[pinit] Well, hello there. I've been doing a bit of healthier stuff around here (hello Paleo! hello lighter muffins!). We know this. So when these soft gluten free peanut butter cookies were but a twinkle in my recipe-developer eye, they were all sorts of virtuous. And, even though I am not about to call these “lighter” or anything, and even though they have a wee bit of chocolate drizzle? They're still pretty good for you. Let's take an inventory, shall we?
No refined sugars? *check* Not a ton of sugar anyway? *check* Healthy oil as fat? *check* Protein-packed natural peanut butter? *check* You see where I'm going with this. I know you do.
These gluten free peanut butter cookies are really soft and tender. No crunch, no crispness. Not even on the outside. They're soft through and through.
See that tender crumb? Mmmmmmm….
I really like to do these slice and bake, too, since that's really the only way to get a nice, smooth edge on these cookies. Plus, hello easy!
The chocolate drizzle doesn't hurt either. Let's be honest.
Oh, looking for more gluten free peanut butter cookies? Try these:
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Crunchy Gluten Free Crosshatch Cookies
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies
Gluten Free Do-So-Dos Copycat Cookies
Gluten Free Nutter Butter Copycat Sandwich Cookies
And there's even more in the Recipe Archives. Holy cow!
Soft Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup (256 g) smooth no-stir natural peanut butter
1/3 cup (75 g) virgin coconut oil (can use an equal amount, by weight, of unsalted butter or vegetable shortening)
2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour (I used Better Batter)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (80 g) coconut sugar (can use an equal amount, by weight, of granulated sugar)
2 tablespoons (42 g) pure maple syrup
2 eggs (120 g, out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Melted chocolate, for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.In a medium-size, heat-safe bowl, melt the peanut butter and coconut oil, stirring occasionally, until smooth in either the microwave (30-second intervals on high power, stirring in between) or over a double boiler. Set the bowl aside to cool briefly.
In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt and coconut sugar, and whisk to combine well. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the melted peanut butter and oil mixture, then the maple syrup, eggs and vanilla, mixing to combine after each addition. Knead the dough together with clean hands to form a cohesive dough. It will be thick and soft. Shape the dough into a cylinder about 1 1/2 inches in diameter on a large piece of plastic wrap or unbleached parchment paper. Roll tightly in the wrap, and place in the freezer until mostly firm (about 10 minutes).
Remove the chilled dough from the freezer, and slice in cross-section into 24 pieces, each about 1/4-inch thick. Place the pieces of dough on the prepared baking sheets about 1-inch apart from one another (they will spread during baking, but not a lot). Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until slightly puffed and set in the center, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet until firm, at least 5 minutes, until attempting to move the cookies or they will not hold together well. Drizzle with melted chocolate, if desired, and allow the chocolate to set at room temperature before serving.
Mare Masterson says
These are going to have to wait because I do not think I can eat just one…batch that is! Nicole I just sent 2 pictures to you…sorry it has taken so long for me to do so.
Paddy Cakes Gluten Free Bakery says
I just made 2 batches of these. They are super soft, and really crumbly and dry. I used jarred almond butter so perhaps I should have used fresh ground. Even with granulated sugar they are not very sweet, which is good if you want a low sugar cookie. I drizzled chocolate on a few and topped them with crumbled bacon. Maybe if I used fresh ground nut butter they will be more cookie like and less biscuit like.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m sorry you didn’t like the cookies, Paddy. As you can see from the photos, mine are not crumbly and dry, and they do hold together. The recipe is written to made with smooth peanut butter. My guess is that your almond butter was not smooth enough.
Paddy Cakes Gluten Free Bakery says
No problems here. Just can’t have cookies that soft in a house with a toddler. I might be sweeping up crumbs forever. But I turned the raw dough into a cookie pie crust for Peanut Butter pie! I will try it again with raw nut butter like your blossoms called for. My almond butter was smooth, but really oily. Then I added the coconut oil. Perhaps that was the problem.
Nicole Hunn says
It’s definitely your nut butter. You need the no-stir kind. I will edit the recipe to reflect that.
Jennifer S. says
Oh you!!!! I am on team soft for cookies and these are so yummy looking and they are slice and bake – which are my favy, fav, favorite! I think I’ll dip half the cookie in chocolate – for some reason I’m partial to that! Thanks for a great recipe!
Paddy Cakes Gluten Free Bakery says
Omg! Another PB cookie?! Going to combat this cold snap with my oven today for these. I love PB cookies but your PB Blossoms were the reason I puton 10lbs over the holidays (evil buggers). I lost track of how many batches I made because they rarely lasted 24hrs in my house.
Donia Robinson says
The flecks of coconut sugar are so pretty!
rowsbud72 says
Going to try this egg free and with wowbutter.
Rhonda Hunter says
@rowsbud72:disqus Please let us know how it turns out and what substitute you used. I am a newly vegan GF baker and am always looking for the best work around.
@gfshoestring:disqus Thank you for putting so many wonderful recipes out here! They are always a hit, when I entertain.
rowsbud72 says
I’ll let you know as soon as I can find some Wowbutter….my usual supplier has been out all week!!!
Pink Peppercorn and Paprika says
A tablespoon of ground chia seeds mixed with 3 tbs of water is my new favorite egg replacement! I am new to GF Vegan baking as well, so this tip saved me! Hope it helps :)