I am so excited to finally reveal this post!
I’ve had this post written for about 3 weeks.
Since even before my photography trip to Mexico City
And even before I announced that we were moving
And before we moved into our new house this past week.
These cookies are long gone.
But they are such great little memories.
Must.make.more.
Step-by-step photos:
Combine everything in one bowl
Look at all that glorious peanut butter!
Stir to combine
The dough will be sticky but workable.
It seems like a sticky blob and I thought I was going to have peanut butter everywhere and it would be really hard to work with but all was well. Something about the oil in the peanut butter plus the sugar seemed to keep the dough from being un-workable or too messy.
If it really does seem too messy, I’d add a tablespoon or two extra of sugar to soak up the sticky + moisture factor.
Roll dough into balls or drop onto a cookie sheet with a spoon.
Or, if you want to refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes or so before you roll the balls, great. But I didn’t bother.
Lightly press the tops with a fork.
But don’t squeeze the Charmin too much and flatten them into little pancakes.
I like this picture. And I like raw dough balls.
Sprinkle with a pinch each of brown and white sugar.
Bake and allow to cool.
I had read on various websites with similar recipes that they don’t really spread much at all. Mine actually did spread a bit, so keep that in mind.
Impress everyone with how easy these are and how good they taste!
The active prep time on these is about 2 minutes to make the batter and about 8 minutes to roll into balls.
So 10 minutes of work
10 minutes to bake
And in 20 minutes you can be chomping away.
It’s the simple things in life like cookies that just make me so happy.
And bonus to the extremely minimal amount of cleanup and dishes. One bowl. Love it.
The taste is full of peanut butter flavor and full-bodied.
You definitely know you’re eating a peanut butter cookie and not a sugar cookie which is the problem with lots of peanut butter cookies, I find.
Most cookies are not peanut buttery enough for my liking but these are full-bodied peanut butter flavor for all PB fiends like me.
They are rich and satisfying. Not some little light airy cookie.
I can feel just a little oil from the peanut butter on my lips when I eat them. <– To me, that’s a turn on. Means they’re full of good.stuff. Like 1 cup of PB!
You can just see by looking at the center of the cookies that they are going to be moist. I always look at cookie centers to see if they are a touch under-baked and moist looking.
And because of all that PB, they’re not dry. I despise dry cookies and baked goods. Not worth my chew. These are anything but dry.
[print_this]
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (Gluten Free, with Vegan Option)
3/4 c white sugar
1/4 c brown sugar, packed
1 c peanut butter
1 egg (replace real egg by combining 1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp warm water in a small bowl and stirring. Allow a “jelly” to form after a few minutes and use this as your “egg”)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in one bowl and stir by hand with a spoon.
Directions:
Form into 1 inch balls (I rolled mine with my hands but you could just drop them on a cookie sheet with a spoon) and place on cookie sheet (I used parchment-lined for easy cleanup).
Optional: Lightly press each ball with a fork to make criss-cross patterns
Dust each cookie with a pinch of white and brown sugar before baking
Bake at 350F for 10 minutes or until barely browned. They can go from raw to burned in about 90 seconds so watch them.
Allow to cool well and they may not look very well done after 10 minutes, but that’s ok. Take them out of the oven anyway and allow them to cool.
Yields 18 cookies (mine were a bit thin and farily small. Reducing to 12-15 thicker/bigger cookies may work even better which I will try next time)
Edited to add January 2013: There is an updated (and even better) version of these cookies Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies (gluten-free) – My new favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe
[/print_this]
Related Recipes:
Edited to add January 2013: There is an updated (and even better) version of these cookies Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies (gluten-free) – My new favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe
If you love peanut butter as much as I do, you may want to check out my Peanut Butter Recipes compilation post
Including 2 Minute Peanut Sauce + Raw Vegan Spring Rolls
No Bake Nutella & Peanut Butter Graham Bars with Chocolate Frosting
Questions:
Do you like peanut butter cookies?
I have Raw Vegan Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls
Peanut Butter Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies with Peanut Flour (Vegan, GF)
And all the peanut butters recipes and ideas linked in one place.
Yes, I really love peanut butter cookies!
Edited to add January 2013: There is an updated (and even better) version of these cookies Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies (gluten-free) – My new favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe
These are the best looking PB cookies, I have seen and this recipe is one, I plan to make. Glad you selected it. I love your other peanut butter recipes, as well.
well thank you!
and i just peeked at your site and the red pepper and mango salsa looks great. I actually just linked a version of that salsa that I make in my post immediately preceding this one! :)
OH GOSH. Do not even get me started on peanut butter cookies. But I have to say, my favorite of all time are my High-Protein Pb chocolate chunk cookies….they are made with beans…I know, I know, you don’t like bean desserts-But they are SO DARN GOOD!
Mmmm anything with pb is an A+ in my book!
Wow! You joined another online club? Where do you find the time?
Definitely going to be making these cookies. My husband is a HUGE fan of PB cookies, but I don’t make them often due to the gluten factor.
Secret exchange: every year at Christmas we do a Secret Santa within my side of the family. Lots of creative gifts have resulted from this. I find it easier to find / make more meaningful gifts for one person instead of all 12 of us ;)
Well, I’m going to bake and make things ANYWAY..may as well have a little fun with it :)
I loooooove flourless peanut butter cookies. They’re one of my faves. Looks great!
These look so chewy and delicious! I love that all of the ingredients are things that I pretty much always have on hand. I’ll definitely be making these sometime!
Wow Averie those look delicious!! I will definitely make them (after my wedding in 10 months lol). I’m trying to shed a few unwanted pounds for my dress ;)
I noticed that you’ve been using eggs and some dairy and I was curious to know if you’re moving more towards vegetarian eating than vegan? Of course I have no issue with it I’m just curious :) I think either way your food looks and is amazing! These remind me of you chocolate chip peanut butter caramel cookies (mouth full of words there!), I loved those!
Yes and I’ve posted about it a few times in the recent past….I do bake with the occasional egg. My monthly egg consumption may be at…one, maybe two, eggs total per month in terms of what I consume.
But that takes me out of the vegan realm and makes me vegetarian. Which I am fine with. Just doing what works for me now, evolving as life and desires evolves.
Oh my goodness!! Those cookies look FANTASTIC (not just because you have amazing photography skills) they look so yummy!
I must make those ASAP!
Thanks for sharing all your delicious recipes, Averie!
thanks so much for all the compliments :)
It’s so cool how this simple recipe can withstand so many variations – awesome! Love your version, and will have to try it next time:)
I LOVE peanut butter cookies! I make similar no-flour cookies all the time, sometimes I add mix-ins like orange zest and white chocolate, or dark chocolate chips, chocolate powder, and espresso salt. All good!
I added the vanilla when I made the flourless PB cookies too! I have made so many adaptations of these and they always turn out differently. Never tried the Bbrown sugar addition though.
They probably spread more because you didn’t refridgerate the dough. I read a book on science of baking that said that if you want them to spread, to put them into the preheated oven at room temp. If you want them REALLY flat, warm the dough or the pan a bit first, and if you want them puffy, add cold cookies to a non-preheated oven.
I love science and baking!
ok that is a great tip!
I will probably refrigerate the dough in the future b/c generally I do like puffier cookies rather than flatter ones and yes the dough was WARM
I made them on a really warm day in my old house and I remember thinking, I can’t believe I am turning the oven on….
The warm dough –> spreading
Totally makes sense. Thank you!
PB cookie is one of my fave cookie flavors. Yum. And they look so beautiful on those plates. Perfect!
Okay, I HAVE to try this recipe. I can’t believe how puffy the cookies without flour. The flavor sounds unbelievably good and I know my family would go crazy for these.
Dara, yes, do it! You will have a happy family and they are so easy!
Even before I read that you liked that picture with the fork and light criss-cross pressings on the cookies I was going to compliment you for it. The pattern, and simplicity, and LIGHT are all captivating to me. Awesome recipe, I’ve made similar ones before and they are simply always a huge huge hit, yummm!
glad you liked that shot too!
This secret recipe clubs sounds like so much fun!
Lovee pb cookies! I’ve never tried making flourless cookies. Perhaps I should give it a go :)
I like your adaptation — the recipe I’ve made is 1 cup sugar + 1 egg + 1 cup PB, but I love the taste of brown sugar so good call on adding that and some vanilla. Yum.
I agree, if I want a PB cookie it better taste like a PB cookie!
My favorite cookies are the peanut butter blossoms — especially when the kiss on top is super melty and gooey.