Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (gluten-free with variations)

Name: Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 cup packed, pitted dates (about 10 dates) (185 grams); 1 tablespoon solid coconut oil (13 grams); 1/2 cup plant milk (120 grams); 1 tablespoon Blackstrap molasses or maple syrup; 1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter (265 grams); 2 eggs (beaten or use Bob's Red Mill egg substitute); 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder; 1/4 cup cacao powder or carob powder or blanched almond flour (25 grams); 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 pinch sea salt

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Are you looking for Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies that are gluten-free and feel good to eat? Then I have a lovely recipe for you.

They're nutrient-dense with a soft bite, sweetened only with dates and molasses, and dairy-free. But I'll give you plenty of substitutions and variations.

Soft brown chocolatey peanut butter cookies stacked on a small plate.

Jump to:

Why you'll love this super easy flourless cookie
One easy cookie recipe, 4 variations
How to make flourless peanut butter cookies
How to make peanut butter cookies without eggs (vegan) and flourless
Let's bake (step-by-step instructions with variations)
Storage and shelf life
Enjoy
More healthy, wholesome treats?
FAQ
📖 Recipe

We call them Feel Good cookies at home because each bite melts in your mouth and healthily gives you a satisfying feeling!

They're incredibly soft and are only slightly sweet due to the dates and a bit of Molasses (more about that later and how to replace this ingredient).

You can also make them egg-free (and thus vegan-friendly), and although the structure changes slightly, they still taste incredible. So, we'll look at how to make them both ways.

Combining all the ingredients takes little effort, and they only need to bake for about 8 to 15 minutes in the oven, depending on what ingredients you use.

It's a convenient recipe to have on hand when you crave a healthy treat that quickly comes together.

I often make a fresh batch during the week. But you can prepare them over the weekend because they stay soft and delicious even when stored in the fridge or freezer—see all storage options below.

These no-flour cookies are delicious as a snack and healthy enough to pass for breakfast. Crumble one in your oatmeal bowl with your favorite morning beverage, or enjoy it with this summery date-sweetened iced coffee.

This one cookie dough can quickly turn into:

a peanut butter chocolatey flavor cookie (my favorite);
a version of almond flour peanut butter cookies (my husband's favorite);
an egg-free, vegan version and I'll show you how different they look—but they still taste amazing!
And lastly, you can either use creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter for a slightly different texture.

So, let's make this feel-good baked treat! They taste amazing.

Note: baking cookies for field trips, birthday parties, or preschool? You'll be happy to know that sunflower butter can replace the peanut butter in this healthy cookie recipe—nutritious and allergen-friendly.

Soft baked golden brown peanut butter cookies stacked on a small plate next to a glass of milk and one crumbled cookie. — Flourless peanut butter cookies with almond flour.

Dark brown chocolate peanut butter cookies stacked on top of each other. — Flourless peanut butter cookies with cacao powder.

How to make flourless peanut butter cookies

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients to make flourless peanut butter cookies: blackstrap molasses or maple syrup, dates, plant milk, eggs, coconut oil, creamy or crunchy peanut butter, cinnamon powder, cacao powder, baking soda, pinch of sea salt.

cacao powder (or carob powder) for a peanut butter chocolate flavor; the alternative is blanched almond flour
dates and molasses (or maple syrup)
coconut oil
plant milk (if you want to keep it dairy-free)
smooth, natural peanut butter; for a more crunchy texture, use crunchy peanut butter
eggs (or Bob's Red Mill egg replacer to keep it vegan-friendly)
cinnamon powder
baking soda and a pinch of salt

Use cacao (or carob powder) for a chocolatey peanut butter flavor

Cacao powder will add a hint of chocolate taste that goes so well with peanut butter.

But it also acts as a substitute for flour and gives these baked goods that solid structure.

You don't need much, though—¼ cup is enough—because you still want that delicious peanut butter flavor to come through.

Pure Carob powder is another ingredient I often experiment with and is excellent for gluten-free, dairy-free, and grain-free baking.

I've used it a few times when I ran out of cacao powder—a perfect replacement in this recipe—and it produces a similar tasting cookie.

Note: Carob is a natural plant that produces pods from its tree branches. They mill these pods into a (Carob) powder that tastes naturally sweet, is low in fat, and is caffeine-free.

A bitten cookie resting on top of a glass filled with milk.

Make almond flour peanut butter cookies

Instead of using cacao powder, you can add the same amount of blanched almond flour to add texture to these flourless peanut butter cookies, but it certainly changes their taste.

It replaces the subtle chocolate flavors of cacao powder with a more mild nutty sweetness and gives these flourless cookies a more golden brown color.

You'll have to decide which one you like best!

A hand breaking a soft baked flourless peanut butter cookie in half.

Sweeteners and substitutions for Molasses

You know me by now; I often like to use dried fruits in dessert recipes to give them a naturally sweet taste.

This time, I use a combination of Medjool dates and Unsulphured dark blackstrap molasses.

Baking with dates adds a beautiful caramel-like note and a good dose of fiber, while dark molasses give these homemade cookies a unique mild sweet flavor and a beautiful dark color.

The molasses-date paste mixture works well here and keeps the cookies chewy and soft.

Note: Unsulphured blackstrap molasses is a good source of calcium and potassium—but you can easily substitute it with raw honey or dark maple syrup. Just keep in mind that these substitutions will make the cookies sweeter.

Plant Milk (different options)

You can use flaxseed milk, nut milk, or even unsweetened vanilla pea milk.

They are all dairy-free and great for baking. I have used these kinds of milk interchangeably in this recipe.

But feel free to swap them with regular milk if dairy is not your concern.

Note: never used pea milk before? It's another source of lactose-free plant-based protein, calcium, and omega-3s.

Which Peanut Butter is Best

To obtain a smooth cookie dough batter, go for creamy peanut butter at room temperature that contains only peanuts—no added sugar, oils, or anything else. Salt is okay.

You might have brands where the peanut oil separates naturally and sits on top. However, I sometimes find it hard to stir that oil back into the nut butter.

So I usually transfer the entire content of the peanut butter jar to a big bowl to combine everything with a whisk, and anything unused goes back into a container.

Crunchy peanut butter can work as well. The chunks of real peanuts will surprise you with each bite—my favorite.

I love organic dark roasted peanut butter from Santa Cruz or Once Again Organic creamy peanut butter.

Stacked brown and baked soft cookies. — Peanut butter cookies with crunchy peanut butter.

How to make peanut butter cookies without eggs (vegan) and flourless

A hand holding up a soft baked cookie. — *Cookies made with no eggs.*

Although both are equally delicious, the cookies will look and taste slightly different when baking them without eggs (see picture.)

The batter for no egg, no flour peanut butter cookies will be a bit less sticky and have a thicker texture.

Also, allow the cookies to cool down completely before serving. Otherwise, their form won't hold. And they need to bake longer (about 15 minutes).

Although there are different ways of replacing an egg (the famous chia or flax egg), Bob's Red Mill egg replacer is, in my opinion, the best choice in this recipe to keep these peanut butter cookies from falling apart.

Let's bake (step-by-step instructions with variations)

Everything comes together quickly:

Step 1: Make a date paste by blending the dates, coconut oil, milk, and molasses in a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix, NutriBullet) or food processor. You should get a beautiful brown sweet-tasting paste.

A spoon resting in a sweet date paste in a bowl.

Step 2: In a bowl, stir the eggs (or egg substitute prepared according to package instructions), peanut butter, cinnamon powder, Cacao powder or almond flour, baking soda, and salt to combine.

Step 3: Combine the date paste with the dough until smooth. The cookie dough will be pretty sticky.

Brown cookie batter in a stainless steel bowl. — Cookie dough with cacao powder.

Golden brown cookie batter in a stainless steel bowl. — Cookie dough with almond flour. If too wet, add a bit more almond flour to the mix (up to 30 grams).

Step 4: Lightly wet your hands and drop the cookie dough by the (generous) spoonful onto a prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space in between them and slightly flattening them with your fingers into a more round shape by using circling motions.

Raw cookie dough drops on parchment paper.

Step 5: Now they are ready to pop into the oven

for about 8 to 10 minutes for the chocolate-flavored ones,
10 to 13 minutes for the almond flour peanut butter cookies,
and about 15 minutes for the vegan-friendly bake.

Soft brown baked cookies displayed on parchment paper.

Note: every oven is different, but I usually check at the 8 respectively 10-minute mark. The top should feel soft but solid. If it tends to sink in a bit with a gentle touch of a finger, the cookies need a few minutes more baking time.

They'll also finish setting as they cool on the baking sheet.

Storage and shelf life

I doubt that these treats will last long, but if you have more self-control than I, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Freeze them for more extended storage! There is no need to defrost either; they taste equally delicious and maintain their soft texture.

You might even like these cookies better when slightly chilled.

Beautiful crackly brown baked flourless peanut butter cookies nicely arranged on a table.

Enjoy

These no-flour peanut butter cookies are a guilt-free treat in my book. And they often disappear as soon as they come out of the oven.

Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or tea in the morning.
Grab one as a pick-me-up snack in the afternoon.
Or offer them to your guest. They look beautiful on the table.
Or surprise your kids with a special after-school treat.

Go ahead, make that cookie! And enjoy!

More healthy, wholesome treats?

Enjoy some of my other baked goods:

Gluten-free speculoos cookies
Flourless brownies
Grain-free mango cookies
Buttery Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Amazing healthy oatmeal raisin cookies
They are all delicious!

Don't forget to PIN IT to your Healthy Cookie board to save for later! And don't forget to subscribe to my monthly newsletter!

FAQ

Baking soda versus baking powder?

At home, I make these cookies, usually with baking soda. Cacao powder and molasses contain some acid that can react with this leavening agent and encourage the batter to rise evenly.
It will also affect how these no flour cookies look, with a beautiful wrinkled appearance at the top.

What should a good (flourless) cookie dough look like?

Please note that cookie recipes can wildly vary, and that's also the case for the consistency of the cookie dough.

The dough is sticky for this particular flourless cookie recipe, so you can't "drop" the cookies onto the sheet without using your finger to scrape the dough out of the spoon.

Usually, I wet my fingers to make this whole process easier and to aid with flattening the dough a bit.

You might find that instead, it's easier to use a small ice cream scoop with a triggered blade to drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.

If preferred, you can also chill the dough in the fridge for a few hours or overnight so it becomes easier to work with but still produces a superior texture in the finished bake.

I usually don't do this, but if you decide to chill the cookie dough before baking, I imagine that you would need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

Can my flourless cookies look different in color?

Yes, depending on whether you use cacao powder, carob powder, almond flour, eggs or no eggs, a different type of milk, or even the type of peanut butter, your cookies might be slightly different in color than as shown in the pictures above.

Look at some of the color differences below because I used a few different substitutions. But either way, your flourless peanut butter cookies will taste delicious.

📖 Recipe

(Note: This post was published in January 2018 and has been updated to include new info and photos)

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (gluten-free with variations)