Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
These gluten-free peanut butter cookies are both simple to make and utterly satisfying. With a slight crunch on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, these gluten-free cookies make for the ideal sweet treat. They’re great for birthday parties, picnics, or simply a casual snack and are always a crowd-pleaser!
I absolutely love using peanut butter in my cookie recipes. I have my nutella stuffed peanut butter cookies, 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies, flourless peanut butter blossoms, and flourless monster cookies. So it was about time we shared a classic gf peanut butter cookie recipe here!
This recipe is so versatile, allowing for creative additions like chocolate chips or M&Ms. It’s the perfect starting point for making ice cream sandwiches or slathering with some creamy frosting. I also love them simple, with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top for a sweet and salty combination.
No matter which way you choose to serve these easy peanut butter cookies, they are sure to become a family favorite. They provide the beloved taste of classic peanut butter cookies without any of the gluten!
You’ll love this recipe because:
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted butter – The amount of salt in salted butter can easily vary. Instead, use unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt in the recipe. Be sure that your unsalted butter is softened to room temperature so that it creams easily with the peanut butter and sugars.
- Creamy peanut butter – For best results, use creamy peanut butter in this recipe. Creamy peanut butter provides a smooth and consistent texture which can make for a softer, more uniform cookie. I used Skippy natural peanut butter.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar – For best flavor, I like to use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar. The brown sugar should be packed in the measuring cup.
- Gluten-free flour blend – I tested with this recipe using both Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure Gluten Free Baking Flour. Each of these blends includes xanthan gum and is designed to be a direct 1-for-1 replacement for traditional all-purpose flour. You do not need to add xanthan gum separately since it is already in the flour blend.
- Pure vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation vanilla for best results. You can also use vanilla paste if you prefer.
- Egg – Use a large egg for this recipe, which is 50 grams when weighed in the shell. Let the egg sit out at room temperature so the butter mixture doesn’t curdle when mixing together.
- Salt – Use kosher salt, iodized salt, or fine sea salt for this recipe.
- Baking soda and baking powder – Make sure your baking soda and baking powder are fresh. To test baking soda’s freshness, add it to white vinegar; if it bubbles vigorously, it’s active. For baking powder, mix with warm water; active baking powder will fizz.
- Flaky sea salt – For this recipe, I use Maldon salt as a finishing touch, sprinkling it over the cookies right after they emerge from the oven. Maldon salt is a flaky sea salt that has large, irregular sized crystals. It pairs perfectly with the peanut butter.
When measuring peanut butter, grease the measuring cup with cooking spray. It ensures the peanut butter slides out easily. Or better yet, weigh your peanut butter using a food scale! I weigh all of my ingredients for the most accurate measurements when baking.
Step-by-Step instructions
For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can substitute the unsalted butter with a dairy-free butter alternative suitable for baking.
Regular sea salt can be used with caution as a substitute, but it may be more potent, so adjust the quantity accordingly.
The cookies should be lightly golden around the edges and may look slightly undercooked in the center. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
hints & tips
Storage instructions
Storage:
- Room Temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days for optimal freshness.
Freezer Option:
- Raw Dough: Scoop individual cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a zip-top bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake straight from the freezer, adding an additional 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
- Baked Cookies: Once cookies have cooled completely, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen cookies to a zip-top bag or airtight container, placing parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Store for up to 3 months.
Reheat:
- From Room Temperature: If you’d like to enjoy your cookies warm, preheat your oven to 300ºF (150ºC) and heat the cookies for 3-5 minutes, or until warmed to your liking. You can also microwave them for about 10-15 seconds until warm.
- From Freezer: I typically let my cookies sit out at room temperature for an hour to let them thaw until soft and chewy. If you want to reheat frozen baked cookies, preheat your oven to 300ºF (150ºC) and heat for 10-15 minutes. You can also microwave them for 20-30 seconds from frozen to warm them. If baking frozen raw dough, follow the original baking instructions, but add an additional 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Serving suggestions
While I love these gluten free peanut butter cookies warm from the oven, they can also be enjoyed in various ways. Here are some serving suggestions to elevate the your next batch of cookies:
Ice cream sandwiches: Place a scoop of your favorite ice cream (dairy-free or regular) between two peanut butter cookies. Popular flavors to pair include my chocolate peanut butter ice cream, banana peanut butter nice cream, or coffee ice cream. Use my strawberry ice cream and it will taste like a peanut butter and jelly ice cream sandwich!
Cookie sandwiches: Make cookie sandwiches using fillings like marshmallow fluff, Nutella, or frostings. My brown butter cream cheese frosting, chocolate cream cheese frosting, or strawberry frosting all pair so well with the pb cookies! For extra peanut butter flavor, use my peanut butter frosting!
Nutty topping: Sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts, almonds, or cashews on top of the cookies before baking for an added crunch.
Peanut butter & jam: Elevate the classic PB&J by spreading a thin layer of jam or jelly on one cookie and topping it with another, making a sandwich. Raspberry, strawberry, or grape jam/jelly works well. My strawberry chia jam is always a great addition!
Cookie crumble: Crumble the cookies and sprinkle them over yogurt, ice cream, or puddings.
S’mores: Use the peanut butter cookies instead of graham crackers, add a piece of chocolate and a roasted marshmallow in between for a fun twist on the classic s’mores. They’re delicious in my air fryer s’mores recipe! You can also use them on my s’mores board recipe along with gluten-free graham crackers, gluten-free Oreos, and other cookies. They’re also great to serve with my yummy s’mores dip, too!
Serve with your favorite beverages: Offer the cookies with a side of almond milk, coconut milk, or a classic cold glass of milk. They’re also delightful with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa. Try dunking it in my peanut butter hot chocolate for an extra treat!
More gluten-free cookies to try
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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups gluten-free flour blend (175g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature (113g))
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (128g)
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar (packed (133g))
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (66g)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (11g)
- 1 large egg (at room temperature (50g))
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as Maldon salt)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter, peanut butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Cream with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add the vanilla extract and egg. Mix until smooth.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until just combined and no more streaks of flour remain.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
- Use a #30 scoop (about 2 tablespoons) to scoop the cookie dough into uniform balls.
- Place dough on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 3 inches in between each dough ball. I can usually fit 6 cookies on a baking sheet at a time. Place the remaining dough in the refrigerator while the first batch bakes.
- Bake at 350ºF (175ºC) for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just set.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let cool before serving.
Notes
- I used a #30 cookie scoop, which is about 2 tablespoons, for this recipe. This gave me 18 cookies total.
- If you have celiac disease or are on a gluten-free diet, be sure to double check all of your ingredients to ensure they are gluten-free. Manufacturing practices can change occasionally, so it’s always best to double check.
- I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag), which already contains xanthan gum. You will not need to add it individually to this recipe. I cannot verify that other gluten-free flour blends will work in this recipe, because I have not tested them.
- For best results, weigh your ingredients using a food scale. I’ve provided the metric measurements in parentheses for you. Food scales are very inexpensive and will ensure that you measure each ingredient accurately so that your cookies can turn out perfectly every time. The way that you measure ingredients, especially gluten-free flour, can vastly affect the outcome of the recipe.
Nutrition
I’m Megan
A gluten-free food blogger from Chicago and lover of all things food, showing you gluten-free can be easy and delicious, too. Let’s make gluten-free stress free together! Read more…
This is a very yummy and easy recipe! Thank you so much for sharing 😁😊