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These crunchy flourless peanut butter cookies combine rich peanut butter with an indulgent dark chocolate, all to give you a gluten-free, high-protein sweet treat.
My flourless dessert series did so well, I thought why not make cookies that are flourless and packed with protein? That’s how these peanut butter cookies came to life.
I had friends over for dinner, and the cookies disappeared. They’re the kind that won’t wreck your macros, but they’re so good, they just got gobbled up!
They’re very easy to make and have mostly simple ingredients except for peanut butter powder, which is the reason why they’re so high in protein! Each cookie contains 8 grams of net carbs and 7 grams of protein.
I love a good peanut butter cookie, but many of them have too much sugar. While these are small, they’re rich with healthy fats and don’t have as much sugar.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItI am much more comfortable giving these to the little ones as well. They won’t spike their glucose levels the way other cookies do.
In short, I’d say these are breakfast approved!
Ingredients and Substitutes
Crunchy or creamy peanut butter (1 cup) – I always recommend using the natural version (the one that doesn’t have any oils or sugars) to get the best results. And, if you don’t like (or have) peanut butter, you can use almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower-seed butter for a nut-free version.
Honey (2 tbsp) – Maple syrup or agave are great alternatives. You can also use sugar-free maple syrup if you want to reduce the calories and carbs.
Large egg (1) – If you want to make this recipe vegan, use a flax egg (1 tbsp of flax seed meal + 2.5 tbsp of water).
Vanilla extract (1 tsp)
Peanut butter powder (1/2 cup) – If you don’t have peanut butter powder, you can replace it with ¼ cup of almond flour.
For Dipping
Dark chocolate, chopped (1/2 cup) – Make sure you are choosing high-quality chocolate with at least 70% cacao to create a rich flavor.
Coconut oil (1 tsp)
Flaky sea salt, optional
How to Make Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a large baking sheet by placing some parchment paper on top. Grab a medium mixing bowl and add the peanut butter, honey, egg, and vanilla extract.
Step 2. Give it a mix to combine all the ingredients.
Step 3. Add the peanut butter powder.
Step 4. Mix it all to create a thick dough.
Step 5. Scoop one tablespoon of the dough and roll it with your hands into balls. Place them on the parchment paper.
Step 6. Now, grab a fork and press the cookies. The shape of the cookies won’t change, so shape them as you want.
Step 7. Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool down on the baking sheet.
While the cookies are cooling, add chopped dark chocolate and coconut oil into a microwave-safe bowl. Place it in the microwave at 30-second intervals.
Ensure you mix the chocolate between each interval to prevent it from burning and ensure it melts evenly.
Step 8. Now, it’s the fun part. Dip one side of the cookie and place it back onto the baking sheet.
Once the chocolate hardens, sprinkle the cookies with some sea salt.
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Pin ItHow I Would Modify This Recipe
- Add Different Toppings: Try using different toppings like chopped peanuts, shredded coconut, or even a mini chocolate chip.
- Change The Flavor: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg for a warm, spiced twist. You can also try adding some dried cranberries to the dough or orange zest.
- Nut-Free Version: If you are looking to make an allergy-friendly meal. Replace the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter and the peanut butter powder with pumpkin seed flour.
My Tips & Tricks
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure the peanut butter and eggs are at room temperature before mixing. This allows for a smoother, more even cookie dough.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the ingredients just until they are combined to avoid a heavy dough.
- Watch the Oven: Every oven bakes differently, so make sure you check your cookies occasionally to make sure they cook, but not too much.
My Storage Tips
From experience, these cookies are very quick to disappear. But, if you have some left that you want to keep for later in the week, you can store them in the fridge or freezer.
Place the remaining cookies in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, place them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
If you are planning on making a larger batch, you can freeze the cookies. Place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag and keep them there for up to 3 months.
My Other Cookie Recipes
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Cals: 161 Protein: 6.7 Carbs: 9.8 Fat: 11
Ingredients
- 1 cup crunchy or creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup peanut butter powder
For Dipping
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chopped
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- Flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, honey, egg, and vanilla extract.
- Mix in peanut butter powder. The dough will be quite thick.
- Scoop 1 tbsp-sized balls and roll them in your hands.
- Place the balls on the baking sheet and press them with a fork to form cookies. The shape of the cookies won’t change so shape them as you like.
- Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes and then let them cool down on the baking sheet.
- While the cookies are cooling, add chopped dark chocolate and coconut oil into a bowl. Pop into the microwave and heat up in 30s intervals, mix in between until the chocolate has completely melted.
- Dip one side of the cookie and return them back onto the baking sheet, let the chocolate harden before sprinkle the cookies with sea salt and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Why do you add peanut butter powder ?
They have all the protein minus the fat that peanut butter usually has. 🙂
I have made a very similar recipe without the chocolate, and they are so good! I am going to try your version. Love the look and the chocolate with the sea salt is a great addition.
Thanks. I’m glad this caught my eye.