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    Home » Dessert » 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies

    3-Ingredient Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies

    Published: Mar 2, 2022 by Jessica

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN SHARE

    There is no better snack than these vegan almond flour peanut butter cookies for afternoon tea or coffee break. They are made using only 3 ingredients, fully gluten-free and plant-based, high-in-protein and loaded with nutty flavors. We also love their soft and crumbly texture. Can be frozen if you love to meal-prep!

    Overhead view on a dark plate filled with 3-ingredient almond flour peanut butter cookies with a glass of milk on the side.

    As you can see by the number of almond flour sweet recipes on my blog, I got a passion for baking using almond flour. One of our favorite is this almond flour thumbprint cookie recipe. I have made them countless times, we just cannot get enough of their amazingly soft & gooey texture combined with the colorful sweet fruit center.

    And these almond flour peanut butter cookies are another favorite cookie recipe. My children and husband devour them every time I make them, they are so delicious!

    Plus, they are ridiculously easy to make. You can whip up a batch from pantry to out of the oven within 20 minutes. They are so simple that I love to include my kids when making them. Plus, the dough is safe to eat raw, which allows them to sample the batter as they stir.

    But what I love so much from baking with almond flour is the slightly crumbly, but still soft and moist texture it gives to baked goods. Almond flour also is more flavorful than regular wheat flour, with backgrounds of nuttiness and sweetness, which enhances the overall sweet flavor of whatever you are baking.

    These cookies makes for a healthy vegan dessert but also, they are not overly sweet, which makes them perfect for breakfast, especially with a cup of tea or coffee.

    Front angle view on a pile of vegan almond flour peanut butter cookies on a dark plate. There is a glass of milk in the background.

    What's to love about these cookies

    • Only requires 3 simple pantry ingredients
    • Fully plant-based
    • High-in-protein and filling
    • Dairy-free, gluten-free and free of refined granulated sugar
    • Ultra simple to prepare
    • Healthy enough for breakfast
    • Made without eggs, processed oil or butter
    • Amazingly soft with a chewy texture

    Ingredients you'll need

    • Almond flour: aim for a finely ground blanched flour. I use this almond flour from Bob's Red Mill.
    • Maple syrup: can be swapped for agave nectar (it's cheaper), although the maple adds amazing flavor. Don't use granulated sugar though, which would make the dough too dense.
    • Peanut butter: I used this chunky peanut butter from Teddie.

    What kind of peanut butter to use

    You will need a NATURAL kind of peanut butter for this recipe. You want it to be quite runny and sort of pourable too. DO NOT use a no-stir peanut butter with added oil and preservatives. They are more solid and will change a lot the texture of the cookies (would also make the batter harder to handle).

    Also, you can use either smooth or chunky peanut butter. I do love the addition of pieces of nuts within the cookies, it adds extra crunchiness!

    The peanut butter I used has a little salt in it, so if yours don't have any, then you can add a sprinkle of salt to the batter for added flavor.

    Showing are the ingredients needed to make almond flour peanut butter cookies.

    Almond meal vs almond flour

    I made them using a finely ground blanched almond flour. This means that the almonds were first quickly boiled and their skins were peeled off before grinding them into a powdery texture.

    These cookies are simple and pretty forgiving, so I believe that they could be made using almond meal instead. Almond meal simply is a flour made out of almonds still with their skins on. The flour tends to be more coarse with a darker brown color too.

    You can also make your own almond flour using a high-speed blender. You will save money, plus the flavor will noticeably be more fresh. Aim for an ultra fine texture for best baking results. Here is a guide on how to make your own almond flour.

    Health benefits of almond flour

    Other than creating delicious cookies that have great texture, almond flour also carries a load of health benefits:

    • Rich in vitamin E: act as antioxidants to fight multiple diseases.
    • High in magnesium: known to help control your blood sugar.
    • Low glycemic index: compared to regular all-purpose wheat flour, almond flour is lower in carbohydrates, higher in fiber and contains more protein. All this together can help control your glycemia by preventing a spike in sugar.
    • Gluten-free: almond flour provides an alternative to wheat flour for people following a gluten-free diet.
    • Lowering cholesterol: many studies shows that almonds and almond flour can increase the "good" cholesterol and lower the "bad" ones.

    You can read more about almond flour's health benefits in this Healthline article: Why Almond Flour Is Better Than Most Other Flours.

    Close up on a pile of vegan almond flour peanut butter cookies on a dark plate and sprinkled with sea salt.

    How to make them

    Make the batter

    In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, peanut butter and maple syrup. It should be a thick batter that might even look dry. Use a spatula to stir and make sure no clumps of almond flour are visible.

    Shape the cookies

    Then, use about 2 tablespoons of batter at the time and roll it in between your hands to a smooth ball. Transfer on a parchment paper covered baking sheet and keep going with the rest of the batter. It should give you about 12-13 balls.

    Then, using a fork, gently press on the balls twice perpendicularly to create an X shape over the cookies. Keep the cookies about ¾-1 inch thick.

    Bake and rest

    Once the cookies are shaped, then bake in the oven for 10 minutes. They should get slightly golden brown on the edges.

    Then, let them rest for another 10 minutes at room temperature. They will still be very soft when just out of the oven, but will quickly firm up as they cool down.

    • In process picture: overhead view on a bowl filled with flour, peanut butter and syrup.
    • In process picture: showing is a thick batter in a batter.
    • In process picture: overhead view on a few ball of dough placed on a parchment paper covered baking dish.
    • In process picture: close up on a fork pressing on a ball of dough.
    • In process picture: overhead view on a few cookies on a baking sheet still unbaked.

    Watch how to make it

    Baking tips

    • Be sure to stir your jar of natural peanut butter before adding to the batter. You are looking for a runny and smooth kind of texture, not grainy or dryish peanut butter.
    • These cookies are not overly sweet, so feel free to press in a few chocolate chips over the cookies before baking them.
    • When pressing on the cookies, the fork tends to stick to the batter. Use your finger to help the pressing process (see the video) or wet your fork a little so it does not stick to the batter.
    • These cookies won't spread much while cooking, so you have to shape them before baking (don't leave them in balls).
    • Don't overbake them! 10 minutes is plenty enough. Again, they will be really soft at first, but firm up as they cool down.

    Fun add-in ideas

    These quick and easy peanut butter cookies are so delicious on their own, but you could also add a few extra favorite ingredients such as:

    • Chocolate chips or raisins.
    • Nuts like walnuts and peanuts (chop them first).
    • A sprinkle of coconut sugar.
    • Include cinnamon or vanilla extract into the batter.
    • Swap the peanut butter for almond butter.

    Try not to add too much add-ins as the cookies might not hold as well with too much stuffing. I recommend to simply press the garnishes over the cookies after they are shaped just like I did with my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

    Showing are 2 cookies over each other with the top one having a bite taken off to show the texture.

    Storage tips

    Keep these cookies at room temperature for a few days. After they cool down, transfer in an air-tight container so they don't dry out.

    You can also make double batch and freeze them. They thaw quickly within minutes at room temperature, perfect meal-prep sweet recipe!

    Other almond flour recipes

    • Vegan thumbprint cookies
    • Almond vanilla granola
    • Almond flour banana muffins
    • Matcha energy balls
    • Gluten-free pie crust
    • Coffee bean cookies

    I hope you like these almond flour peanut butter cookies as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were. Your feedback is so helpful!

    Let's stay in touch with Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Also, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to be sure not to miss anything.

    Overhead view on a dark plate filled with 3-ingredient almond flour peanut butter cookies with a glass of milk on the side.

    3-Ingredient Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies

    5 from 3 votes
    There is no better snack than these vegan almond flour peanut butter cookies for afternoon tea or coffee break. They are made using only 3 ingredients, fully gluten-free and plant-based, high-in-protein and loaded with nutty flavors. We also love their soft and crumbly texture. Can also be frozen if you love to meal-prep!
    PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Servings 12 cookies
    Author Jessica Laroche

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups finely ground almond flour (blanched)
    • 1 cup NATURAL peanut butter - smooth or chunky
    • ⅓ cup maple syrup - or agave nectar

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat the oven to 350º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Combine the almond flour, peanut butter and maple syrup. Stir well and make sure to break all the almond flour clumps.
    • Then, using about 2 tablespoons of batter at the time, roll the dough into balls and place on the baking sheet. Keep going until you used all of the dough (I used a medium size ice cream scoop). Then, using a fork, flatten them by creating an X over the cookies.
    • Bake for 10 minutes, then let them cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet so they can firm up.

    Video

    Notes

    • Store any leftovers at room temperature for a few days. Once cooled down, transfer in an air-tight container so they don't dry out. Can also be frozen.
    • Make sure to use a natural kind of peanut butter (stir in the jar well before measuring). You are looking for a runny and pourable kind of peanut butter.
    • These cookies are not overly sweet, which is why I like them for breakfast. But, if you want them sweeter, then press a few chocolate chips over the cookies after shaped or sprinkle some coconut sugar over, then bake. 
    • Don't overbake these cookies! They will feel very soft after just out of the oven, but will quickly firm up as they cool down.
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    There are 2 pictures showing some cookies with an overlay text saying: "Gluten-free almond flour peanut butter cookies".
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cynthia says

      April 27, 2022 at 5:38 pm

      Does it need to be pure maple syrup .
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        April 27, 2022 at 5:45 pm

        I haven't tried with other kind of syrup, so I am not sure. Agave nectar might work too, although the texture of the cookies might turn out a little bit different...

        Reply
    2. Nancy says

      October 30, 2022 at 7:41 pm

      5 stars
      These are my all time favorite cookies. So easy to make with only 3 ingredients and they are all healthy. They are perfect with a cup of tea and as a sweet after a meal. Thank you Jess!

      Reply
    3. Denise says

      November 26, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      5 stars
      These were so easy to make and super delicious! We put chocolate chips in half the batch. Highly recommend!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        November 26, 2022 at 8:58 pm

        Thanks Denise for sharing! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Jennifer says

      February 01, 2023 at 1:28 pm

      5 stars
      So, so good! We used Joseph’s sugar free syrup instead of maple syrup and they turned out delicious!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        February 01, 2023 at 3:35 pm

        Oh great Jennifer! I'm glad you liked them. Thanks for sharing your message! 😀

        Reply

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    ABOUT JESS


    Profile picture for Plant Based Jess in the kitchen.

    Hi there! I’m Jessica, a pasta obsessed French Canadian now living in beautiful Maine. I’m a mom of two, experienced foodie and ninja meal planner. I believe everyone can make stress-free plant-based meals with wholesome ingredients that your family and friends will love. 

    Join me in my kitchen to discover fun and creative recipes or click to find out more. Welcome!

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