These flourless keto peanut butter cookies are incredibly easy to make, requiring only 4 ingredients that you simply stir together with a fork. They are perfect for anyone following a low-carb or keto diet. This recipe has been a favorite since 2018, and has been updated with even more tips and variations.
Why You'll Love These Keto Cookies
There are many reasons to try these keto-friendly cookies, including that they contain only 1.6g net carbs per cookie.
- Minimal Equipment: You won't need a blender or any special equipment. Just a bowl and a fork will do the trick.
- Quick & Easy: With just 5 minutes of prep time and a total time of 15 minutes from start to finish, these cookies are ready in no time.
- Satisfying: The cookies are chewy, crunchy, and packed with peanut butter flavor. They are filling and incredibly satisfying.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to create these delightful cookies:
- Peanut Butter: Choose a crunchy peanut butter brand that contains only one ingredient: peanuts. Look for brands like Meridian or Whole Earth. Always check the label to ensure there are no added palm oil or sugar.
- Sugar-Free Sweetener: To make these peanut butter cookies sugar-free, you'll need a sugar substitute. Sukrin Gold, a brown sugar substitute blend made from erythritol and stevia, is a good choice. Other options include monk fruit sweeteners like Lakanto, xylitol, allulose, or Swerve.
- Egg: Use a large egg at room temperature.
- Sea Salt and Cinnamon: Both are optional, but if your peanut butter does not contain salt, it's recommended to sprinkle sea salt on top of the cookies or mix it into the cookie dough. Cinnamon enhances the peanut butter flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps to bake your own batch of keto peanut butter cookies:
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients with a fork.
- Form Cookies: Form small dough balls with your hands (about 15g each) and place them on the parchment paper-lined cookie sheet or on a silicone baking mat. Alternatively, use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet.
- Create Criss-Cross Pattern: Wet a fork and press it onto the dough balls to flatten them into ½-inch thick cookies, creating a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until they are golden brown and the edges are firm. Baking for 8 minutes will result in a softer center, while 10 minutes will make them overall crunchy.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before serving. Low-carb cookies are often soft and fragile when freshly out of the oven due to the absence of gluten.
Tips for Success
- Prevent Sticking: Wet the fork before pressing it onto the dough to create the cross-hatch design. This prevents the cookie dough from sticking to the fork.
- Cool Completely: Always let the cookies cool fully before touching them. They need time to firm up.
Variations to Try
Once you've mastered the basic recipe, here are a few variations to experiment with:
Read also: Creamy Keto Dessert
- Chocolate Chips: Add sugar-free chocolate chips to the dough or chop a few squares of dark chocolate (90% cocoa content or higher) and mix them in.
- Chocolate Coating: Dip one-half of the cookie in melted dark chocolate (minimum 85% cocoa solids) for an extra touch of chocolate flavor.
- Smooth Texture: Use smooth peanut butter instead of crunchy for a different texture. This will also make the criss-cross pattern more visible.
- Fluffier Cookies: Add ½ teaspoon of baking powder to the cookie dough for a fluffier, lighter texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract for a warm note.
- Pumpkin Spice: For a festive twist, add a teaspoon of pumpkin spice (a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves).
- Tiger Cookies: Separate the dough into two bowls. Add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder to one bowl and incorporate. This creates a marbled effect.
Alternative Nut Butters
Yes, this recipe works with almond butter, cashew butter, or any other nut or seed butter. You can even use it to create 3-ingredient Keto Almond Butter Cookies!
Adjusting Texture
- Soft Cookies: Bake for around 8 minutes for a soft center.
- Crunchy Cookies: Leave them in the oven for 10 minutes for crunchy cookies.
Homemade Peanut Butter
To make homemade peanut butter, blend peanuts in a food processor or high-speed blender for a few minutes on high speed until the peanuts release their natural oils and you have a smooth butter. Add in some crushed peanuts for crunchy peanut butter.
No Sugar Added
You can omit the sweetener for sugarless peanut butter cookies. Be sure to add sea salt and cinnamon for a good flavor.
Serving and Storage
Enjoy these cookies with a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon, or dunk them in a glass of cold milk. For a gourmet treat, spread sugar-free Nutella between two cookies for a peanut butter chocolate version of keto Oreos!
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. In the fridge, they will keep fresh for 3-4 weeks. You can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze them on a parchment paper-lined baking tray and then transfer them into a ziplock bag once they are frozen to prevent sticking. Defrost frozen cookies on the kitchen counter or overnight in the refrigerator.
Read also: Low-Carb Pizza Guide
Peanut Butter Cloud Cookies
These peanut butter cloud cookies are soft, light, and airy, and also low carb, low sugar, and keto-friendly.
Ingredients:
- Egg
- Granular monkfruit erythritol sweetener blend (such as Lakanto)
- Unsweetened natural peanut butter with no added oils
- Aluminum-free baking powder
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 177°C (350°F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the egg and sweetener to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the wire whisk attachment, beat at highest speed for 4 minutes.
- Add the peanut butter and baking powder to the mixing bowl. Use a silicone spatula to fold the peanut butter and baking powder into the egg mixture. Be careful not to overmix. Mix until no egg streaks remain and you have a uniform batter that looks like a thick peanut butter paste.
- Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop the cookie batter and release it onto your prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 1.5 inches apart.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden brown on top and puffed and set around the edges.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet before removing and serving.
These cookies are best enjoyed soon after they are baked. Reheat leftovers to make them more soft and moist again.
Important Considerations
- If you are on a keto diet, remember to look at net carbs and not just total carbs in the estimated nutrition.
- The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator and are not a comprehensive list of all nutrients.
Read also: 5-Ingredient Keto