Why you will love this Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
This detoxed peanut butter cookie recipe creates the perfect dense and chewy cookie loaded with rich peanut butter flavor. The only thing these cookies are missing is the prerequisite guilt one would normally have after indulging in traditional, carb-loaded peanut butter cookies. These healthy peanut butter cookies are easy to make, don’t require any fancy equipment and taste so much better than packaged cookies. Shape these cookies into cute little peanuts, then stuff them with peanut butter frosting for a healthy replica of the classic Nabisco ‘Nutter Butter’ cookie we all grew up eating.
Unfortunately, Nutter Butters are made with ingredients I won't eat like high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oil and artificial flavors. Both Nutter Butters and traditional peanut butter cookies are a classic American favorite, so I made sure to craft a winning recipe that would excite both the health conscious and picky eaters in the family. I recently made these for my niece and nephew (8 & 12 y/o) who both said they were the best peanut butter cookies they’d ever had. Their mom ended up packing these cookies instead of a sandwich in their school lunchbox because she knew they wouldn’t trade their friends:). I’m confident your household will agree, this is the very best recipe for sugar free peanut butter cookies and these nutritious cookies will be requested over and over again.
Unadulterated peanut butter is a very nutritious ingredient and makes a delicious addition to sweets. Like olive oil, one of the main fats in peanut butter is oleic acid. When substituted for unhealthy fats in your diet, oleic acid is shown to help maintain good cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Oleic acid has also been shown to reduce insulin resistance, the common condition that raises blood sugar, causes weight gain and leads to diabetes. Peanuts are also a great source of vitamins and antioxidants like manganese, vitamin E, and B vitamins. One of peanut butter’s most powerful antioxidants is coumaric acid. Research found that its activity is boosted by 22% when peanuts are roasted before whipping them into butter. Commercial peanut butter brands often have added sugars and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Make sure you use all-natural roasted peanut butter without added ingredients for this healthy peanut butter cookie recipe.
Recommended products for the best sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan peanut butter cookies
How the Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cookies made with Detox Desserts measures up against other recipes
The Detox Desserts Flour Swap promotes healthy digestion and makes it easy to turn these peanut butter cookies gluten-free. The psyllium husk contained in the Flour Swap and inulin contained in the Egg and Sugar Swaps both help to feed and increase healthy gut bacteria. Plenty of good flora in your intestines can promote a strong immune system along with the added digestive benefits we all love from a hefty dose of fiber. Whole psyllium husk also binds waste and toxins in the intestines and helps clear them from the body. This easy recipe for keto peanut butter cookies is not only free from all the unhealthy ingredients found in traditional desserts but it’s actually gently detoxifying to the body…double win!
The plant soluble fiber from the psyllium husk and the digestive resistant fiber in the inulin work together to slow down digestion of this healthy cookie. The slowed digestion helps provide more blood sugar stability throughout your day which can keep you feeling full and satisfied. This also keeps energy levels constant without the normal sugar crashes one would experience with a traditional, carb-loaded cookie.
I’ve tested this sugar free peanut butter cookie recipe with Whole-Grain and Grain-Free Flour Swap countless times. The Whole-Grain Swap cookies will have a few extra slowly digesting healthy carbs, a more hearty and earthy flavor, and bake up perfectly yielding a dense and chewy texture. The Grain-Free Flour will provide the lowest carb (keto/paleo) version of this cookie and has a slightly sweeter, more nutty flavor, with an equally perfect texture. I LOVE this recipe using both flours in equal parts (¾ cup Whole-Grain plus ¾ cup Grain-Free Flour to equal the full 1½ cups of Flour Swap the recipe calls for) because it creates a flavor and texture profile that is most similar to a traditional peanut butter cookie. Plus, mixing the flours is a great way to create a lower carb version of a gluten-free cookie and still allows for a small dose of healthy grains.
For most of my patients, I’m a big advocate for balanced macronutrient meals breakfast, lunch and dinner. Here is an easy way to know what type of Flour Swap to choose to create a balanced macro meal. We’ll use dinner as an example. If your dinner consists of just protein and veggies, I recommend eating a Whole-Grain Swap cookie for dessert to serve as your healthy carb for that meal. Conversely, if you already had a healthy carb with dinner (quinoa, sweet potato, beans, etc), I would recommend the Grain-Free Swap cookie for dessert so you don’t overeat carbs at that meal. Easy, right?! Balanced macro meals are the best thing you can do to keep your metabolism firing optimally, create blood sugar stability and keep you feeling full and satisfied throughout your day (or night). If you’re a diabetic or need to stay in ketosis, always bake using the Grain-Free Flour Swap.
How I crafted the perfect Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
Although there are many keto, gluten-free and vegan peanut butter cookie recipes online, I had trouble finding any that I would actually consider healthy. Fortunately, this keto peanut butter cookie recipe is easy, unbelievably delicious, AND the most nutritious cookie possible. It’s guilt-free, fuss-free, and makes the perfect hearty cookie you can have any time of day. Plus, you’lI feel good about serving these cookies to the people you love.
This recipe was very straight forward to detox. I referenced a 5-star recipe from one of my favorite blogs created by pro baker, John Kanell, called ‘Preppy Kitchen’. I used his recipe as a guide for the ratio of wet:dry ingredients and leavening amount. I increased the vanilla extract for flavor and used baking soda instead of powder (I think they come out better using soda), otherwise I stayed true to his basic peanut butter cookie recipe.
Remember, baked desserts like simple cakes, cookies, sweet breads, scones and muffins are usually straightforward and turn out great using the 1:1 swap method, but not all desserts can be made that way. I always recommend using our recipe index as a guide when baking with the ‘Sweet Swaps’.
The best ingredients & substitutions for the perfect gluten-free peanut butter cookies
Key Ingredients of a traditional Peanut Butter Cookies:
Flour
Butter
Eggs
Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar
Peanut Butter
Powdered Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Baking Soda
Salt
Key Ingredients of a Detox Desserts Fig Bar:
Whole-Grain or Grain-Free Flour Swap: (use Grain-Free Swap for Paleo/Keto version): Our gluten-free, high fiber, healthy flour substitute.
Butter Swap: Our whole food, plant-based butter substitute that bakes and tastes like butter with added health benefits
Granular Sugar Swap: Our zero-calorie, zero-carb, naturally sweetened sugar substitute formulated with prebiotics to support healthy digestion.
Egg Swap: Our vegan egg substitute that contains 50% more protein than an egg, added prebiotics for digestive support and NO cholesterol.
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients well then add wet ingredients. Use a spoon or electric mixer to blend the wet and dry ingredients together for 2-3 minutes until thick, smooth cookie dough is achieved.
3. Let the dough rest for a few minutes while the fiber absorbs the excess moisture, then mix for 1 more minute. The dough will noticeably thicken after the resting period.
4. Use a small cookie scoop to make equal sized cookie balls, roll and press each cookie onto your parchment lined baking tray. Use a fork to create the criss cross pattern on the top of each cookie.
5. Bake for 7-9 minutes (both Grain-Free and Whole-Grain were perfect at 8 minutes in my oven) until slightly golden in color and the top of the cookies start to crack. Do not overbake.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on the warm cookie sheet then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool. The cookies will hold together perfectly when completely cooled.
7. Make the peanut butter frosting by mixing all ingredients while adding hot water slowly until smooth, spreadable consistency is reached. Smear the frosting on your cooled cookies and top with another cookie.
8. Store covered in the fridge for up to 7 days or wrap tightly and freeze for long-term storage.
*For best taste, texture and health benefits, refrigerate all Detox Desserts overnight before indulging. The overnight chill also slows down carbohydrate absorption making them tastier and healthier. Weird, but it works!
How to store your Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Store your high fiber, gluten-free peanut butter cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can also wrap tightly and store your cookies in the freezer for 2-3 months.
How to make your Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies stand out
Turning these peanut butter cookies into sandwich cookies is easy and unbelievably delicious. Try the peanut butter frosting recipe above or add cocoa powder to create a peanut butter chocolate variation. I added raw cacao nibs around the edges for crunch on the chocolate frosting stuffed peanut butter cookies.
Shape your cookies into peanuts, then add peanut butter frosting to create a soft, healthy replica of the popular packaged cookie, Nabisco Nutter Butters.
Try folding in sugar-free chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or coarsely chopped roasted peanuts to the dough prior to baking. You’ll still want to roll and press your cookies, but skip the criss cross pattern if you’re adding ingredients.
Substitute roasted almond butter, cashew butter or your favorite seed butter for the peanut butter to create unique flavor variations.
Tips for making the best Sugar-Free & Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Make sure your Butter Swap is well stirred and at room temperature before making your healthy cookies, oil separation is normal in the Butter Swap. If you have trouble stirring your Butter Swap, pour the entire jar into a high speed blender. Your Butter Swap will stay smooth for a couple months after a minute in the blender!
Make sure your unsweetened creamy peanut butter is well stirred and at room temperature before making your cookies.
Traditional peanut butter cookies use both white and brown sugar. An easy way to turn the Granular Sugar Swap into brown sugar is to add 1-2 tablespoons of molasses per cup of Sugar Swap. This will create a richer flavor and more caramelization to the finished cookie.
Use HOT water in your Egg Swap, the warmth is needed to help the psyllium husk in the Flour Swap open up, relax and absorb the moisture.
Let your cookie dough rest for about 5 minutes after you’ve blended the wet and dry ingredients, then mix for one more minute.
Use your small cookie scoop to create equal sized cookies for more even baking.
Roll and press your cookies onto the parchment lined cookie tray. Use the edge of a fork to create the traditional criss cross pattern on top of the pressed cookies.
Don’t overbake! These cookies are best slightly underdone. Allow them to finish baking on the warm cookie sheet after they’ve been removed from the oven. If you make larger cookies, increase baking time.
Add hot water to your frosting slowly until you get a smooth spreadable consistency.
Make this sugar-free peanut butter cookie recipe at least a day before you plan to serve them. The overnight chill allows the flavors to settle and slows carbohydrate absorption, making your high-fiber cookies tastier and healthier!
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients well then add wet ingredients. Use a spoon or electric mixer to blend the wet and dry ingredients together for 2-3 minutes until thick, smooth cookie dough is achieved.
3. Let the dough rest for a few minutes while the fiber absorbs the excess moisture, then mix for 1 more minute. The dough will noticeably thicken after the resting period.
4. Use a small cookie scoop to make equal sized cookie balls, roll and press each cookie onto your parchment lined baking tray. Use a fork to create the criss cross pattern on the top of each cookie.
5. Bake for 7-9 minutes (both Grain-Free and Whole-Grain were perfect at 8 minutes in my oven) until slightly golden in color and the top of the cookies start to crack. Do not overbake.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on the warm cookie sheet then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool. The cookies will hold together perfectly when completely cooled.
7. Make the peanut butter frosting by mixing all ingredients while adding hot water slowly until smooth, spreadable consistency is reached. Smear the frosting on your cooled cookies and top with another cookie.
8. Store covered in the fridge for up to 7 days or wrap tightly and freeze for long-term storage.
*For best taste, texture and health benefits, refrigerate all Detox Desserts overnight before indulging. The overnight chill also slows down carbohydrate absorption making them tastier and healthier. Weird, but it works!
Net carbohydrates are the sum total of carbohydrates that convert into glucose (therefore raise blood sugar) in the body. Anyone following a keto or diabetic diet should count net carbs NOT total carbs. To determine net carbs, simply subtract the fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates on the nutrition label. Sugar alcohols are considered "carbs" for nutrition labeling purposes but our cells can't use them as energy which renders them inert in the human body. Thus, they are reduced from the total carb count. Fiber also counts towards the total carbohydrates for labeling purposes, but it is roughage. It stays in the intestines, doesn't absorb and isn't used as energy or converted to glucose in the body. Thus, fiber is also reduced from the total carbohydrate count. Anyone who counts macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein) should always count net carbs, not total carbs.
We love your feedback, please make sure to comment and share your experience with this vegan, gluten-free and keto peanut butter cookies recipe with the healthy baking community!
Hello Ella, thank you for your comment. Baking 100% Grain-Free is always a little trickier and the dough will always be more dry and crumbly (that’s normal). Make sure your flour isn’t packed while measuring, it should be light and airy in your measuring cup. If the dough is too dry to hold together and create your cookies, add a little extra Butter Swap, olive oil or even a little hot water to your dough. The dough should come together easily when pressed and shaped into a cookie. Also, make sure you’re using 1/2 cup HOT water with each Egg Swap, the hot water is needed for the fiber to open and soften (which allows the dough to stick together better). You can also try using equal parts Grain-Free & Whole-Grain Flour Swap in recipes which makes the dough handle easier (also creates the tastiest desserts in my opinion:). Lastly, watch the recipe video while making your cookies because I show each step in detail using both Flour Swaps, it should help you in the kitchen. Please reach out if you have any other questions and THANK YOU for purchasing, baking and letting me troubleshoot with you!
Hi Dr. Alexsis,
I love your products but I feel I’m doing something wrong. I am using the grain free flour with all the other swaps but my dough is coming out very crumbly. Any tips? This also happened with the blueberry muffins. The chocolate chip cookies came out great. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Ella
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
