These soft gluten free peanut butter blossoms are packed with peanut flavor, and have a delightfully thin, crunchy and sugary shell. Press a chocolate kiss into the center the minute they come out of the oven and make something special!
Why is this the best gluten free peanut butter blossom recipe?
The perfect combination of just-enough peanut butter and just-enough sweet milk chocolate (or dark chocolate, if that's your preference!) makes these cookies a classic! The cookie dough comes together so fast without an electric mixer of any kind, and the dough is never chilled.
The thick, smooth, and soft cookie dough rolls easily in your palms into a perfect round. Then, if you have some coarse sugar crystals handy, roll the dough in that, and place the balls, as is, on your baking sheet.
Iโve tried these sweet peanut butter cookies both with and without the coarse sugar around the edges. The sugar creates a delicate crispy shell, and I like that very much.
I've tried these sweet peanut butter cookies both with and without the coarse sugar around the edges. The sugar creates a delicate crispy shell, and I like that very much.
How to make gluten free peanut butter blossom cookies
The dry ingredients are mixed with a simple peanut butter and butter mixture, then eggs, and it comes together as a soft dough. It's so simple, and if you didn't have to melt the butters, it would be a one bowl deal.
As they bake, they'll begin to crackle a bit. That, and seeing the very edges brown just a bit, is how you know they're ready to come out of the oven.
The very moment the cookies come out of the oven, press a Hershey's kiss (or a mini peanut butter cup, if you prefer) in the center. It will melt a bit, and then firm right back up as the cookies cool.
Tips for making perfect peanut butter kiss cookies
This is a super simple recipe that works every single time if you don't make ingredient substitutions, whisk your dry ingredients well in a bowl, and then pour in your melted peanut butter and butter, then your whisked egg. Here are some other tips for success:
How to store these peanut butter blossoms
These cookies are very stable once cool, and actually travel quite well. If youโre making holiday cookies for gifting, these gluten free peanut butter blossom cookies are a good choice.
How to get even cookie portions
I use a #50 cookie scoop to portion the dough, and then roll it into balls. The cookie scoop is, of course, optional.
But if you have a few good cookie scoops, I think you might quickly find that they're hard to live without. So useful!
How to get the kisses to stick
Unwrap your chocolate kisses while the cookies are in the oven, so you're ready to act the moment they're done baking! Working quickly, press the base of one kiss into the center of each cookie firmly. The chocolate will melt a bit in the hot cookie and will cool as if it were born there!
What's the best peanut butter to use for these cookies?
I only like to bake with smooth, no-stir peanut butter that's blended well. The kind that has a layer of oil on top when you open the jar doesn't combine well with the other ingredients to make a fully integrated, smooth cookie dough.
Skippy brand is my favorite. There's a full discussion of gluten free peanut butter in our recipe for gluten free peanut butter crosshatch cookies.
Can I skip the sugar crust?
You can skip the coarse sugar on the outside, but these are not for your after-the-new-year health kick, sister. These are cookies, and we best not mess around.
What's the best sugar to roll the cookie dough in?
The best rolling sugar is a white granulated sugar with the most coarse ground. The granules should be about as large as pretzel salt, for reference.
It can be a little difficult to find a reliably gluten free coarse sugar. Look for white “sparkling” or “sanding” sugar, but stay far away from Wilton brand, as it's not gluten free.
I buy “Chef's Select” brand white sugar crystals on Amazon, and when I find it, I buy a bunch. You can also use “Sugar in the Raw,” which is coarsely ground sugar but is has a light brown/yellow color. It still tastes great!
Substitutions and Variations for Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies
Can I use something other than peanut butter?
I think no-stir almond butter, like Barney Butter brand, would be a great 1:1 substitute. Nutella will ruin these in a hurry since itโs so, so soft.
How to make gluten free dairy free peanut butter blossom cookies
To make these cookies dairy-free, you'll need to replace the butter. My favorite dairy-free butter replacer, especially for baking, is Melt or Miyoko's Kitchen brand vegan butter.
Virgin coconut oil (the kind that's solid at room temperature) might also work, but the cookies will almost certainly spread a bit moreโand brown a bit less.
How to make gluten free egg free peanut butter blossoms
There's only one egg in these peanut butter blossoms, so a “chia egg” should work great. Combine 1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds in a bowl with 1 tablespoon lukewarm water and allow it to sit until it gels.
How to make vegan peanut butter blossom cookies
If you follow the instructions above for replacing both the dairy and egg, your cookies will be vegan!
Can I use mini peanut butter cups instead of Hershey's kisses?
Sure! Even miniature peanut butter cups have a wider base than Hershey's kisses, so they'll spread or “blossom” more, but they'll still taste great.
Can I use coconut sugar instead of regular granulated sugar?
No, I don't recommend using coconut sugar as a granulated sugar replacement. It is much heavier and more complex a flavor, and it doesn't dissolve as well in baking.
Can I use cocoa powder in the cookie dough?
If you'd like a peanut butter kiss cookie with a chocolate cookie base, try our recipe for Gluten Free Chocolate Kiss Cookies, and follow the peanut butter variation! I don't recommend adding cocoa powder to this cookie base.
FAQ
Are Hershey's chocolate kisses gluten free?
At least in the U.S., Hershey's milk chocolate kisses are on the company's perennial gluten-free list. Plus, Hershey's practices truth in labeling. Of course, always do your homework and be sure to keep yourself safe.
Most of Hershey's kisses are safely gluten free, but some fancier varieties may not be safe. If you're unsure, you can try using a square of your favorite gluten free chocolate, or a small peanut butter cup if that's safe for you.
Can I freeze peanut butter blossoms?
Yes! These cookies, once baked, freeze beautifully. Let them defrost in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter before serving.
Why are they called peanut butter blossoms?
This cookie was created by Mrs. Freda F. Smith of Ohio and submitted as an entry into the National Pillsbury Bake-Off competition in 1957. I think she called them “blossoms” because of the way the peanut butter cookie fans out as you push the chocolate kiss into the baked center.
Why would my kiss cookies come out flat?
If you made ingredient substitutions, or measured by volume instead of weight, you may have overmeasured your wet ingredients, like peanut butter or butter. Otherwise, be sure your cookie dough is at room temperature before baking it.
How to make gluten free peanut butter blossoms, step by step
Unbeatable Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I like Better Batter here)
- ยฝ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- ยผ teaspoon kosher salt
- ยผ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ยผ cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ยผ cup (64 g) smooth, no stir peanut butter
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Coarse sugar for rolling (optional)
- 21 Hersheyโs milk chocolate kisses unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375ยฐF. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar, and whisk to combine once more, working to break up any lumps in the brown sugar.
- Place the butter and peanut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth. Allow the mixture to cool briefly.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the butter and peanut butter mixture. Mix to combine.
- Add the egg and vanilla, and mix again to combine. The dough will come together and be thick, but smooth.
- Divide the dough into 21 balls of approximately equal size (each a bit more than 1-inch in diameter). Roll the balls in the (optional) coarse sugar, pressing gently on all sides to make sure that the sugar adheres in a single layer to the cookie dough.
- Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (theyโll spread a bit during baking).
- Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 11 minutes, or until the balls of dough have flattened into thick disks and the cookies have begun to take on a slightly crackled appearance.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press one unwrapped chocolate kiss in the center of each just-baked cookie, about halfway to the center of the cookie.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet until firm (about 10 minutes) before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The chocolate kisses will firm up again as the cookies cool.
Notes
Unbeatable Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I like Better Batter here)
- ยฝ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- ยผ teaspoon kosher salt
- ยผ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ยผ cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ยผ cup (64 g) smooth, no stir peanut butter
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Coarse sugar for rolling (optional)
- 21 Hersheyโs milk chocolate kisses unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375ยฐF. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar, and whisk to combine once more, working to break up any lumps in the brown sugar.
- Place the butter and peanut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth. Allow the mixture to cool briefly.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the butter and peanut butter mixture. Mix to combine.
- Add the egg and vanilla, and mix again to combine. The dough will come together and be thick, but smooth.
- Divide the dough into 21 balls of approximately equal size (each a bit more than 1-inch in diameter). Roll the balls in the (optional) coarse sugar, pressing gently on all sides to make sure that the sugar adheres in a single layer to the cookie dough.
- Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (theyโll spread a bit during baking).
- Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 11 minutes, or until the balls of dough have flattened into thick disks and the cookies have begun to take on a slightly crackled appearance.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press one unwrapped chocolate kiss in the center of each just-baked cookie, about halfway to the center of the cookie.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheet until firm (about 10 minutes) before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The chocolate kisses will firm up again as the cookies cool.
Notes
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, Iโm Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that arenโt good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, โgood, for gluten freeโ just isnโt good enough! Come visit my bio!
Barb says
Can you make this dough a couple days ahead of time and refrigerate then pull out to bake?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Barb, Iโve never done that with this cookie dough, but I donโt see why not. Since this cookie dough is baked at room temperature, though, not chilled, since we want the cookies to spread a bit during baking, be sure to let them come back to room temperature first, before placing them in the preheated oven to bake.
Barb says
Thanks Nicole. I will give it a try!
Carole Snider says
So, what did I do wrong? I followed the recipe explicitly but when you pick up a cookie, it disintegrates into crumbs. I used Krusteaz GF flour mix because that’s what I had. Could that be the problem? They taste great but you have to eat them with a spoon so I can’t put them out for Christmas.
Nicole Hunn says
That is not one of my recommended flour blends and thatโs why your cookies did not turn out and why Iโm so specific about which blends to use. Most of them are, regrettably, terrible and my recipes are properly balanced for a functional flour blend. To learn more, please click the link attached to the โall purpose gluten free flour blendโ ingredient in the recipe itself.
Liz P says
Have made these for several years. Everyone loves them and have no clue they are gluten free unless I tell them. Thank you so much for your great recipes and flour mixes. It has made my life so much easier.
Nicole Hunn says
Thank you so much for sharing that, Liz. Iโm thrilled to have had the opportunity to make your life easier, and itโs so gratifying to know that everyone just loves your baked goods without knowing (or I imagine caring once they learn!) that theyโre gluten free. โค๏ธ
Karen Williams says
Made these peanut butter blossoms, they were amazing, my husband loved them.
Karen Williams says
I made these peanut butter blossom cookies they were amazing. My husband thought they could have been more peanut butter taste for him. So could I add more peanut butter and take away same amount of butter?
Nicole Hunn says
No, peanut butter behaves very differently in baking than butter. They aren’t interchangeable. Sorry!
Renee says
Always an amazing recipe from this baker! I love gluten free on a shoestring!
Nicole Hunn says
Thank you so much, Renee! So glad you love the cookies and the kind words are so appreciated.
Katie O. says
What other GF flour do you recommend? The one you recommend is sold out online and in stores everywhere! I know GF flour makes a huge difference and I’m so sad that I missed out on getting this flour before the holidays.
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the discussion of Expandex in the โingredient notesโ section of the post, Katie.