Coconut Flour Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (2024)

by Jennifer Bell

These vegan, gluten-free, coconut flour peanut butter cookies are chewy with crisp edges. They’re perfect if you’re craving a treat that’s both sweet and a little salty. These vegan coconut flour cookies are grain free, dairy free, egg free, and refined sugar free. They’re a nutritious dessert or snack that is sure to satisfy both kids and grownups.

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What to serve with these coconut flour peanut butter cookies

For an extra indulgent treat, make ice cream sandwiches using these cookies and this no-churn banana bread ice cream. It’s easy to make and is also refined sugar free and vegan.

Coconut Flour Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (1)

Main ingredients and substitutions

These coconut flour peanut butter cookies call for only five ingredients, the first of which is natural, smooth (aka creamy) peanut butter. You can substitute crunchy peanut butter if you prefer. Just be sure to use a brand of peanut butter that doesn’t contain any added sugar. The only ingredient listed on the jar should be peanuts. Alternatively you can easily make your own peanut butter at home by blending up peanuts in a food processor.

I sweetened these vegan peanut butter cookies with maple syrup. I love the flavor combination of peanut butter and maple syrup, and I find that using a liquid sweetener gives these cookies a soft, chewy texture with just the right amount of crispiness around the edges. You can substitute other liquid sweeteners such as agave if you prefer.

Coconut flour is my preferred gluten-free and grain-free flour these days. It adds a subtle, coconut flavor and satisfying texture to these cookies. I don’t recommend substituting other types of flour in this recipe because coconut flour is much more absorbent than most other flours.

How to make them

These vegan, gluten-free peanut butter cookies are quick and easy to make. Start by allowing the peanut butter to come to room temperature, then mix the wet ingredients and salt together. Next you’ll add the coconut flour and mix once more.

The next step is to refrigerate that mixture for 30 minutes in order to achieve a cookie dough consistency.

After 30 minutes of chilling time, you’ll scoop out a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball in your hands before placing it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the dough (this recipe makes approximately 14 cookies).

Coconut Flour Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (2)

Next you’ll use your fingers to flatten the balls down into round, cookie shapes before baking them for 10 minutes.

Coconut Flour Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (3)

Once the cookies are finished baking, allow them to cool off for at least twenty minutes before removing from the pan and serving.

Storage and freezing

Store these vegan coconut flour cookies in an airtight container for up to five days or freeze them for up to six months.

Optional additions

To add an extra layer of flavor to these coconut flour peanut butter cookies, stir 1/2 cup each of dairy-free dark chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate) and/or chopped peanuts into the cookie dough.

Coconut Flour Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (4)

More gluten-free cookie recipes to try

  • These coconut oil cookies are easy to make and delicious.
  • These buckwheat cookies are nutritious yet decadent.
  • These chickpea flour cookies are sweet, chocolaty, and satisfying.
  • These vegan pecan cookies have crispy edges and soft, chewy middles.

Coconut Flour Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (5)

4.34 from 56 votes

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Coconut Flour Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free)

These coconut flour peanut butter cookies are easy to make and so delicious. They have the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. These vegan coconut flour cookies are perfect for a nutritious, make-ahead dessert or snack.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 14

Calories 124kcal

Author Jennifer Bell

Equipment

  • Baking tray

  • Parchment paper

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup smooth natural peanut butter (at room temperature)
  • 2/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Add the peanut butter, maple syrup, pure vanilla extract, and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix well.

  • Add the coconut flour and mix well.

  • Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes.

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough into your hands and roll it into a ball, then place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all the cookie dough has been formed into balls.

  • Use your fingers to press the dough balls down and flatten them into circle shapes.

  • Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

  • Let the cookies cool off for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Store these coconut flour peanut butter cookies in an airtight container for up to five days or freeze them for up to six months.
  • Optional additions include 1/2 cup each of chopped peanuts and/or dairy-free dark chocolate chips.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cookie | Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

You might also like

  • This spicy dairy free nacho cheese sauce is a tasty, vegan appetizer or snack.
  • This apple coconut flour crumble is vegan and gluten free.
  • This easy butternut squash risotto is filling, flavorful, and delicious.
  • This mouth watering cream of cauliflower soup is pure comfort food.
Coconut Flour Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe (Vegan & Gluten Free) (2024)

FAQs

Is coconut flour good for gluten-free baking? ›

Coconut flour can be used in a variety of recipes as a substitute for wheat flour and is a popular gluten-free and grain-free flour alternative used in baking. Keep in mind, however, that it cannot be used as a 1-to-1 replacement for wheat flour in a recipe.

How do you keep gluten-free cookies from crumbling? ›

Use a Binder. Binders like xanthan gum and guar gum provide structure in gluten-free baking to make up for the missing gluten. This prevents cookies from being too crumbly plus it also helps with freshness.

How do you thicken gluten-free cookies? ›

Chilling the dough for at least several hours results in cookies that are extra-thick and chonky because it allows the flours to absorb more moisture.

Why can't you use natural peanut butter in cookies? ›

Using natural peanut butter requires a serious stir, Cook's Illustrated notes. Those oils and fats need to be completely reintegrated into the other solids before it can be used. Otherwise, parts of the peanut butter will be drier than others and it could affect the final texture of your cookies.

What is the secret to baking with coconut flour? ›

A quick rule of thumb is to swap about 1/4 to 1/3 cup coconut flour for 1 cup of regular flour. Due to its high absorbency, you'll also want to increase the number of eggs. To help you try this unique ingredient, we've rounded up eight of our best coconut flour recipes.

Which is better for baking almond or coconut flour? ›

As a stand alone flour, coconut flour does not yield crunchy baked goods the way almond flour does. Coconut flour does work incredibly well in cake and muffin recipes. Because many do not consider coconut a nut, coconut flour is a great alternative to almond flour for those with nut allergies.

What is the best flour for gluten-free cookies? ›

Oat Flour. With its creamy, earthy flavor and delicate texture, gluten-free oat flour is a staple of my gluten-free baking recipes. It bakes up soft and smooth, adding necessary starch to many GF baked goods and keeping them moist and tender due to its high fat content and stable protein structure.

What happens when you use gluten free flour in cookies? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Why are my gluten-free cookies so dry? ›

Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.

Should I add xanthan gum to gluten-free cookies? ›

Using xanthan gum helps provide some of the stickiness that gluten free goods lack, replacing some elasticity. Xanthan gum mimics some of gluten's most essential properties by sticking to flour and its moisture. This helps create moist goods that hold their shape after being baked.

What does cornstarch do in gluten-free cookies? ›

Adding cornstarch thickens the dough, so that they expand as they bake. As they cool, the outside will solidify and become just a little bit crispy, while keeping them extra soft in the middle. As always, be careful not to over bake the cookies. This will make them the wrong kind of chewy.

Are graham crackers gluten-free? ›

Most of today's graham crackers are made from refined wheat flour. If you are on a gluten-free diet, this is a problem. However, gluten-free grahams are easy to make at home. And even if you aren't gluten-free, making homemade graham crackers is a fun—and tasty—way to experience classic graham crackers in a new way.

What is the best brand of peanut butter for peanut butter cookies? ›

Peanut Butter: It's best to use a processed peanut butter like Jif creamy or Skippy creamy. I do not suggest using natural style, oily peanut butter. Crunchy peanut butter adds peanut chunks as well as a more crumbly texture.

Why are my 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies falling apart? ›

The wrong type of peanut butter may cause them to fall apart. Or using old eggs may create crumbly cookies. How long do peanut butter cookies last?

Why do they put fork marks in peanut butter cookies? ›

The baking company shared that the reason has to do with the consistency of the dough. Because peanut butter cookie dough is dense, using a fork helps flatten it into the ideal shape and thickness, allowing it to bake evenly.

Can I replace all-purpose flour with coconut flour? ›

Use a 1:4 ratio when substituting coconut flour with all-purpose flour. This means that for every 1 cup of regular flour, you only use ¼ cup of coconut flour. Following this ratio will help make your low-carb baked goods come out the way you hope.

Is coconut flour OK for celiacs? ›

Yes, coconut flour is gluten-free. Coconut flour is typically made by grinding the dried meat of a coconut—which is naturally gluten-free—into a fine powder. It is also grain-free, low in carbs, and high in fiber, potassium and iron.

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