The most delicious Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies only 4 ingredients, made in 1 bowl, gluten-free and ready in 20 minutes! These are so easy to make, soft and chewy with a crispy exterior, thanks to a rolled coconut sugar coating. They are also gluten-free and oil-free.
*This post was originally published on 1-21-2013 and has been updated with better instructions and new photos.
4 INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
I love peanut butter and I love these vegan peanut butter cookies, even more. It should be illegal how delicious and easy these cookies are. No, really…they can be yours in 20 minutes. If you love peanut butter as much as I do, then be sure to make these Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies as well, they are divine!
I used to be obsessed with the peanut butter cookies at Subway. Believe it or not, Subway happens to have some really good cookies. Well, these have replaced those….and you only need 4 ingredients! If you are allergic to peanut butter, make these Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies instead, which are a variation of these.
Basically these vegan peanut butter cookies are perfection. They are crispy, golden, sweet and absolutely delicious. The coconut sugar gives them that extra flavor and crunch. In other words, the perfect cookie texture. By making them with almond flour and maple syrup, it keeps them super moist and oil-free, as well as gluten-free. Most peanut butter cookies are made with eggs, however, these you can safely eat the raw dough, no eggs!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
All you need to make these cookies are:
- Superfine blanched almond flour: I like the Honeyville, King Arthur, Wellbee’s and Nuts.com brands best.
- Peanut butter: Use one with no added oils or sugar. Mine only has added salt.
- Maple syrup
- Coconut sugar: To roll the cookies in. This makes these vegan peanut butter cookies more unique than traditional peanut butter cookies. It adds a crunchy layer and a sweet taste. It is so good!
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Step 1: Add the ingredients to a large bowl, except the coconut sugar.
Step 2: Mix until a thick, cohesive batter forms into a stiff ball.
Step 3: Use a cookie scoop to get even cookie sizes and roll into balls with your hands.
Step 4: Place each cookie into the coconut sugar and roll them around to coat them well.
Step 5: Place each ball onto the pan, spaced about 2 inches apart.
Step 6: Flatten each ball with a fork, going in both directions, in a criss-cross pattern.
Step 7: Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
MORE VEGAN COOKIE RECIPES
- Almond Butter Blossoms
- Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Crispy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Snickerdoodles
- Best Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Grain-free Chocolate Coconut Cookies
- Grain-free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (made with cashew butter)
- Vegan Thin Mints
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If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies (4 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (112g) superfine blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup (128g) creamy natural peanut butter, with no added sugars or oils (mine contains a trace amount of salt, if yours doesn't, then add a 1/4 tsp salt)
- 1/4 cup (80g) pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar to roll the cookies in
NOTE
- When measuring almond flour, it is a good idea to use a scale for accurate measurements. Otherwise, scoop out an overflowing cup from the bag and gently pat it down, then level off with a knife or your finger.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 375°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- To a large bowl, add the almond flour, peanut butter and syrup. Stir for a few minutes until the dough comes together into a very thick ball.
- Add the coconut sugar to a separate bowl or plate. Roll the batter into small balls, 10-12. I used my cookie scoop and got exactly 11.
- Roll each ball well in the coconut sugar until coated all around.
- Place each ball on the prepared pan about 2 inches apart. Press down each cookie gently with the back of a fork in a criss-cross pattern.. Don't completely flatten, they should be about a 1/2 inch thick, as in the picture.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the tops have slightly cracked. Do not over-bake or they can turn dry. I took mine out at 9 minutes. They should be slightly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Cool for 10 minutes, they will crisp up as they cool.
- Use a thin metal spatula and transfer each cookie to cool completely on a cooling rack. If you try to remove them while still warm or with your fingers, they will fall apart.
I just baked a batch and they are divine! I rolled them in maple sugar before baking. They’ll be a terrific dessert tonight alongside flourless chocolate cake. Speaking of chocolate and peanut butter, have you ever tried rolling the cookies in cacao nibs?
Wonderful Hannah! It means so much to me that you are trying several of my recipes 🙂 Flourless cake with cookies sounds like the perfect evening to me! No, I haven’t tried that yet with cocoa nibs, but now that you mentioned it, I think I will tomorrow! Yummy!
The cookies were a hit with all our guests! No one could believe the simple ingredients and how delicious they are. And we had whipped creme fraiche and started dipping the cookies…oh wow.
That’s so wonderful to hear, you made my night! I’m so happy your guests enjoyed them. I made a batch today as well for a friend and her family and they loved them. You can’t beat easy, quick and delicious can you?! 🙂
My recipe is also featured here for review and works with maple sugar! Thanks to Gazing In for featuring my recipe! 🙂
http://gazingin.com/2013/01/28/4-ingredient-peanut-butter-cookies/
I believe it! I have googled the copy cat recipe for the raisin ones! They were only 3 pts. each and you are right Subway makes the best cookies! Thanks for this!
Thank you so much! Subway, yummy cookies, but these are better I think and certainly healthier 🙂
Aw…Brandi, I need to try this recipe soon …I am crazy over peanut butter cookies. Often buy from subway. It’s time to make my own. Thank you for sharing!
Yes, Danny you must! These are so much better for you and honestly I think taste better! It’s also cheaper to make them! Deciding to roll them in coconut sugar makes them like no other peanut butter cookies I’ve had before!
That’s a creative idea! 🙂
YUM, Brandi! Impressive and so easy and … peanut butter! Truly one of life’s heavenly and healthy pleasures. Thanks so much for sharing! =)
Thank you so much Christina! I agree, I’m in love with peanut butter!
I am even not a fan of PB but these cookies look to hard to resist even,….Pure deliciousness!
Thank you Sophie! You can try sun butter! Another reader I believe made them with that! 🙂
That’s great & tasty alternative!
I LOVE peanut butter cookies! They are one of my faves, next to good ole chocolate chip! These look so great and healthy, love it Brandi! 🙂
Thank you so much Alice! Mine too!! These are so delicious and easy!
Brandi, I CAN’T believe these gorgeous, perfect cookies were made from only 4 ingredients. I love when you do baked goods – I’m a sugarholic and at least when I make your recipes, I know that they’re not wreaking havoc on my arteries and waistline (unlike everything that I make!). I can’t wait to try these.
Aww thank you Nancy!! I appreciate your sweet compliments! It really is shocking but I was craving something sweet over the weekend and didn’t feel like whipping up one long baking ordeal, so I literally just grabbed the almond flour, peanut butter and syrup and threw them together…then decided the coconut sugar would add another beautiful, as well as, crunchy exterior. I was thrilled when it worked out SO perfectly and delicious! Truly, sometimes the easiest recipes can be the best ones!
Please let me know if you make them…I’d love your opinion either way! 🙂
What an awesome way for an experiment to turn out. I love when that happens! This is perfect for when the mood strikes. I’ll definitely let you know when I try it.
I love how easy these must be to bake yet they look so perfect and tasty!
Thank you!! I can’t stop making them myself…which could be bad, haha!
Wow, Brandi, YUM!
Thanks Heather!! I won’t admit how many I’ve eaten in the past few days, lol!! 🙂
Wow amazing, so easy and so delicious! I am making these 🙂
Thank you!
Thank you so much Anne!! Please do…I’d love to know if you like them! 🙂
very interesting !!!
Good interesting?! Lol 🙂
yes, good haha!! I’m amazed with so many healthy things you do!!! incredible!
Aww thank you so much! 🙂
I need to try them made with maple sugar for the coating 🙂
Oh yes that should work great too!! I ran out of that a couple weeks back, need some more!
Yumm! I looove peanut butter cookies! These look fantastic!
Thank you Raechel! Me too…these are so delicious and too easy not to make them!
Brandi, I have eaten Subway cookies and they are good! This is probably the best looking peanut butter cookie I have ever seen. It looks and sounds so scrumptious. I wish I had one right now. I love the ingredients; especially the coconut sugar! You make the best stuff 🙂
Thank you so much for saying that Judy! I really appreciate that…they are super delicious with the golden coconut sugar! Thank you 🙂
I can’t imagine a cookie being easier to make, Brandi. I’ve never used coconut sugar but I like the idea of it. Now I just need to find it. Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Thank you John! It is sooooo good and tastes nothing like coconut, so it’s not a coconut flavor issue at all! It is at whole foods, health stores and even Walmart carries it now!
The suggestion to make double is a great one. Honestly, these look really beautiful. I’m going to try them with sunflower butter so they can be nut-free for the boy’s lunches. Will report back. Oh, and yumminess is definitely a word!
Thank you so much! That’s a great idea, yes, please let me know how they turn out. I’ve never used sunbutter before…is it as creamy/oily as peanut butter…if it is, then the ratios should be the same…if it’s drier, maybe use just a hair more of it, so they aren’t too dry and maybe bake a minute less or so. 🙂
The sunbutter we buy is quite oily, so it should be a straight swap. Can’t wait to try them.
*perfect 😛 not effect!
These are crazy effect my friend 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you so much!
I love how simple these are and I love peanut butter. Another must make recipe!!
Thank you Suzanne! These are so simple, it’s crazy. Crazy sweet, crunchy good too. 🙂
Brandi, these look delicious! I love anything with peanut butter!
Thank you! Me too 🙂
These look & sound amazing – plus, they’re Paleo-friendly! I can’t wait to make these asap!
Thank you Leah!! Oh good, I’m so glad they fit in with your eating plan..yay! 🙂
I’ve never used coconut sugar, but it sounds delicious!
Oh, it’s fabulous Brittany!! A more floral, vanilla-ish flavor than regular sugar and of course healthier!
Thanks for providing alternatives to coconut sugar as I can’t eat coconut. Will have to try these!
You could also probably try organic LIGHT brown sugar as well, dark would be too wet. It’s not quite as thick as coconut sugar, but it would still work! 🙂
What is blanched almond flour?
It’s just almonds without the skins that has been ground up into a very fine flour. It yields a lightness to baked goods. It is sold at many grocery stores in the flour isle 🙂