Soft and nutty, these gluten free peanut butter cookies are the ultimate cookie for peanut butter lovers. With a delicious flavor and quick prep time, our gluten-free peanut butter cookies are just as tasty as traditional peanut butter cookies and no one will be able to tell the difference!
These chewy cookies are such a treat! Creamy peanut butter, a blend of sugars and a good gluten-free flour mix are the main ingredients. They create a peanut butter cookie with crisp edges and rich peanut butter flavor.
Enjoy them plain or with yummy add-ins. Either way, make sure you have your glass of milk ready for dunking! Because we all know milk is a must when you have the very best peanut butter cookies on hand.
Why This Recipe Works
Our gluten-free peanut butter cookies recipe is so easy to make! The flavor and texture of these cookies are absolutely fantastic.
These gluten-free peanut butter cookies are:
- crisp with a chewy center
- easy to adapt (add chocolate chips, crushed peanuts, or your favorite cookie mix-ins)
- simple to prepare
Ingredients for Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
For the best cookies, we use a combination of creamy peanut butter with a little bit of butter. It gives the cookies a buttery flavor and helps those edges crisp up beautifully.
You will need:
- all-purpose gluten-free flour
- baking soda
- salt
- xanthan gum
- packed brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- creamy peanut butter
- butter, melted
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- optional add-ins like chocolate chips, dry roasted peanuts (chopped) or coconut flakes
Take note, the type of gluten-free flour you use is important and different kinds will affect the texture of the cookie.
We are going for a classic peanut butter cookie so you’ll want to use a gluten-free flour that is a blend of ingredients and is meant to replace regular, all-purpose flour 1:1.
Try to avoid gluten-free flours with only one or two ingredients. Almond flour and coconut flour won’t work the same way as an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.
Our Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
The cookies come together quickly but you will need to plan on some extra time to chill the peanut butter cookie dough. If you don’t chill it for at least 30 minutes, the cookies will spread too much during the bake time.
Here’s a look at the step-by-step process for making gluten-free peanut butter cookies but be sure to view the full recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Before you begin, line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy removal after the cookies are done baking. Pull out a cooling rack if you have one.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
- Use a rubber spatula to stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix in the add-ins (if using).
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a large cookie scoop to scoop dough balls onto a prepared baking sheet, then press the back of a fork into the top of the cookies to create fork marks in that classic crosshatch pattern (crisscross pattern).
- Bake the cookies, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
Combine the dry ingredients in a small dish and whisk well. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, white sugar, peanut butter, and melted butter.
Beat the mixture an electric mixer (or whisk by hand) until well combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
Use a rubber spatula to stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix in the add-ins (if using).
Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Use a large cookie scoop to scoop dough balls onto a prepared baking sheet, then press the back of a fork into the top of the cookies to create fork marks in that classic crosshatch pattern (crisscross pattern). Bake and cool!
Pro Tips for the Best Results
- Chill time: Make sure to chill the cookies for at least 30 minutes before baking! This extra time is worth it because a cold dough won’t spread as much in the oven. It’s the trick for the chewiest gluten-free peanut butter cookies with crisp edges.
- Bake time: Bake one sheet pan at a time for about 12-14 minutes. Keep an eye on the cookies. They are done when they look puffy and the edges start to set but the center should still look a bit under-baked. As the cookies cool and set, the centers will firm up and turn out nice and chewy. If you bake them too long, they will lend up crunchy as they cool.
- Add-ins: Mix-ins are fun to add and will create a thicker, gluten free cookie that won’t spread as much in the oven. For gluten free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies you can mix in semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate). Or mix things up and divide the dough half to create some classic peanut butter cookies and some with your add-ins of choice.
- Best type of peanut butter: For a classic peanut butter cookie texture, use a conventional, commercial peanut butter like Skippy or Jif. A drippy, natural peanut butter (the kind that requires stirring) will taste great but the texture will be a bit different. You can also substitute crunchy peanut butter if you want a little bit of crunch in your cookie.
- About xanthan gum: If your gluten-free flour blend already has xanthan gum in the ingredient list (like this flour), you can omit it. Xanthan gum is a required ingredient because it works as a gluten-free binder and will help hold the cookies together. If you’re sensitive to xanthan gum you can substitute it with 1/2 teaspoon psyllium husk powder.
- Storing: Store these gluten-free peanut butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
With a rich peanut butter flavor and the most amazing crisp- chewy texture, we know you’ll love our gluten-free peanut butter cookies!
They’re so easy to make and this recipe will give you the perfect PB cookies every time.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:
Crispy Double Chocolate Cookies are crisp and fudgy treats with a double dose of chocolate! Whether you’re looking for holiday cookie recipes or you just need a good cookie fix, these will not disappoint.
Salted Chocolate Fudge Cookies: These chocolate fudge cookies are a must-try for chocolate lovers! They are rich and chewy with an intense chocolate flavor.
There’s nothing like homemade Gingersnap Cookies and these are so delicious! They’re perfectly spiced and are baked until they are soft and chewy or a little bit longer for a crisp and ‘snappy’ cookie.
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Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1-3/4 cups All-Purpose GF flour 226 grams see notes**
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum see notes
- 1 cup packed brown sugar 200 grams
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 grams
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional add-ins (up to 1-1/2 cups of any of the following)
- chocolate chips
- dry roasted peanuts finely chopped
- flaked coconut
Instructions
Mix the Dough
- Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum in a small dish. Whisk to distribute the ingredients through the flour.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, peanut butter, and melted butter. Beat with an electric mixer (or whisk by hand) until well combined.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
- Use a rubber spatula to stir in the flour mixture until a soft dough forms. If you want to add chocolate chips, roasted peanuts, or coconut, stir them in here (sometimes I divide the dough in half and make a few classic PB cookies and a few with all the yummy additions. The cookies with add-ins will not spread as much).
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This step is important to reduce spreading.
- Bake the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper (don’t use non-stick spray as that will make the cookies spread too much).
- Use a large cookie scoop (2 tablespoons) to scoop large balls of dough. Place them on the baking sheets, spacing them 2-inches apart.
- Use a fork to press down on the cookies in a cross hatch design. The cookies should be about 3/4-inch thick.
- Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes. Ovens will vary so keep an eye on the cookies. They will be done when they look puffy and the edges start to set, however the center should look slightly underdone. The centers will firm up, set, and be chewy after they cool. If you bake them until the centers look set, they will be crunchy once they cool.
Notes
- We are going for a classic peanut butter cookie. Try to avoid gluten free flour that has only 1 or 2 ingredients. Almond flour and coconut flour will change the texture of the cookies and they will not turn out like a classic peanut butter cookie.
- This recipe works with a gluten free flour blend that is made to replace all-purpose flour cup for cup.
Some good gluten-free flour blends to use are:
- Cup4Cup Multipurpose blend
- Pamela’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Blend
- King Arthur All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour
- Our own Ancient Grains all-purpose GF blend
For the Best Results
- You can omit the xanthan gum if you have a flour blend that already has it in the ingredient list. If you are sensitive to xanthan gum, you can substitute it with 1/2 teaspoon powdered psyllium husk.
- The cookie will vary in texture with different peanut butter brands. For a classic peanut butter cookie, use a conventional, commercial peanut butter like Skippy or Jif (if it isn’t recalled). Natural peanut butter (the kind you need to stir) will not give the cookies the same texture (although it still makes a good cookie).
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This post was originally published on December 31, 2018,
LeAndra
Tuesday 8th of January 2019
I really like this idea! And I'm always up for trying a new chocolate chip cookie recipe. These sound delicious!
Dahn Boquist
Tuesday 8th of January 2019
Thanks LeAndra, I think I could eat a variation of chocolate chip cookies every day and never get tired of them :)