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Gluten-free peanut butter cookies on a plate with a glass of milk and on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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5 from 7 votes

Paleo "Peanut" Butter Cookies (gluten-free, nut-free)

The classic peanut butter cookie is updated so everyone can enjoy it! This fast, easy, one-bowl recipe makes soft, chewy cookies that are gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and nut-free!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time11 minutes
Resting time35 minutes
Total Time56 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 13 cookies
Calories: 152kcal
Author: Don Baiocchi

Ingredients

  • 1 cup creamy sunflower seed butter, a.k.a. sunbutter (preferably with no added oils or sugar)
  • ¾ cup coconut sugar, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and blend until smooth and no streaks remain.
  • Use a small cookie scoop to scoop two tablespoon-sized balls into your hand. Roll them into one ball, smoothing out the crack where they were combined. Place on the baking sheet 2" apart from each other.
  • Use a fork to make a criss-cross pattern as you flatten the cookies to between ¼-½". Sprinkle each one with a bit more coconut sugar.
  • Bake for 10-11 minutes, rotating and swapping the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies have spread and look dry.
  • Let the cookies rest on the sheets for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies from the sheets to cooling racks. Let them rest for 30 minutes so they set.

Notes

If you prefer crispy cookies, bake them for 16 minutes, swapping and rotating the pans halfway through, until the edges are dark brown.
 
Substitutions/variations?
I haven't tried this with crunchy sunbutter but if you want a bit of crunch, I think this would work.
You can use other nut butters like almond, cashew or even peanut, but some can be gritty so the texture might be different.
And if you use one that has added sugar, you might want to cut down on how much sugar you add to the dough.
 
Make ahead
The cookies can be stored either at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
 
Freezer instructions
Yep! You can place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer until frozen, at least one hour. Then transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container/baggie and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg