Peanut butter lovers rejoice! These Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies are made with 5 simple ingredients and come together in just 20 minutes for a delicious chewy cookie packed with peanut butter flavour.

a peanut butter cookie with a bite taken out of it

Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies (Only 5 Ingredients)

Peanut butter is one of those magical ingredients that can be used in so many different ways. From smoothies to protein bars, to noodles and even tofu, I think it’s safe to say that however you like to use peanut butter, it’s always the star of the show.

And today is no exception. Today peanut butter makes its debut as the star of these easy 5 ingredient Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies!

These Peanut Butter Cookies are one of those recipes that you can easily whip up a batch of every week. You don’t need any fancy kitchen equipment to make these cookies, just a bowl and spoon!

Why you’ll love Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

  • 20 minutes. 10 minutes to prep and make the cookies, and 10 minutes to bake the cookies. Ok, plus 15 minutes to let the dough chill in the fridge. but you don’t have to do any work during that time:)
  • Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and grain-free. These cookies are a great option to suit most diet types and you don’t need eggs to make delicious peanut butter cookies.
  • Easy clean up. Can we all admit the worst part about making cookies is the clean up afterwards? This recipe can be made with just a bowl and a spoon so you’ll have minimal clean up at the end.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookie Ingredients

  • Creamy peanut butter: can’t make Peanut Butter Cookies without peanut butter! I recommend using creamy peanut butter for this recipe for the best results.
  • Maple syrup: this is the sweetener used for the cookies. You can also use agave nectar if you prefer.
  • Almond flour: a little almond flour is used to make the cookies easier to work with and roll into cookies. You can substitute the almond flour for oat flour, or for a non gluten-free option you can also just use all-purpose flour.
  • Vanilla extract: for flavour. Use the real stuff!
  • Salt: just a pinch. If the brand of peanut butter you are using already has salt in it and you find it quite salty you can leave this out.

How to Make Dairy Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Step 1

Add the peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond flour and salt to a mixing bowl and mix together until well combined. You can optionally add 1/3 cup of chocolate chips to the cookie dough if you like. Then place the bowl in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to let it firm up to make it easy to roll into cookies.

  • almond flour and peanut butter in a mixing bowl
  • vegan peanut butter cookie dough in a clear mixing bowl

Step 2

Use a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop to measure out even cookies, then use your hands to roll the cookies into balls. Place each ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a fork to press into each cookie in one direction, and then the other direction to create lines in the cookies.

  • peanut butter cookie dough balls on a baking sheet
  • unbaked peanut butter cookies on a baking sheet

Step 3

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely before eating.

  • peanut butter cookies on a baking sheet
  • vegan peanut butter cookies on parchment paper

Should I use Natural or Regular Peanut Butter for these Peanut Butter Vegan Cookies?

I’ve tested this recipe with both natural peanut butter and regular peanut butter, and regular peanut butter works best.

While you can use natural peanut butter, because of the oil content it can cause the cookies to spread more and also tends to make the cookies have a more dry and crumbly texture.

Do I need to chill Vegan Peanut Butter Cookie dough?

Chilling the cookie dough will make it much easier to roll the cookies into balls. If the cookie dough is very soft it will be harder to roll.

If you find your dough feels easy enough to roll at room temperature, then there’s no need to chill the dough! (one trick here is to spray your hands with cooking spray which will help prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.)

How to Store Dairy Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Store the peanut butter cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week.

Tips for making these Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

  • Use regular creamy peanut butter. Kraft, Jif and Skippy all work well. Natural peanut butter will result in a drier and more crumbly cookie.
  • You don’t have to chill the dough, but if the cookies are hard to roll, chill the dough.
  • Let the cookies cool. They will be very soft and puffy when you take them out of the oven so it’s important to let them cool before eating.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookie FAQs

Can I freeze Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies?

Yes! You can freeze both the cookie dough and the baked cookies. To freeze the cookie dough place the tray of unbaked cookies in the freezer until frozen. Then transfer to a freezer bag. To bake place the frozen raw cookies on a baking sheet and let thaw, then bake according to directions. To freeze baked cookies, place the cookies in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze. Let thaw on the countertop.

How can I keep my Peanut Butter Cookies from falling apart?

If you add too much flour to peanut butter cookies, this can cause them to fall apart. Even if the cookies dough seems soft, don’t add more flour.

How do I roll peanut butter cookies if my dough is soft?

If the dough is too soft place the dough in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to firm up. This will make it much easier to roll.

Can I make these cookies without peanut butter?

You can use any type of nut butter such as almond butter or cashew butter to make these cookies. Just make sure to use creamy nut butter for the best results!

a hand holding a peanut butter cookie

More Vegan Cookies to try

If you tried these Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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a peanut butter cookie with a bite taken out of it

Dairy Free Peanut Butter Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 12 cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies made with 5 simple ingredients!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, then place the bowl in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to firm up so the cookies are easy to roll.
  3. Use a tablespoon to measure out even cookies, then roll into balls and place on the baking sheet.
  4. Take a fork and press it into the cookies in one direction, and then press it into the cookies in the opposite direction to make an X-shape in the cookies.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely before eating.

Notes

Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week. 

Use regular creamy peanut butter. Kraft, Jif and Skippy all work well. Natural peanut butter will result in a drier and more crumbly cookie.

You can optionally add chocolate chips to this recipe. Add 1/3 cup. 

You don’t have to chill the dough, but if the cookies are hard to roll, chill the dough.

Let the cookies cool. They will be very soft and puffy when you take them out of the oven so it’s important to let them cool before eating.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 130
  • Sugar: 3.5g
  • Fat: 11g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 6g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 5.6g