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, and she did the crisscross thing 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 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 soooo happy that they turned out really well! Darryl says they are the best peanut butter cookies he’s ever had.
What is a good substitute for peanut butter in this peanut butter cookie recipe?
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.
What gluten free flour works best for this cookie recipe?
Gluten free flour blends by Namaste, Enjoy Life, Living Now Foods, or Hodgson Mill will all work well.
Can I make this recipe with regular flour?
Yes, if you aren’t gluten free, just use an equal amount of regular all-purpose flour.
Can you freeze this gluten free vegan peanut butter cookie dough?
Yes, you can freeze this dough! Just roll into balls and freeze on a cookie sheet. Place the frozen cookie dough in a ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
These gluten free peanut butter cookies are perfect for:
- dunking in a glass of milk
- taking on a picnic
- making for a friend who can’t eat gluten, dairy, or eggs
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.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Classic Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies.
Tender and chewy, these gluten free peanut butter cookies are a family favorite!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup peanut butter or Wowbutter, or Sunbutter
- ¼ cup organic canola oil
- ¼ cup vegan buttery spread softened
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
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Mix sugar, peanut butter, applesauce, oil and maple syrup in large bowl. Stir in all other ingredients.
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Pat the dough into a disk, and wrap with plastic wrap. 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).
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Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
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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.
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Bake 9 to 10 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets once. Cool for ten minutes – they will break if you try to move them too soon. (Of course if they break, you have a good excuse to gobble up the broken pieces!) Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.
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Repeat steps 4 and 5 with remaining dough.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition facts are for one cookie.
Store cookies in an airtight container. They should stay fresh for about 5 days.
If you can't use peanut butter, go ahead and use Sunbutter or Wowbutter. If you use Sunbutter, you will need to reduce the amount of baking soda and baking powder by one third.
These are really good with a glass of dairy free milk. Or tea, or hot chocolate. Or plain…you really can’t go wrong here. :)
Anyone else ready for a mid-week cookie break?
This post is part of my series, “31 Days of Gluten, Dairy, and Egg Free Comfort Food.”
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!
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. :)
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!