Thick and Chewy Gluten Free Apple Peanut Butter Cookies
These gluten free apple cookies made with rich peanut butter baked into the dough are the perfect texture: the crispness of baking with peanut butter, and the chewiness that diced apples add.
1teaspoonxanthan gum(omit if your blend already contains it)
½teaspoonbaking soda
½teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonground cinnamon
½cup(100g)granulated sugar
½cup(109g)packed light brown sugar
8tablespoons(112g)unsalted butterat room temperature
½cup(128g)smooth, no-stir peanut butter
1(50g (weighed out of shell))eggat room temperature, beaten
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
1(180g)large applepeeled, cored and finely diced (Granny Smith works best)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar and whisk again to combine, breaking up any lumps.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, peanut butter, egg and vanilla, mixing to combine after each addition. The dough will be thick but soft.
Add the finely diced apple, and mix carefully until the apple is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Pull off portions of cookie dough that are about 2 tablespoonsful each, roll into a ball between your palms and flatten into a 1/2-inch thick disk, then place about 1 1/2-inches apart from one another on the prepared baking sheets.
Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the cookies are lightly golden brown all over and set in the center, about 14 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. If you attempt to move the cookies from the baking sheet too soon, they won’t hold together.
Notes
Adapted from Taste of Home. Originally published on the blog in 2015. In 2019, recipe unchanged; video and some photos new; in 2022, text resources added.