5 Ingredient Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Chewy and soft flourless peanut butter cookies dipped in dark chocolate! Each bite is filled with peanut buttery flavor, they’re not too sweet – but just right, and naturally gluten-free. They’re perfect for the holidays but also any time of the year too!

Many readers over the years have loved these flourless peanut butter cookies! And for good reason – they’re made with only 4 main ingredients, contain zero flour, and are filled with peanut buttery goodness in each bite.

They’re perfect if you don’t have a ton of ingredients on hand, and they take very little preparation at all to make.

We love serving these around the holidays but they’re also delicious to be served year-round!

The Secret to Flourless Cookies

So, if you’re wondering how can cookies work without using any flour? It’s quite simple – lots of peanut butter. 😉

It helps give the cookies shape, structure, and chewy texture without needing any flour at all! One cup is used per batch, so if you aren’t a huge peanut butter fan, then these cookies might not be for you. But you might be surprised once you try one! They are that delish.

Ingredients – What You Need

Below you’ll find the full list of ingredients needed to make these cookies!

• Peanut butter: use creamy peanut butter or almond butter!
• Coconut sugar: This sugar is my favorite healthier swap for brown sugar. You can swap it one to one for brown if desired! 
• Vanilla extract: to add the perfect flavor! 
• Egg: to bind the ingredients.  
• Chocolate: use dark chocolate for dairy-free or semi-sweet if preferred. 

How to Make Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies – Step by Step

(1) First, add all of the ingredients (minus the chocolate) into a mixing bowl.

(2) Mix with a rubber spatula until the dough forms and the ingredients are combined.

(3) Form the dough into 2-inch dough balls (use your hands to roll them). Then use a fork to press down on the cookie and make a cross pattern.

(4) Then bake the cookies for 8 minutes at 350F. Let cool, then dip or drizzle with melted chocolate!

Tips for Success

Avoid using “stiff” or dry peanut butter! This recipe really relies on peanut butter to support a chewy and soft texture. It’s important that the peanut butter is creamy and smooth (think spreadable!), if it’s stiff and dry it will not work for the recipe.

My favorite sugar to use for these cookies – I recommend coconut sugar as a healthier alternative to processed sugar. But you can also use brown sugar instead – I do not recommend white sugar as a substitute for this specific recipe. White sugar does not have molasses in it (like brown sugar does) so it will not add the moisture that’s needed for soft and chewy cookies. I have not tested this recipe with maple syrup or honey.

Add some spices! If you’d like to switch up the flavor, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of either cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, or some nutmeg.

Change up the chocolate – I personally love using dark chocolate for these cookies because it pairs so well with the peanut butter! But you can also try milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or even white chocolate! Or a combination. Mix it up and let me know what flavor you like best in the comments!

How to store cookies: place cooled cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use crunchy peanut butter? I personally have never tested it, but if it’s easy to spread and not dry, it should work fine. If you do try it with crunchy peanut butter, let me know in the comments how they turned out!

Can I freeze these cookies? Yes! They freeze great. Store the baked cookies in a freezer-friendly bag and freeze them for up to 1 month! You can also freeze the dough balls for up to 1-2 months, then remove them and bake them according to instructions when you want cookies right away.

Can I make them vegan? You can! Swap 3 Tablespoons of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie puree) for 1 egg. I’ve not tested this recipe with a flax egg, but it should work!

More Peanut Butter Cookies to Try

• Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
• Chewy Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies
• The Best Oatmeal Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Gluten-Free Monster Cookies