Easy 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies (no flour!)

Jessica — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:22:20 +0000

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies made with just a handful of ingredients and no flour! Chewy peanut butter cookie recipe made in minutes & perfect for peanut butter lovers!

I love this simple recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies. It whips up fast and it’s a great gluten-free option. I’ve seen other peanut butter cookies with few ingredients and trust me, the small amount of baking soda you add in for these makes them better! They puff up slightly and have a great texture.

These Peanut Butter Cookies are Naturally Gluten-Free

One of the best things about this recipe is that it’s completely gluten-free — not because we swapped anything out or used a special flour blend, but because the recipe never called for flour in the first place. Peanut butter, egg, brown sugar, and baking soda are all naturally gluten-free ingredients, so everyone at the table can enjoy these without any modifications at all.

This makes them a fantastic option for baking when you’re hosting guests with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease — you don’t have to make a separate batch or worry about cross-contamination from flour on the counter. Just make the recipe exactly as written and you’re good to go.

As written, these cookies are also dairy-free, which means they cover two of the most common dietary restrictions in one simple five-ingredient recipe. That’s a rare thing for a cookie this delicious.

One important note: If gluten-free is essential for someone with celiac disease, double-check that your peanut butter and baking soda are labeled gluten-free, as some brands are processed in facilities that also handle wheat. Most major brands are fine, but it’s worth a quick label check to be safe.

Easy Peanut Butter Cookie Ingredients

The recipe for Easy Peanut Butter Cookies with just 5 ingredients and no flour requires the following items:

Ingredient	Quantity
Peanut Butter	1 cup
Brown Sugar	1 cup
Egg	1
Baking Soda	1/2 tsp
Granulated Sugar	2 TBSP

The recipe calls for creamy peanut butter, but crunchy peanut butter can be used if desired. It is important to use firmly packed brown sugar to ensure the cookies have the right consistency.

Eggs are a key ingredient in baking and help bind the dough together. Baking soda is used as a leavening agent to help the cookies rise.

The granulated sugar is used to create the classic criss-cross pattern on top of the cookies. It is important to wet the fork with water before dipping it in the sugar to prevent it from sticking to the dough.

Overall, these 5 simple ingredients come together to create a delicious and easy-to-make peanut butter cookie that is perfect for any occasion.

How to Store Peanut Butter Cookies

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Because these cookies have no flour, they stay soft and chewy longer than traditional cookies — don’t be surprised if they’re just as good on day five as they were on day one. Separate layers with a piece of parchment paper if you’re stacking them to prevent sticking.

Can you freeze peanut butter cookies?

Yes, and there are two ways to do it depending on how you like to plan ahead:

Freeze the baked cookies: Let the cookies cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for one hour until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container with parchment between layers and freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating. The texture may be very slightly more crumbly after freezing, but the flavor is completely intact.

Freeze the dough: This is actually our preferred method. Roll the dough into balls, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer bag and store for up to three months. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen dough balls straight onto your baking sheet — no thawing needed — and add 2-3 minutes to the bake time. You get perfectly fresh cookies whenever you want them with almost no effort.

The freezer dough method is especially handy for the holidays or any time you want to have homemade cookies ready to bake on short notice.

These cookies are perfect for those who want to enjoy a sweet treat without flour. The combination of peanut butter and brown sugar gives them a rich and nutty flavor, while the baking soda helps them rise and become light and fluffy.

The recipe is straightforward and requires only five ingredients, making it an excellent option for those who want to whip up a quick batch of cookies. The use of parchment paper also makes for easy cleanup, and the cookies can be stored for a few days in an airtight container.

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies made with just a handful of ingredients and no flour! Easy peanut butter cookie recipe made with peanut butter, brown sugar, an egg and baking soda.

Course Cookies

Cuisine American

Keyword peanut butter cookies

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 211kcal

Author Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp baking soda
2 TBSP granulated sugar optional

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine all ingredients (except granulated sugar) in a medium bowl or mixer. I think a mixer works well for these cookies because it almost whips the dough, so it’s lighter. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto baking sheet.
Wet a fork with water and dip in granulated sugar. Press fork into each cookie dough ball twice, in a criss cross pattern.
Bake 7-9 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for an additional 5 minutes after removing them from the oven. Transfer to a cooling rack.
Store leftovers in an air tight container. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Store cookies in an airtight container on the countertop. Cookies will be good for about a week. Cookies can be frozen, but may be more crumbly when thawed.

Nutrition

Why Did My Peanut Butter Cookies Come Out Wrong?

Peanut butter cookies with no flour can behave a little differently than traditional cookies, so here’s what to do if something goes sideways:

My cookies came out too crumbly. This is the most common issue and almost always comes down to one of two things: the peanut butter was too dry, or the dough was overmixed. Natural peanut butter is the biggest culprit here — it has less oil than regular creamy peanut butter and can make the dough fall apart. If you want to use natural peanut butter, make sure it’s well stirred and consider chilling the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking to help it hold together.

My cookies came out completely flat. Flat cookies usually mean the dough was too warm when it went into the oven. If your kitchen is warm or you softened your peanut butter slightly, the cookies can spread before they have a chance to set. The fix is simple — refrigerate the dough for 20-30 minutes before baking, and make sure your oven is fully preheated before the first batch goes in.

My cookies came out too hard. These cookies are deceptive — they look underdone when you pull them out of the oven, but they firm up significantly as they cool on the baking sheet. If your cookies are turning out rock hard, try pulling them at 7 minutes instead of 9. They should look just barely set in the center and still quite soft when you take them out. The 5-minute rest on the baking sheet finishes the cooking.

My cookies didn’t hold their shape. If your cookies are spreading into blobs rather than holding the criss-cross pattern, the dough was most likely too warm or the baking soda was old. Check the expiration date on your baking soda — it loses potency over time and can affect both rise and structure. A fresh box makes a surprising difference.

My cookies taste too sweet. This recipe is intentionally on the sweeter side since the brown sugar does a lot of the structural work that flour normally handles. If you find them too sweet, you can reduce the brown sugar to ¾ cup — the cookies will be slightly thinner but still hold together. You can also use a natural peanut butter with no added sugar to balance the overall sweetness.

Can I substitute the egg with something else?

You can try using a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water) or applesauce as a vegan substitute for the egg. However, the texture and taste of the cookies may be slightly different.

Peanut Butter Cookie Variation Ideas!

Add-ins

To add some extra texture and flavor to your cookies, try mixing in some of the following ingredients:

Chocolate chips
Chopped nuts (such as almonds, pecans, or walnuts)
Shredded coconut
Dried fruit (such as raisins or cranberries)
M&M’s or other candy-coated chocolates

Just be careful not to add too many add-ins, as they can make the dough too dry or crumbly.

Flavorings

To switch up the flavor of your cookies, try adding some of the following ingredients:

Vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Almond extract

Again, be careful not to add too much of any one flavoring, as it can overwhelm the taste of the peanut butter.

Substitutions

If you have dietary restrictions or preferences, you can make some simple substitutions to the recipe:

Use a sugar substitute (such as Splenda or Stevia) instead of brown sugar
Use a flax egg or other egg substitute instead of a regular egg
Use gluten-free baking soda or omit it altogether (the cookies will be softer and more cake-like without it)

Overall, these variations allow you to customize the cookies to your liking while still keeping the recipe simple and easy to follow.

More Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes:

Peanut butter cookies are a classic treat that everyone loves. These Easy Peanut Butter Cookies with just 5 ingredients and no flour are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth without the hassle of complicated recipes.

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