3-Ingredient Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies

These 3-ingredient almond flour peanut butter cookies are vegan, gluten-free, and healthy. They are naturally sweetened with maple syrup to give them a moist and soft texture with no egg or butter. The best thing about 3-ingredient almond flour cookies is how easy they are to make, and how delicious they taste! You will love them.

I'm all about easy, simple baking, and these cookies are truly easy. The maple syrup provides the perfect amount of sweetness in the recipe to complement the peanut butter. This is the perfect cookie recipe to make with kids or take to a party.

These thumbprint cookies with icing and these gluten-free double chocolate chip cookies also make for great party desserts. I hope you add these gluten-free pink sugar cookies to the list, too, because they're super fun!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Cookies
• Blanched vs. Unblanched Almond Flour
• Ingredient Notes
• Step-By-Step Instructions
• Expert Baking Tips
• Easy Cookie Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Storing And Freezing
• More Cookie Recipes
• Recipe

Why You'll Love These Cookies

• Easy to make - These 3-ingredient almond flour peanut butter cookies are seriously the easiest cookies ever made. You don't need a mixer, just one bowl and a spoon to mix the dough.
• Vegan and gluten-free - There is no butter or eggs in these cookies. They are completely gluten-free and vegan with almond flour as the main ingredient.
• 3-ingredient cookies - I bet you have the ingredients for these cookies in your pantry already. You only need three and they're all plant-based.
• Healthy - These are healthy almond flour peanut butter cookies because they contain no animal products, added sugar, or butter.
• Delicious peanut butter flavor - I can't think of many people who don't love peanut butter, and these cookies definitely have that delicious peanut butter flavor.

Blanched vs. Unblanched Almond Flour

Almond flour is exactly what it sounds like: flour made from almonds. It is naturally gluten-free and has a coarser texture compared to all-purpose flour. Blanched almond flour is made from "blanched" almonds, which are almonds with their skin and peels removed. Blanched almond flour has a pale, light color and fine texture.

Unblanched almond flour is made from ground almonds with their skin intact. It has a slightly darker color and can be slightly coarser than blanched almond flour with specks of the almond skin throughout the flour. Both blanched and unblanched almond flour are great flour options for gluten-free baking. Almond flour also has a great nutritional profile, with Vitamin E and healthy Omega 3s.

What does almond flour do to cookies?

Almond flour is denser than other flour and adds a sweet, nutty taste to cookies. Almond flour provides fat and structure to cookies which helps them retain moisture. It's important to properly measure your flour to ensure you don't add too much and end up with dry cookies. I love using almond flour for gluten-free baking because of how versatile it is.

How to substitute almond flour for all-purpose flour

Typically, you can substitute almond flour for all-purpose flour in a 1:1 ratio. You may have to increase the binding agent you use in the recipe, such as eggs, plant milk, or honey in order to bind the almond flour. Depending on the recipe, almond flour may encourage cookies to spread more, while muffins and cupcakes may rise less.

I recommend following the instructions on each recipe individually to ensure you have the best results when making flour substitutions.

Ingredient Notes

Like I said before, these are 3-ingredient almond flour cookies with peanut butter and maple syrup. That's it! Super simple and easy.

Here are some notes on the ingredients and substitutions you can make if necessary:

• Almond Flour - I recommend using a superfine, blanched almond flour for these cookies for the best texture. However, you can use unblanched almond flour too. I have not tested making the cookies with other flours.
• Peanut Butter - Use an all-natural, creamy peanut butter that is 100% peanuts. Do not use thick or crunchy peanut butter or the cookies will be way too thick and dry! You need a thin, drizzly natural peanut butter for these cookies.
• Maple Syrup - Be sure to use 100% pure maple syrup to sweeten the cookies, not the fake kinds made from corn syrup. You can use honey instead, if you aren't vegan.

You can add a pinch of salt to the cookie dough if you'd like, but I prefer to sprinkle sea salt on top of the peanut butter cookies when they come out of the oven.

Step-By-Step Instructions

You only need one bowl to make these cookies. No mixer is necessary. Just a spoon!

STEP 1: Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, add the almond flour, peanut butter, and maple syrup.

STEP 2: Stir well. Stir the ingredients until a thick, sticky cookie dough forms. It should be fairly thick and hold its structure.

STEP 3: Scoop dough. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop the peanut butter cookie dough into evenly-sized balls. Place them on the cookie sheet 1-2 inches apart.

STEP 4: Press cookies with a fork. Using the back of a fork, gently press the tops of the cookies so they have a crisscross pattern. This encourages the cookies to spread in the oven and makes a pretty design on top that is classic for peanut butter cookies.

STEP 5: Bake. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The edges should set up and become slightly golden, but do not overbake them.

STEP 6: Let cool on pan. Remove the cookies from the oven a minute or two before you think they are done. Allow them to set up on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

STEP 7: Add sea salt. If desired, sprinkle the tops of the peanut butter cookies with flaky sea salt to create a delicious pop of flavor. It's the perfect sweet and salty combination!

TIP: Gluten-free cookies don't spread much in the oven on their own, so the shape they are before baking is often the size and shape they will be after baking. Be sure your cookies are the right size before you put them in the oven.

Expert Baking Tips

• Properly measure almond flour - I recommend weighing your almond flour with a baking scale to ensure you are using the proper amount. If you don't have a baking scale, use a spoon to gently sprinkle the flour into a measuring cup. Then use a knife to level the top of the measuring cup and scrape off any excess flour. This prevents you from overmeasuring the flour since you aren't scooping it and packing it into the cup by accident.
• Use natural, creamy peanut butter - It's critical to use a natural, creamy peanut butter for these almond flour cookies. Using peanut butter with stabilizers or fillers will be too thick for the recipe and the cookies will be hard to mix. I recommend Crazy Richard's 100% Peanuts as the best creamy peanut butter option.
• Let cookies cool on the pan - Be sure to let the almond flour cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. If you move them too soon, they might crumble or break since they are still warm.
• Sprinkle sea salt on top - Adding a dash of flaky sea salt on the freshly baked peanut butter cookies adds such a pop of flavor when you bite into them.

Easy Cookie Variations

While these almond flour peanut butter cookies are perfect as is, here are some fun and equally delicious variations to the recipe for next time:

Almond Flour Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

To make almond flour peanut butter oatmeal cookies, replace half of the almond flour with old-fashioned oats. You can also use quick oats, but do not use steel-cut oats. Oats add a whole new texture to the peanut butter cookies, and they taste delicious.

If you want to, you can replace the almond flour completely with oats for simple 3-ingredient peanut butter oatmeal cookies. As long as you use certified gluten-free oats, the cookies will still be vegan and gluten-free.

Almond Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can easily adapt this recipe to include chocolate chips. Stir in ⅓ to ½ cup vegan chocolate chips before scooping the dough. Be careful not to overmix the dough. I love using vegan dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate in the peanut butter cookies, but vegan milk chocolate works too.

Get creative and add white chocolate or butterscotch chips for a unique and delicious flavor combination! You might love these dairy-free chocolate chip cookies too.

Peanut Butter Cookies With Almond Flour And Honey

These peanut butter cookies are already made with almond flour, and you can easily replace the maple syrup with honey if you aren't vegan. I like to use raw, unfiltered honey (buying local is the best), to avoid any fillers or artificial flavors. You may need to add slightly more honey than you would maple syrup because honey is generally thicker and more viscous than pure maple syrup.

Using honey instead of maple syrup will give you gluten-free and dairy-free peanut butter cookies, but they won't be vegan, so this is something to keep in mind.

Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies No Sweetener

If you want to make almond flour peanut butter cookies with no sugar or sweetener at all, you can replace the maple syrup with peanut butter. Making cookies with just almond flour and peanut butter gives them a very mild, simple, not too sweet taste.

You may need to adjust the amounts of flour and peanut butter you use to ensure the dough is the proper consistency. The dough should be thick and hold its shape when you scoop it into balls and place it on the baking sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing And Freezing

To store any leftover peanut butter cookies, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days to prevent them from drying out. You can freeze the cookies for 3-6 months by placing them in an airtight container in the freezer. Just remember to let them thaw before enjoying them again.

Should you refrigerate peanut butter cookies?

You do not need to refrigerate peanut butter cookies once they are baked. They are fine to be kept on the counter at room temperature as long as they are in an airtight container or sealed Ziploc bag. There is no harm in refrigerating peanut butter cookies, but it's not required. You don't need to chill the cookie dough either!

More Cookie Recipes

Did you make these 3-ingredient almond flour peanut butter cookies? Please leave a rating and review below. I would love to know how you liked them! If you post a photo on Instagram and tag me, I would love to share it. For more recipe inspiration, follow me on Pinterest and join my email list to stay updated with content.

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