Does Peanut Butter Have Gluten?

Peanuts are naturally gluten-free, and peanut butter in its most natural form (made with peanuts and oil) are usually gluten-free. However, many store-bought brands of peanut butter may sometimes be processed in facilities that also process gluten-containing products. Additionally, store-bought peanut butter may also include gluten-containing additives or preservatives. If you are Celiac, allergic to gluten, or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use a certified gluten-free peanut butter.

Is Peanut Butter Dairy-Free?

Despite the word "butter" in the name, peanut butter does not actually include any butter. It is naturally dairy-free (since it's ingredients are usually just peanuts, oil and maybe salt or sugar - which are all dairy-free).

Why Do You Call These "Flourless" Peanut Butter Cookies?

When I say "flourless", I mean that these cookies do not use any flour at all, be it normal wheat flour, gluten-free flour or even grain-free flours such as almond flour, almond meal , or cashew flour .

How to Store These Cookies?

To store, once these 4 ingredient peanut butter cookies are fully-cooled, place them in an airtight container and store for up to 1 week at room temperature.

Can I Use Other Nut Butters Instead of Peanut Butter to Bake Cookies?

If you have an allergy to peanuts, or just don't like the taste of peanuts, you can use other nut butters such as almond butter or cashew butter to replace the peanut butter in equal quantities. Just note that the taste will change depending on which nut butter you use, but the consistency will be the same.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies (Flourless, Dairy-Free)

Description

These 4-ingredient gluten-free peanut butter cookies are so easy to make, are ready in under 30 minutes, and will satisfy any sweet tooth. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free too, these flourless peanut butter cookies make the perfect anytime snack. If you’re a peanut butter lover, you definitely need these soft, rich and chewy cookies in your life!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 1/2 cups of creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cups of white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten (see recipe notes for using egg substitutes)

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Instructions

Preheat and Line: Preheat oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
Mix Peanut Butter with Sugar: Mix the peanut butter with sugar until sugar has dissolved.
Add Vanilla and Egg: Add in the vanilla essence and egg, and then stir until you get a homogeneous cookie dough.
Scoop Cookie Dough into Balls: Using a teaspoon or a cookie scoop, scoop one tablespoon of cookie dough and then roll it between both palms until you form a golf-ball sized ball. Repeat until you have used up all the cookie dough (you should get between 12 to 14 balls).
Place Dough Balls on Cookie Sheet: Place cookie dough balls in one single layer on the baking paper, leaving about 2 inches of space between each of them (you may need to bake the cookies in 2 batches depending on the size of your baking sheet)
Press Criss-Cross Pattern: Use the back of a fork to press down the balls in a criss-cross manner to flatten the dough slightly.
Bake Until Golden Brown: Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until they turn a lighter brown (they will look slightly undercooked, but that’s fine as they will continue cooking with the residual heat).
Let Cool Fully: Allow cookies to cool at least 20 minutes before removing them from the pan (this is important because if cookies are still too hot, they will break when you move them).

Notes

Peanut Butter: You can use either storebought natural peanut butter or homemade peanut butter (here’s my recipe for 10 minute creamy peanut butter). I prefer using creamy peanut butter, but if you prefer you can also use crunchy peanut butter if you like some extra texture in your cookies.

Nut Butter Substitutes: If you have an allergy to peanuts, or just don’t like the taste of peanuts, you can use other nut butters such as almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter to replace the peanut butter in equal quantities.

Sugar: I used granulated white sugar in this recipe, but feel free to use light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, or coconut sugar instead. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend using Lakanto monkfruit sweetene r (a 1:1 sugar substitute that has zero glycemic-index).

Vanilla Extract: I like adding a bit of vanilla extract to give it a bit of extra flavor. However, if you don’t like vanilla or don’t have it on hand, feel free to leave it out.

Egg: The egg helps to better bind the ingredients together. I haven’t personally made this recipe without eggs, but if you are allergic to eggs, or want to make this completely vegan, simply substitute the egg for an egg replacer (such as the Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free egg replacer) or a chia egg, or a flax egg. (If you do make this recipe egg-free, please let me know how it goes in the comments below, I’d love to know!)

Optional Cookie Add-Ins: Some fun ingredients you could add to these cookies include chopped peanuts, chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or even cacao nibs. Think of this recipe as a base recipe to which you can add things to make your own creation depending on your preferences!

Smaller Cookies: If you prefer smaller cookies, simply use a heaping teaspoon for each cookie instead. You will get 24 smaller cookies (as opposed to 12 regular-sized cookies) with each batch.

Storing/Freezing: To store, place the fully-cooled in an airtight container and store for up to 1 week at room temperature. To freeze, place the fully-cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let cookies thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before eating. Alternatively, you can reheat the frozen cookies in the oven at 350F for 5 to 10 minutes until ready to eat.

Adapted from: Cottage Grove House

This recipe was originally published in 2013 but has since been updated to include clearer step-by-step instructions, tips, and ingredient photos.

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 12 mins
Category: Desserts
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American