These classic gluten free peanut butter cookies are just like the ones you remember from your childhood! Soft, chewy, and full of peanut flavor, these are like the ones your mom used to make!
Cookies are a total comfort food for me. Maybe they are for you, too?
I definitely remember my mom’s peanut butter cookies growing up…they were so delicious – soft and flavorful. She would make a crisscross design on top with the fork, just like I’ve done here. I used to love to help her mix the batter and then roll it into balls – we had lots of fun baking together.
Unfortunately, those cookies that I remember don’t work for our diet anymore. They contained gluten and dairy, and although they were so delicious, they weren’t allergy friendly.
I have made flourless peanut butter cookies in the past, but I was missing the sweeter, more tender cookie that you get when you use flour along with peanut butter. So I tried my hand at making classic gluten free peanut butter cookies, and I was so happy that they turned out really well! Darryl said they were the best peanut butter cookies he’s ever had.
We made these back before we had a peanut allergy to contend with. If you have a peanut allergy, you can easily make these with your favorite nut-free spread. We also love these sunbutter blossom cookies.
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Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour – I love to use Namaste Perfect Flour Blend when baking cookies, because the texture and taste is just right. You can use blends by other companies if they work for you. If you aren’t gluten free, just use an equal amount of regular all-purpose flour.
- Vegan Buttery Spread – We like Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan Buttery Spread. You can use any brand that works for your needs.
- Sugar – I used organic cane sugar in this recipe. You could use regular granulated sugar or coconut sugar if you like. Coconut sugar will make these cookies a little darker in color.
- Applesauce – Applesauce works as an egg replacer in this recipe. You could also use an equal amount of mashed banana.
Step by Step Instructions
- Mix together the peanut butter, sugar, vegan buttery spread, applesauce, and maple syrup.
- Add the gluten free flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed to combine. Chill the dough for 2 hours.
- Roll the chilled dough into balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Use a fork dipped in sugar to make a crisscross design in each cookie.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 13 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet before moving them.
Nut Free Option
Sunbutter or Wowbutter works really well as a substitute in this recipe. If you do use Sunbutter, be sure to reduce both the baking soda and baking powder by one third. Otherwise, they will react with the sunflower seed butter and turn your cookies green.
Freezing Cookie Dough
You can freeze this dough! Just roll the dough into balls and freeze on a cookie sheet. Then place the frozen cookie dough balls in a ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
When it’s time to bake, just place on the cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for about 13 minutes. Keep an eye on them, they may take a minute or two longer to bake from frozen. They will look a little different, since you can’t really do the crisscross design on the frozen dough.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Recipe
Classic Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies (Vegan).
Ingredients
- ¾ cup organic cane sugar
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup peanut butter or Wowbutter, or Sunbutter
- ½ cup vegan buttery spread softened
- â…“ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the sugar, peanut butter, vegan buttery spread, applesauce, and maple syrup in a mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until smooth.
- Add the gluten free flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix on low speed to combine.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or until firm. (This is important! With this gluten free dough, you need the full 2 hours to chill).
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place about 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork dipped into sugar.
- Bake for about 12-13 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets once. Cool for ten minutes – they will break if you try to move them too soon. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.
- Repeat steps 5 and 6 with remaining dough.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in October 2013, before we had nut allergies in our household. This recipe does work very well with Sunbutter or Wowbutter, for a nut free option.
This post is part of my series, “31 Days of Gluten, Dairy, and Egg Free Comfort Food.”
Allie
Do you really need to add butter to this recipe when there’s already so much fat in it?
And, if yes, when do you add the butter? It doesn’t say in the directions if it goes with the liquids or dry ingredients.
Thank you.
Allie
Heheheh so sorry, I see an update version of the recipe and it does clarify. 😬
Pamela Bates
Hi my name is Pam, I made these cookies and a strange thing happened. The only alteration I made was I added some almond butter because I was short on peanutbutter. They came out of the oven a light brown color and after a few hours they were totally green. I was curious if any one else has ever had that happen it was a very strange chemical reaction. I used a French gf flour. And I cooked them on parchment paper.
Kelly Roenicke
Did you happen to use sunflower butter? I have heard of this happening with sunflower seeds or butter, but not almonds.
Sara
I like to freeze cookie dough to make a few cookies at a time, do you think this recipe would freeze well?
Kelly Roenicke
Yes, I think it would freeze fine!
Sally Graves
I feel like this recipe may have changed or been edited? Are you sure it’s 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup of buttery spread? It’s way too liquidy to make a dough 😢
Ann
Wow, these are so good, every bit as good as regular pb cookies! I am gluten, dairy, egg, and corn-free due to an autoimmune disease, and of the cookie recipes I’ve made so far, these are far and away the best! (Since baking powder contains cornstarch, I put in an extra 1/4 t. baking soda and 1/4 t. cream of tartar instead.) Thank you so much for this recipe!
For anyone wondering about my flour blend, I used 3/8 c. tapioca starch, 3/8 c. potato starch, 3 T sorghum flour, 3 T brown rice flour, 2 T coconut flour, and 1 t. xanthan gum.
Kelly Roenicke
So glad you liked these! I like your substitution for the baking powder. There is a brand of corn free baking powder – Featherweight is the brand name. I’m not sure if that would work for you or not, but it sounds like you have it covered with the baking soda and cream of tartar anyway. :)
Charlotte
Hello, I have an autoimmune disease with the same dietary restrictions, May I ask what yours is and if you can share any other recipes with me? I am just starting out and it’s hard work cooking and not snacking on no-go foods.
Kelly Roenicke
The best way to find recipes for your needs is to go to this page and click on all your allergens. That will show you the recipes that should work for you: https://theprettybee.com/search/
Renee Wilson
is there a substitute for the applesauce?
Kelly Roenicke
You can use mashed banana if that works for you!
Megan
I am looking to make these for a family member who is gluten, egg, dairy & sugar free. She can have maple syrup so I was wondering if I could replace the 3/4 cup white sugar with maybe 1/2 cup maple syrup, or do you think they would have too much liquid in them?
Rosemary
Can you use regular flour instead of gluten free?
Kelly
Yes, you sure can!
Bianca
Does the dough still need the 2hours to chill in that case?
I’m not a fan of gluten free baking, so I’d like to use regular flour instead. Maybe use spelt/dinkel wheat flour for that special taste for the second try of making it.
lana
Which gluten free flour do you recommend? Does the type make a difference?
Kelly @ The Pretty Bee: Cooking + Creating
I like the Namaste perfect flour blend, and I also like the Trader Joe’s gluten free flour blend as well. You should be able to use any gluten free blend that says that it is a cup for cup substitution for regular flour.
valisesetgourmandises
Which means I could simply use regular whole wheat flour?
These cookies look delicious! I used to make the recipe on the Kraft peanut butter jar… processed PB and white refined sugar. Fortunately, times have changed! :)
Donna
The kids and I made these cookies today. Yum! Thanks for a great recipe
melissa @ my whole food life
I love peanut butter cookies! Especially vegan and gluten free ones. :)
Julia
These cookies look amazing! I love baking gluten-free treats and have yet to make a PB cookie using GF flour. HUGE PB fan over here, so these are a must-make! :)
Kelly
Thanks, Julia! I hope you love them! We love peanut butter here, too!