No Flour Peanut Butter Cookies

If you are looking for No Flour Peanut Butter Cookies that also feel good to eat, then I have a lovely recipe for you. These flourless cookies are easy to make and a delicious gluten-free, grain-free snack to pair with your favorite hot drink or pair them with my date-sweetened iced coffee on warmer days.

They are nutrient-dense with a soft bite, crunchy edges, and can pass as a breakfast—or crumble one in your oatmeal bowl. I am also sharing an egg-free, vegan version and show you how different they look—but they still taste amazing!

So, let's make this feel-good baked treat!

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.

Jump to:

• Ingredients and substitutions
• Make it Egg-free and Vegan
• How to make flourless peanut butter cookies
• Storage and Shelf Life
• Let's Bake
• Recipe

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

These flourless peanut butter cookies are incredibly soft and are only slightly sweet due to the dates and a bit of Molasses (more about that in a bit and how to replace this ingredient).

Sometimes I make them egg-free, and although the structure changes a bit, 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 10 to 15 minutes in the oven.

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 for at least up to 7 days—see all storage options below.

Ingredients and substitutions

• cacao powder (or carob powder)
• dates and molasses (or maple syrup)
• coconut oil
• plant milk (if you want to keep it dairy-free)
• drippy natural peanut butter
• eggs or Bob's Red Mill egg replacer
• cinnamon
• baking soda and salt

Cacao or Carob Powder

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

You know me by now; I often like to use dried fruits in cookie recipes to give it a naturally sweet taste. This time, I use a combination of Medjool dates and Unsulphured dark blackstrap molasses.

Baking with dates add 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.

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

Plant Milk

You can use flaxseed, any 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. 

You want either the creamy, drippy one with minimal ingredients to make that smooth cookie dough batter. Or go for crunchy drippy peanut butter, the chunks of real peanuts will surprise you with each bite—my favorite.

I love organic dark roasted peanut butter from Santa Cruz or the 365 Everyday Value Wholefoods brand.

Make it Egg-free and Vegan

Although both equally delicious, the cookies will look and taste a bit different when using no eggs (see picture.)

The batter for no egg no flour peanut butter cookies will be a bit less wet and runny, and the texture will be more crumbly. You will have to let the cookies completely cool down before serving. Otherwise, their form won't hold.

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.

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. But at times, I have used the same amount of baking powder instead. As you can see from the pictures, it will affect how the cookies look, but it didn't change the delicious taste of these peanut butter cookies. So feel free to use whatever you have on hand in your pantry.

How to make flourless peanut butter cookies

Everything comes together quickly:

1. Make a date paste by blending the dates, coconut oil, milk, and the molasses in a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix, NutriBullet) or food processor. You should get a beautiful brown sweet-tasting paste.
2. In a bowl, stir the eggs (or egg substitute prepared according to package instructions), peanut butter, cinnamon powder, Cacao or carob powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. The dough will be sticky and fairly dry.
3. Combine the date paste with the dough until you have a relatively wet mixture.
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. Now they are ready to pop into the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Storage and Shelf Life

I doubt that these treats will last long, but if you have more self-control than me, store them in an airtight container on the counter or in the fridge for up to 7 days. Freeze them for more extended storage!

Let's Bake

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!

Like healthy, wholesome treats? Then you are also going to enjoy some of my other baked goods:

• Like my gluten-free speculoos cookies
• or my flourless brownies, 
• and don't forget to try out my grain-free mango cookies
• as well as our favorite Buttery Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies.
• They are delicious!

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