously crafted to be gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and eggless. This makes them an ideal snack for children, individuals with common food allergies or sensitivities, or anyone simply seeking a healthier alternative to traditional baked goods. Who knew healthy could taste so good?
These almond flour cookies with peanut butter perfectly blend the best qualities of my Almond Shortbread Cookies, 3 Ingredient Almond Cookies, and Chocolate Chip Almond Cookies. The result is a cookie that is deliciously crumbly yet holds together beautifully, offering a tender bite that dissolves on your tongue the moment it touches. It’s truly a heavenly experience for your taste buds, proving that wholesome ingredients can lead to extraordinary flavors.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies
What makes these gluten-free cookies truly stand out is their simplicity. They are made with just 6 key ingredients, ensuring an incredibly quick and easy baking process. You won’t believe how little effort it takes to create such a satisfying treat!
- Peanut Butter: The star of the show! For the absolute best taste and a smooth, consistent texture in your cookies, always opt for an all-natural peanut butter. This means a peanut butter with no added salt, sugar, or oils. Such a choice ensures a purer, richer peanut flavor and a more desirable consistency for your dough. Creamy peanut butter is highly recommended over chunky for a uniform cookie texture.
- Maple Syrup: This wonderful natural sweetener not only provides the perfect amount of sweetness but also imparts a delicious, mild floral flavor that beautifully complements the peanut butter. Unlike refined sugars, maple syrup also brings a hint of beneficial minerals to your bake.
- Coconut Oil: My go-to for a fantastic dairy-free butter replacement. When incorporating it into this recipe, make sure it is fully melted. Coconut oil provides richness and helps bind the ingredients, contributing to the cookies’ delicate structure.
- Vanilla Extract: A simple yet powerful flavor enhancer. A dash of pure vanilla extract boosts the overall aroma and depth of flavor, making these cookies even more irresistible. While optional, it’s highly recommended for that extra touch of warmth.
- Almond Flour: The foundation of these flourless cookies. Almond flour is a finely ground version of blanched almonds, which yields a much smoother and more tender texture compared to almond meal. Its low-carb, high-protein nature also makes these cookies healthier. If you only have almond meal on hand, you can achieve a similar texture by processing it slowly in a food processor to make it finer, then sifting to remove any larger, coarse bits.
- Baking Soda: This leavening agent plays a crucial role in giving the cookies a slight rise and contributing to their light, aerated crumb. It reacts with the acidic components in the dough to create a perfectly tender cookie.
- Optional: Sea Salt: A small pinch of sea salt can elevate the flavors significantly. It balances the sweetness and enhances the natural taste of the peanut butter, bringing out the best in every bite.
For those who love an extra layer of indulgence, feel free to fold in some mini chocolate chips into the cookie dough. Alternatively, once the cookies have cooled completely, you can dip them in melted chocolate for an even more decadent treat!
Smart Ingredient Substitutions
While the original ingredients are chosen for optimal taste and texture, some substitutions can be made:
- Coconut Oil: If you don’t have coconut oil or prefer an alternative, you can substitute it with an equal amount of dairy-free butter or margarine. For those who do not need the cookies to be dairy-free, regular unsalted butter can also be used. Ensure any butter substitute is melted before adding it to the wet ingredients.
- Peanut Butter: While this recipe shines with peanut butter, it’s quite versatile. You can experiment with other smooth nut butters like almond butter, cashew butter, or even sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option. Be aware that the flavor profile will change, and you might need slight adjustments to consistency depending on the oil content of the chosen nut butter.
- Maple Syrup: Agave syrup is a suitable vegan alternative to maple syrup, offering a similar sweetness and liquid consistency. If vegan isn’t a strict requirement, honey can also be used, which will add a distinct flavor note. Always use liquid sweeteners to maintain the correct dough consistency.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies with Almond Flour
Preparing these healthy cookies is incredibly straightforward, requiring minimal equipment. All you’ll need is a good mixing bowl, a small ice cream scoop (for consistency), and a reliable flat baking tray. The entire process is broken down into just three simple steps, making it perfect for bakers of all skill levels!
These cookies are made in 3 essential steps: first, melting the wet ingredients; second, incorporating the dry ingredients to form a dough; and finally, shaping and baking the cookies. Let’s get started!
- Photo 1: Combine Wet Ingredients. Begin by placing all your wet ingredients – the smooth peanut butter, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract – into a large, heat-proof mixing bowl. Make sure your coconut oil is fully liquid before combining.
- Photo 2: Melt Until Smooth. Gently melt these ingredients together. The easiest way is in the microwave, heating in 30-second intervals and stirring thoroughly after each interval, until the mixture is completely smooth and well combined. The time needed will vary depending on the initial temperature of your ingredients.
- Photo 3: Add Dry Ingredients. Once your wet ingredients are perfectly smooth, add the dry components: almond flour, baking soda, and the optional pinch of sea salt.
- Photo 4: Form the Dough. Using a sturdy spatula (silicone or wooden works best), mix all the ingredients together. Continue mixing until everything is fully incorporated and a smooth, uniform cookie dough has formed. The dough should be pliable but not sticky.
Once your cookie dough is perfectly prepared, it’s time for the fun part: shaping them! For these particular biscuits, I find that a small ice cream scoop is the absolute easiest and most efficient tool. It ensures that all your cookies are uniform in size, which aids in even baking and a beautiful presentation. If you don’t have a scoop, simply roll small portions of dough between your palms to form neat balls.
To shape and bake your cookies:
- Prepare a large, flat baking tray by lining it with baking paper or a silicone mat. This prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup.
- Using your small ice cream scoop (a 4 cm / 1.5 inch scoop works perfectly for this recipe), scoop out portions of dough onto the prepared baking paper. Remember to leave adequate space between each cookie to prevent them from merging if they spread slightly.
- Now, for the classic peanut butter cookie look: take the back of a fork and gently press down on each cookie to flatten it slightly. Then, rotate the fork 90 degrees and press again to create the iconic criss-cross pattern. If you notice any small cracks forming on the edges of the cookies, simply smooth them out with your fingers – the dough is very forgiving!
- Optional: For an extra touch of flavor and a beautiful finish, sprinkle a tiny bit of sea salt over the top of each cookie just before they go into the oven.
- Bake in your preheated oven (160°C / 325°F) for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies are ready when their edges turn a beautiful golden brown. Be aware that they will still be very soft when you first take them out of the oven. It is absolutely crucial to let them cool on the baking tray for at least 10 to 15 minutes before attempting to move them. This cooling time allows them to firm up and prevents them from breaking apart.
A note on cookie thickness: these cookies won’t spread much in the oven, so the thickness you create with the fork press will largely remain. You can make them slightly thicker if you prefer a chewier texture, but I advise against flattening them too thinly, as their delicate, crumbly nature could make them more prone to breaking once cooled.
Expert Tips for Perfect Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
Achieving bakery-quality results with these simple cookies is easy with a few key tips:
- Ensure Wet Ingredients are Fully Melted and Smooth: This step is critical! Before adding any dry ingredients, make absolutely certain that your peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract are completely melted and thoroughly combined into a smooth, homogeneous mixture. Any lumps in the wet ingredients will translate to an uneven texture in your final cookies. Take your time to stir well between microwave intervals.
- Shape While the Dough is Warm: As soon as your cookie dough is ready, start scooping and shaping it onto your baking sheet. The dough is much more pliable and easier to work with when it’s slightly warm. If the dough cools down too much, it can become a bit stiffer and more prone to cracking.
- Patch Up Any Cracks: Don’t worry if you see small cracks appear on the sides of the cookies after pressing them with a fork. This is quite common with almond flour dough. Simply use your fingertips to gently smooth and patch up these cracks. This helps to maintain a neat appearance and prevents further breaking.
- Keep an Eye on the Oven: Oven temperatures can vary significantly, so don’t rely solely on the suggested baking time. Watch your cookies closely! They are ready when their edges start to turn a light golden brown. Over-baking can lead to dry or overly crumbly cookies, so pull them out as soon as they reach that perfect hue.
- Crucial Cooling Step: This might be the most important tip! When the cookies first come out of the oven, they will be very soft and fragile. Do NOT attempt to move them immediately, as they will almost certainly fall apart. These cookies require time to cool down on the very same baking tray they were baked on. As they cool, they will gradually harden and firm up. Allow at least 10 to 15 minutes on the tray before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Patience here will be rewarded with perfectly intact, delicious cookies.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
While technically possible, using almond meal will result in a different texture for these cookies; they may be noticeably more crumbly and slightly coarser. Almond flour is made from blanched, finely ground almonds, providing a smoother consistency. If almond meal is all you have, I strongly recommend processing it in a food processor for a minute or two to achieve a finer grind. Then, sift it to remove any larger, unground bits. This will bring its texture closer to that of almond flour and yield a better cookie.
These delicious cookies are wonderfully low-maintenance when it comes to storage! Much like my Peanut Butter Energy Balls, they do not require refrigeration. Once they have completely cooled to room temperature, store them in an airtight container or a sealed bag in a cool, shaded place. A pantry or a kitchen cupboard is usually ideal. Proper storage will help maintain their freshness and delicate texture.
For the best possible taste and texture, these cookies are optimally enjoyed within 3 days of baking. While they will remain safe to eat for a few days longer, their texture might start to change slightly. I generally do not recommend freezing these cookies. The delicate, crumbly nature of almond flour cookies means that their texture does not hold up well to freezing and thawing, often becoming excessively fragile or mealy.
Explore More Delicious Cookie Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed these healthy and easy almond flour peanut butter cookies, you’ll love exploring other delightful cookie recipes from my kitchen. From classic shortbreads to inventive vegan treats, there’s a cookie for every craving and occasion. Happy baking!
- Lemon and Poppy Seed Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate Vanilla Marble Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Shortbread Cookie Sandwich
- Sablés Bretons Cookies
- Vegan Almond Tahini Cookies
- Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies
- Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Biscoff Butter Cookies
Made this recipe?
Let us know if you liked it by leaving a comment below, and tag us on Instagram @a.baking.journey with a photo of your creation!
Recipe Card
Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 gr) Smooth Peanut Butter
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) Maple Syrup
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) Coconut Oil
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/3 cup (130 gr) Almond Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- Sea Salt, to taste, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven on 160’C / 325’F and line a large flat baking tray with baking paper.
- Place the Peanut Butter, Maple Syrup, Coconut Oil and Vanilla Extract in a large heat-proof (and microwave-safe) bowl. Melt together until completelly smooth (1).
- Add the Almond Flour, Baking Soda and Sea Salt (optional) and stir in with a stiff spatula to create a dough (2).
- Using a small Ice Cream Scoop (3), scoop out the dough over the lined baking tray, leaving a little bit of room between each cookies.
- With the back of a fork, gently press on each cookies to flatten them. Rotate the fork 90 degrees and press again on each cookies to create the criss-cross pattern (4).
- Optional: sprinkle some sea salt over each cookies before baking them
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool down on the baking tray for at least 10 minutes before transferring over a cooling rack (5).
Would you like to save this recipe?
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
- Depending on the temperature your ingredients are kept at, it could take 30 seconds or a couple of minutes to melt the ingredients together. Make sure to step every 30 seconds to stir until fully melted.
- Make sure all the ingredients are well mixed together and all the almond flour is covered with the wet ingredients.
- I used a 4 cm / 1,5 inch Ice Cream Scoop. That size made 15 cookies.
- The cookies will not spread much in the oven. Try not to flatten the cookies too thin or they might break apart easily once cooled.
- It is very important to let them cool down before moving them as they will be very soft and crumbly when still warm. They will harden when they cool down so allow at least 10 minutes on the baking tray before transferring over a cooling rack to finish the cooling.
Nutrition (per serving)