The BEST 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

The BEST 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies recipe made with simple pantry ingredients and zero flour, butter or oil! Soft, chewy cookies with rich peanut butter flavor are the perfect gluten-free sweet treat.

Calling all peanut butter lovers! You all are going to love these super simple yet delicious classic peanut butter cookies! Whether you want a quick snack, last-minute dessert or a gluten-free treat, this classic peanut butter cookie recipe comes together in under 20 minutes. The best part is you only need 5 simple ingredients. The best peanut butter cookies that I promise the whole family will love!

Why You’ll Love These

• Quick and simple – you only need 5 pantry ingredients and one bowl to make these easy peanut butter cookies. Ready in under 20 minutes.
• Made healthier – no flour, butter or oil used in these cookies and they are naturally sweetened with cane sugar.
• Soft and chewy – these soft peanut butter cookies have the best texture and rich peanut butter flavor in every bite.
• Naturally gluten-free – these cookies have no flour in them making them a great option for those with gluten sensitivities.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• peanut butter – I used creamy natural peanut butter without any added sugar. Just make sure you give it a good stir before using. You could use regular creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy, chunky peanut butter, almond butter or other nut butter.
• egg – you’ll need 1 large egg for this recipe to hold all the ingredients together.
• baking soda – acts as a leavening agent and gives these cookies that chewy texture. Baking powder would work too.
• cane sugar – cane sugar naturally sweetens these cookies without using any refined sugar. You could also use coconut sugar, brown sugar or any type of granulated sugar.
• vanilla – you’ll need one teaspoon vanilla extract to enhance the flavor of these cookies.

How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies

1. Mix ingredients. In a large bowl, combine one cup of peanut butter, egg, baking soda, cane sugar and vanilla. Using a hand mixer on medium speed or your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix all the ingredients really well until all combined. The peanut butter mixture will be thick and sticky.
2. Shape cookies. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the dough mixture (I like to use this small cookie scoop) and roll into a balls. Please them on prepared baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving space between each cookie. Use a fork to gently press a crisscross pattern into each ball, slightly flattening them. I also like to smooth up the edges with my finger.
3. Bake. Place in the oven and bake cookies for 10 to 13 mins, or until edges are golden brown and centers are soft. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
4. Cool and enjoy. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips and Substitutions

• Peanut butter – both creamy peanut butter and crunchy peanut butter work well, but natural peanut butter may make the dough slightly looser, so make sure to stir it well for best results.
• Sweetener – I only recommend using granulated sugar in these cookies such as cane sugar, coconut sugar, white sugar or even brown sugar. Using honey or maple syrup will change the texture in these cookies.
• Vegan – you can easily make these cookies vegan by replacing the egg for a flax egg which is 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, mixed in a small bowl and set for 5 minutes.
• Criss-cross pattern – the classic fork crisscross pattern helps flatten the cookies slightly for even baking. Since these cookies don’t contain flour, they don’t spread as much on their own, so the fork marks are key for the right texture.
• Don’t over bake – we want a chewy peanut butter cookie that is slightly soft in the center with edges that are set, so don’t overcook them. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
• Customize them – feel free to mix in fun extras like chocolate chips (similar to peanut butter blossoms), peanut butter chips, chopped peanuts or other nuts, top with flaky sea salt or even a drizzle of melted chocolate.

Prepping and Storage

To Store:  These homemade peanut butter cookies will last at room temperature stored in a sealed, airtight container or plastic wrap on the counter for up to 5 days.  You can also store these in the refrigerator for a firmer texture and to keep them longer.

To Freeze:  For longer storage, these cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, transfer the frozen cookies to the fridge to thaw overnight or let them thaw completely on the countertop at room temperature. 

Freeze cookie dough: I like to make the peanut butter cookie dough, roll them into balls and freeze on a baking sheet. Then simply transfer the frozen cookie dough balls into a freezer bag and when you’re ready to bake them, let them thaw slightly, and bake as directed.

More Cookie Recipes to Make

More Peanut Butter Recipes

Hope you all enjoy the BEST Peanut Butter Cookie recipe! If you love these as much as we do, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!