Easy & Irresistible: The Ultimate Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (Gluten-Free!)

Welcome to a timeless classic that has delighted cookie lovers for years! This recipe for Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies has been a cherished staple since its original sharing back in 2007. While the photograph might hint at its vintage charm, the recipe itself remains as perfect and beloved as ever. We’ve meticulously updated it with metric weights, aligning with modern baking practices that favor precision, ensuring your success with every batch. Prepare to fall in love with these incredibly simple, naturally gluten-free, and undeniably addictive treats!

There’s something uniquely satisfying about a warm, homemade peanut butter cookie. For those who adore the rich, nutty flavor of peanut butter, these cookies are pure bliss. What makes them truly special? Their simplicity. Crafted with just a handful of pantry ingredients, they eliminate the need for flour, making them a fantastic option for anyone following a gluten-free diet or simply looking for an easy, fuss-free dessert. They emerge from the oven delightfully puffy and soft, gradually firming up to a wonderfully chewy texture as they cool, promising a melt-in-your-mouth experience with every bite.

Why Go Flourless? The Magic Behind These Simple Cookies

The “flourless” aspect of these peanut butter cookies isn’t just a dietary consideration; it’s a key to their unique texture and intense flavor. By removing flour, we allow the star ingredient – peanut butter – to truly shine. This results in a cookie that is incredibly moist, delightfully chewy, and packed with an unparalleled peanut flavor that traditional flour-based recipes often can’t match. It also simplifies the baking process, reducing the number of ingredients and steps, making it an ideal recipe for beginners and seasoned bakers alike.

Beyond the enhanced flavor and texture, flourless recipes are naturally gluten-free, catering to a growing number of people with gluten sensitivities or those simply opting for a gluten-free lifestyle. This makes these cookies a versatile treat, perfect for sharing at parties, packing in lunchboxes, or enjoying as a guilt-free indulgence. The minimal ingredient list also means you’re likely to have everything on hand, ready to whip up a batch whenever a craving strikes.

Essential Ingredients for Your Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

One of the beauties of this recipe lies in its incredibly short and sweet ingredient list. Each component plays a crucial role in creating the perfect flourless peanut butter cookie. Let’s delve into what you’ll need and why each ingredient is essential:

Large Egg: The humble egg acts as a primary binder, providing structure and moisture to the cookies. It helps hold everything together, especially in the absence of flour, contributing to that satisfying chewy texture.
Granulated Sugar: Beyond just sweetness, sugar plays a vital role in the cookie’s texture and browning. It helps create a slightly crispy exterior while keeping the interior soft and chewy.
Baking Soda: This leavening agent is key to giving the cookies a slight lift and a tender crumb. It reacts with the acidic elements in the peanut butter (or even just the warmth of the oven) to create carbon dioxide gas, resulting in those lovely puffy cookies fresh out of the oven.
Creamy Peanut Butter: The undeniable star of the show! For the best results in this specific recipe, creamy peanut butter is recommended. It provides the bulk, the fat, and, of course, the distinctive flavor. Opt for a standard processed creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy) over natural, oil-separated varieties, as the latter can lead to a crumbly or greasy texture due to different fat and sugar content. Consistency is key here.
Mexican Vanilla or Any Vanilla: Vanilla extract is a flavor enhancer, adding warmth and depth that complements the peanut butter beautifully. Mexican vanilla often has a slightly richer, more complex flavor profile, but any good quality vanilla extract will do the trick. Don’t skip it!
Chopped Peanuts (Optional, to Taste): For those who love an extra textural element and an intensified peanut flavor, chopped peanuts are a fantastic addition. They provide a satisfying crunch that contrasts wonderfully with the cookie’s soft interior. Feel free to adjust the amount to your liking, or omit them entirely for a smoother cookie.

Full Batch Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Ready to make approximately 40 of these delightful cookies? This is the standard batch size, perfect for families, parties, or simply ensuring you have enough to satisfy those persistent cravings.

Ingredients:

1 large egg
200 grams granulated sugar (approximately 1 cup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
250 grams creamy peanut butter (approximately 1 cup)
½ teaspoon Mexican vanilla or any good quality vanilla extract
⅓ cup chopped peanuts, to taste (optional)

Instructions:

Prepare Your Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
Combine Wet & Dry: In a spacious mixing bowl, beat together the large egg, granulated sugar, baking soda, and vanilla extract. While an electric mixer will make this step quick and effortless, a sturdy whisk and a little elbow grease will also get the job done. Beat until the mixture is well combined and slightly lightened.
Incorporate Peanut Butter: Add the creamy peanut butter to the bowl. Continue to beat or stir until the peanut butter is thoroughly incorporated into the mixture, creating a thick, uniform dough. Ensure there are no streaks of unmixed ingredients.
Add Peanuts (Optional): If you’re adding chopped peanuts, gently fold them into the dough now. Stir just until they are evenly distributed.
Scoop and Bake: Using a teaspoon or a small cookie scoop, drop rounded portions of the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Leave a little space between each cookie as they will spread slightly. You don’t need to flatten them with a fork as with traditional peanut butter cookies; these will naturally spread and crinkle.
Bake to Perfection: Bake for 10 minutes. The cookies will look puffy, soft, and somewhat delicate when you first pull them out of the oven. This is perfectly normal!
Cool and Enjoy: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-10 minutes. During this crucial cooling period, they will gradually sink, firm up, and develop their characteristic chewy texture. Once they have firmed up sufficiently, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm or at room temperature!

Small Batch Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Sometimes, you just need a few cookies to satisfy a craving, without the commitment of a full batch. This scaled-down version is perfect for single servings or a small treat for two, yielding about 10 delicious cookies.

Ingredients:

Approximately 1 tablespoon of lightly beaten egg (from a large egg)
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
A small dash (about ⅛ teaspoon) of vanilla extract
1 tablespoon chopped peanuts (optional)

Instructions:

Follow the same mixing and baking instructions as the full batch. Simply combine the ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, scoop onto a prepared baking sheet, and bake for approximately 10 minutes. Remember to let them cool on the sheet to firm up before transferring.

Tips for Achieving Peanut Butter Cookie Perfection

While this recipe is incredibly straightforward, a few tips can elevate your baking experience and ensure perfect cookies every time:

Use the Right Peanut Butter: As mentioned, creamy, processed peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy) works best for this recipe. Natural peanut butter, with its separated oils and often thicker consistency, can lead to a greasier or more crumbly cookie.
Measure Accurately, Especially by Weight: For consistent results, especially with baking, using a kitchen scale for ingredients like sugar and peanut butter (as provided in the metric measurements) is highly recommended. It eliminates variations that can occur with volume measuring.
Don’t Overmix: Once the peanut butter is incorporated, mix just until combined. Overmixing can develop gluten (even without flour, peanut butter contains some protein structure) and result in tougher cookies.
Proper Cooling is Key: It cannot be stressed enough – resist the urge to move the cookies too soon after baking! They are very delicate when hot. Allowing them to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5-10 minutes is crucial for them to firm up and become perfectly chewy.
Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5-7 days. They tend to stay fresh and chewy.
Freezing: These cookies freeze beautifully! Once completely cooled, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze for about an hour, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Variations to Spice Things Up

These flourless peanut butter cookies are fantastic on their own, but they also serve as a wonderful base for creative variations:

Chocolate Chip Delight: Fold in ½ cup of chocolate chips (mini or regular) with the chopped peanuts for a classic peanut butter chocolate combination.
Spice It Up: Add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg to the dough for a warm, spiced flavor profile.
Nutty Variations: Experiment with different chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts instead of peanuts, or a mix of several.
Drizzle Fun: Once cooled, drizzle melted chocolate or white chocolate over the cookies for an extra touch of decadence.

A Timeless Treat for Every Occasion

Whether you’re looking for a quick after-dinner treat, a gluten-free option for a gathering, or simply want to indulge in the nostalgic taste of homemade cookies, these Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies are guaranteed to satisfy. Their ease of preparation, combined with their irresistible flavor and texture, makes them a recipe you’ll return to again and again.

So, preheat your oven, gather your simple ingredients, and prepare to fill your home with the comforting aroma of freshly baked peanut butter cookies. Happy baking!