Say hello to these amazing, grain free peanut butter cup cookies that I couldn’t stop eating. They’re a little bit like the famous peanut butter blossoms you know and love, but instead of adding a chocolate kiss to the peanut butter cookies, we’re doubling the PB love by adding a peanut butter cup right in the middle.
They’re thick, chewy and everything you could want in a peanut butter cookie, but made extra special (and grain free!) Plus, they’re made in one bowl for an easy, delicious treat whenever that sweet tooth kicks in.
My recommendation? Keep a stash of these on-hand at all times!
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Ingredients you’ll need for healthy peanut butter cup cookies
These incredible, gluten free peanut butter cup cookies are so easy to make! All you need is one bowl plus a few ingredients that I use in my other gluten and grain free cookies. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Peanut butter: I recommend using a natural, creamy peanut butter that’s made with just peanuts and salt. Smuckers, 365 and Trader Joe’s brand are all great options! Just make sure it’s nice a creamy and only has peanut and salt as the ingredients.
- Oil: you’ll need a couple tablespoons of coconut oil to give these cookies moisture.
- To sweeten: we’re naturally sweetening these healthy peanut butter cup cookies with coconut sugar, and adding some extra flavor with vanilla extract. If you don’t have coconut sugar, brown sugar should work!
- Eggs: you’ll just need one egg in this cookie recipe.
- Flours: we’re using a mix of almond flour and coconut flour to keep these cookies grain and gluten free. If you don’t have coconut flour, I think oat flour would work well but haven’t tried it so let me know if you do!
- Baking staples: be sure to add baking soda and salt to help these bake up.
- The magic touch: they’re not just peanut butter cookies, they’re peanut butter cup cookies! So add your favorite mini peanut butter cup and a sprinkle of fancy sea salt to each cookie before baking. I love using Justin’s mini dark chocolate peanut butter cups because they melt when you bake them, yum!
Optional recipe ingredient swaps
If you’re low on certain ingredients, here are some swaps you can make in these healthy peanut butter cup cookies:
- Feel free to use melted butter or vegan butter in place of the coconut oil.
- Instead of coconut sugar, you can also use regular brown sugar.
- To use another nut butter, feel free to try a creamy natural almond butter and simply add a chocolate kiss or mini almond butter cup. If there’s a peanut allergy, be sure to check the candy you use to make sure it’s completely peanut-free.
Can I make these peanut butter cookies vegan?
Yes, these grain free peanut butter cup cookies should work just fine with a flax egg in place of the egg!
Can I use all-purpose flour?
I would not recommend swapping out the almond & coconut flours for all-purpose flour as the texture will not be the same. Instead, try one of these cookies:
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cream Pies with Fluffy Peanut Butter Filling
- Chocolate-Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies with Toffee & Crushed Pretzels
- Chewy Chocolate Chunk Coconut Oatmeal Cookies {made with coconut oil}
How to make grain free peanut butter cup cookies
- Prep your oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add all of your wet ingredients to a large bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add dry ingredients. Add in all of the dry ingredients and mix everything together with a wooden spoon until it’s combined.
- Prep the dough. Grab a big tablespoon of dough with a cookie scoop, roll it into a ball, and place it on your cookie sheet. Flatten the dough a bit with your hand, gently press a peanut butter cup to the middle, and bake them for about 10 minutes.
- Devour. Sprinkle them with a little sea salt, let them cool and enjoy!
Tips & tricks for perfect peanut butter cup cookies
Perfect these gluten free peanut butter cup cookies with a few of my tips & tricks:
- Use an all natural creamy peanut butter with only peanuts + salt as the ingredients. My favorites are Smucker’s, 365 brand, and Trader Joe’s.
- Be sure not to flatten the cookies too much, or press the peanut butter cup too far down. Just flatten them until they’re about 1/4 inch thick and make sure the PB cup isn’t touching the pan itself.
- Only bake your cookies until they are just barely golden brown on the edges. They’ll be even more delicious when slightly underbaked (and will continue to cook & set up on the baking sheet!)
Tips for storing peanut butter cup cookies
Store these grain free peanut butter cup cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 1 week! They’ll even soften
Can you freeze peanut butter cookies?
Yes, you can easily freeze these cookies! Here are my recommendations:
- How to freeze the dough: roll the cookie dough into balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once the cookie dough balls firm up, you can transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container. Cookie dough will keep well for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the cookie dough balls a bit so that you can easily flatten them and add your peanut butter cup. Then bake as directed.
- How to freeze already baked peanut butter cookies: wait for the peanut butter cup cookies to cool completely, then transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container lined with wax or parchment paper. I like to place them in a single layer to avoid any cookies breaking. Cookies will keep well for up to 2 months. Once ready to eat, simply thaw out at room temperature and enjoy.
More holiday cookies to try
Mint Chocolate Cookies with Mint Frosting
Grain Free Chocolate Orange Pinwheels
Soft Brown Butter Ginger Cookies with Lovely Lemon Icing
Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies (gluten free, grain free, paleo friendly)
Grain Free Gingerdoodle Cookies
Salted Brown Butter Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
I hope you love these easy and delicious grain free peanut butter cup cookies! If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Grain Free Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients:
- 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter (just peanuts and salt as the ingredients)
- 2 tablespoons melted and cooled coconut oil (or sub melted butter or melted vegan butter)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dry ingredients:
- 1/2 cup packed fine blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour (do not pack)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8-10 mini peanut butter cups (we love the dark chocolate ones from Justin’s!)
- Fancy Maldon salt (or sea salt), for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add peanut butter, melted and cooled coconut oil, coconut sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined, smooth and creamy.
- Add in the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt; mix with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to grab a heaping tablespoonful of dough and roll into a ball, placing dough 2 inches apart. Flatten cookies with the palm of your hand so they are approximately 1/4th inch thick. Gently place a peanut butter cup in the middle, pressing down ever so slightly. Bake for 9-11 minutes. As soon as cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle them with a little sea salt. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing them. Makes 8-10 cookies.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
Probably my absolute favorite recipe. I have made half a dozen times since Christmas. Since Having to go gluten free (health reasons) Ambitious kitchen has been my life saver. These cookies are MONEY! I use the Trader Joe’s dark choc peanut butter cups on top- omg!
Absolute best cookie I have ever made, my whole family agrees! Plus so easy! I put the peanut butter cup on the cookie with the small side down and it causes basically the whole cookie to be covered in melted chocolate. SO SO SO DELICIOUS a must make!!!
I followed the recipe exactly which was easy to do. I love that this a gluten free option for this cookie, and they are delicious! I was careful not to bake too long!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
These were so delicious! We ran out of coconut sugar so I used dark brown sugar and they turned out great.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
This recipe is delicious! I was so excited to make these because they remind me of peanut blossoms and they were my favorite as a child but now I am celiac and have not made them until now. Thank you so much for this recipe it is wonderful and I will be making several batches for Christmas.
Absolutely! So glad you found these ones!
Didn’t have any almond flour but made some oat flour and turned out great! A little puffy but the taste was on point! Will make again!
I’m glad that still worked out! Perfect dessert 🙂
So yummy!
Glad you like them!
These were so easy and delicious!! Would definitely make again! 🙂
So glad you liked them!