Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
This recipe originally came from my friend Abby, who has a delightful blog called Manila Spoon. Besides being incredibly easy, they are incredibly satisfying and grain free to boot. My gluten-free dad adores them, yet those who can eat wheat flour always rave about them, too.
After Amber Shea Crowley provided a guest post on the various natural sweetener options, I thought the timing was perfect to remake these cookies using one of my favorite options to granulated sugar: coconut sugar. I use a cup for cup substitution in this recipe and they taste every bit as delicious as the regular refined sugar option. With regard to eating, I very much subscribe to the everything-in-moderation approach (as witnessed by the cookies dipped in chocolate, below), so this is presented as an option if you would like to explore an all-natural alternative. To see the full sweetener list as described by Amber, click here.
Vanilla is a nice extra so feel free to turn these cookies into a four ingredient treat. For extra decadence and a fifth ingredient, consider dipping half the cookie in white or dark chocolate.
When first removed from the oven, these cookies are slightly crumbly but firm up nicely once cooled. I like to store them in the refrigerator where they will last for over a week…not that they actually will!
- 1 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter (see notes)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup granulated sugar (may substitute coconut sugar for an all-natural option)
- optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. (I used a large ice cream scoop, filled and leveled off each scoop. This produced 10 large, perfectly shaped cookies.)
- Flatten with a fork and bake for 9-10 minutes or until just cooked through. The cookies will firm up a bit as they cool.
- Enjoy!!!
Notes
When making this recipe with coconut sugar, the cookies brown sooner, so I cook for a minute or two less than the granulated sugar option. If using this ingredient, check the cookies a few minutes early so as not to burn them.
I prefer natural peanut butter for this recipe, but regular will work. If using regular and the batter isn’t firm enough for easy scooping, simply refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
What’s one more ingredient when it’s chocolate??!! Dark chocolate is a delicious choice for dipping, but white chocolate is a surprisingly delightful combination, too!
The Fountain Avenue Kitchen was my grandmother’s kitchen, the kitchen where I first pulled up a stool and watched the magic of turning basic, fresh ingredients into culinary wonders. Through today’s Fountain Avenue Kitchen, I hope to inspire people to try a new recipe, learn a new technique and eat more vegetables and wholesome grains ... but still enjoy a little dessert now and then. Pull up your chair and join me in the Fountain Avenue Kitchen!
I made these with chia seeds and coconut sugar this weekend. They were soooo good!! I love this recipe!
Great idea to add chia seeds, Amee! One of these days soon I need to try coconut sugar!
I need to try these! Wonder if scan at would work in this recipe? I also keep reading about chia seeds, I have to find some!
I think auto correct might have stepped in…what were you wondering about the recipe? Also, I find chia seeds in the organic aisle at the grocery store: )
I’ve been eating these cookies for 30 years do to my gluten allergy. Thank you grandma!!!
Smart grandma! It took me a while, but I am so glad I finally caught wind of this brilliant recipe. My gluten free dad was thrilled, too!
Oh, Ann so delighted to see this! Your cookies look wonderful! So happy that you and your family like it, too! Thanks for the mention, you are so kind.
We might be making more today, Abby! I am so glad I finally learned of this recipe through you. Thanks again!!
Oh Ann! It sure did.. Lol. Was wondering about sucanat? I have sugar but have been using the sucanat for coffee and other things. Not sure if I can bake with it. It’s basically dried sugar cane.
I’m going to make some tonight. Will use regular sugar in them. Love using parchment paper.. It’s my new fav thing to use when baking.
Mary Lou, I have not used sucanat but Amee commented above that she used coconut sugar successfully. Also, a friend of mine used the Splenda baking mix and said the cookies came out perfectly. She mentioned that the dough was a little softer than mine–I also used natural peanut butter to her regular–so she put the batter in the fridge for a few minutes for easier scooping. It seems this recipe is somewhat forgiving. If you end up using the sucanat, please report back!
Hi Ann! I’m going to try the sucanat and see how they turn out. I googled it to see what answer I would find. It says to use a bit less, since it is sweeter than white sugar.
Will let you know how the recipe turns out.
They are fabulous Ann!! Oh this could be a bad thing.. I can whip up a batch in no time. The sucanat worked great too I also put in vanilla, mainly because I love the flavor.. Next time I will use crunchy peanut butter.
That is fantastic, Mary Lou…and I know what you mean. They are almost too easy…and too delicious: ) Crunchy peanut butter should be wonderful!
this sounds delicious… I am thinking it would be good with either nutella or biscoff spread also… maybe some sunbutter… My husband has a peanut allergy ~ so unless I want to see his demise, I need to think of something else to use
…. Thanks for sharing and I will be pinning this.
Thank you for the comment and for pinning, Marlys. If you try sunbutter, please let me know. I was also thinking that almond butter would work quite well. Perhaps you can try that if he is not allergic. We would not want him to see his demise! : )
I have made these for years. A good sub for vanilla flavoring is almond!
Almond would be delicious! Someone just told me today she made these with almond butter and liked them that way, too.
How firm do these cookies get? I’ve been playing around with the idea of making peanut butter cookies into small “cups”. I’ve seen similar ideas using a very long peanut butter cookie recipe, then you fill mini muffin tins, then when they come out you poke holes almost all the way thru so you can fill them however you please. I don’t want to try this with this recipe if they get TOO hard as I don’t want people to have to work too hard to bite into the cookie cups
THANKS!
Hi Amy, I would say these cookies are on the crisp side of chewy–if that helps! I really like them because of the texture but they may, in fact, be a little too hard for what you want. I would say that the chocolate chip cookie recipe I use for my giant chipwich could be perfect. Here is the link if you would like to try…good luck!
http://fountainavenuekitchen.com/giant-chipwich-cake/
Thanks so much!!!!
Made these last night but used Splenda granulated instead. The cookies were awesome but they were a little crumbly. Did not hold together well. Did I do something wrong? Not sure but still they were tasty.
Hi Tim,
I have not used the Splenda granulated so I am guessing that may be the difference. That said, a friend of mine mentioned that she used Splenda and her only comment–beyond that she loved them and would make again–was that her batter was a little soft, so she put it in the fridge to firm up a bit before scooping onto the cookie sheet.
Oh I saw this recipe on Pinterest last month, and I instantly made a batch… not even kidding one little bit! I have made them at least 10 times since… always good. I would also suggest that you try the recipe with Almond butter (which I buy at Costco) – so delicious. I baked my batches at 350 and for 10 minutes to keep them chewy…. I would also suggest that you let them sit on the cookie sheet for at least 3 to 4 minutes before moving them over onto the cooling racks. and them let the cookies cool for at least 20 minutes before eating…. Let them firm up.
I added 1/4 cup of flax seed meal and that helped the crumbly issue.
Like Darlene Rosner, I have also made these a bunch of times since, they are a great low carb, sweet snack (when made with Splenda instead of sugar).
They do firm up nicely as they cool, but the flax meal is a great idea, Tim! Thank you for sharing your helpful and healthy idea!
I have made these for many years…Used regular and Splenda. Both work well. Splenda a little softer to work with but chill 5 minutes or so. Leave on pan till cool. Adding chocolate chunks or chips also adds another favorite here.
Thank you for the details on using Splenda, Carole…and chocolate chunks sound heavenly to me!