For those embarking on a keto or low-carb lifestyle, finding satisfying treats can be a challenge. However, there's no need to sacrifice your sweet tooth! These keto peanut butter cookies, crafted with coconut flour, offer a guilt-free indulgence that's both easy to make and incredibly delicious. They are also happen to be Paleo friendly, low carb, gluten free, dairy free.
Why Coconut Flour?
As their name suggests, these coconut flour peanut butter cookies are made with…coconut flour! Coconut flour offers special benefits, such as its high fiber content. Coconut flour is a super-healthy low carb flour - high in fibre and low in carbs. It absorbs lots of liquid and the end result can be brittle if you don't get the ingredient balance right. However, if used correctly coconut flour recipes taste delicious.
The Magic of Keto Peanut Butter Cookies
These cookies are irresistible, nutty, slightly salty, and just a little sweet, with a soft and crumbly texture. The recipe reminds me so much of my childhood. One of the keys to success on the keto diet is finding great substitutes for the foods you crave. These easy keto peanut butter cookies only need a few ingredients for a yummy low-carb dessert without all the carbs.
Key Ingredients and Their Roles
- Natural Peanut Butter: Opt for natural peanut butter without added sugars or unhealthy oils. This will keep your cookies low-carb and keto-friendly. Gives the cookie its nutty flavor and helps hold everything together. You can use just about any type of peanut butter you like, whether it’s creamy or chunky. Choose a natural peanut butter that contains just one ingredient - peanuts. Plus maybe a little salt.
- Coconut Flour: Adds texture and a bit of fluffiness to the cookies. Coconut flour isn’t a direct replacement for all-purpose flour, so the quantity is adjusted accordingly.
- Coconut Oil: Makes the cookies moist and brings a hint of tropical taste.
- Eggs: There are 2 eggs in this coconut flour version, instead of just one egg like in the other two recipes. Binds everything together.
- Vanilla Extract: An essential for most baking recipes.
- Powdered Sweetener: Use an erythritol monk fruit sweetener that 's a 1:1 sugar replacement. Allulose or xylitol are also options - they would make these sugar free peanut butter cookies even softer.
- Baking powder and salt: For a lighter, fluffier, tastier cookie.
Optional additions
- Sugar-free dark chocolate chips: This ingredient is also optional if you would like to drizzle some chocolate on top of your cookies.
- Pine nuts: Sprinkle pine nuts on top of the cookies.
Step-by-Step Recipe for Keto Peanut Butter Coconut Flour Cookies
Here's a simple and straightforward recipe to guide you through the process:
Ingredients:
- ½ cup peanut butter almond butter, sunbutter, or other nut butter of choice (Note: sunbutter may make the cookies slightly green, but they will still be delicious!
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoon powdered Erythritol
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon coconut Flour
- Vanilla extract
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Optional: Sugar-free dark chocolate chips, pine nuts.
Instructions:
- Preparation: Begin by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C), or Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit, or Preheat your oven to 170C / 338F and line a baking tray or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Combine Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the natural peanut butter, egg, and 1/3 cup of granulated Monk Fruit Allulose Blend (set aside 1 teaspoon for later), or Put all ingredients in a bowl and stir together with a fork until a dough forms, or In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs using an electric whisk until fluffy.
- Mix: Blend these ingredients until smooth, or Add coconut oil, stir, then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix thoroughly using a mixer at medium speed, or Add powdered Erythritol and melted butter to the eggs and keep whisking. Then add the coconut flour, and whisk, add the peanut butter and whisk again until combined.
- Incorporate Coconut Flour: Incorporate the coconut flour and Xanthan Gum into the dough, distributing them evenly.
- Add Flavorings: Pour in the vanilla flavoring and mix. The cookies have a gentle coconut flavour which I think is delicious. But for all of you who love the idea of coconut flour but not the taste, simply add 1 teaspoon of almond extract. You could also add sugar free chocolate chips to the batter to make low carb peanut butter chocolate chip cookies or sprinkle sea salt on top before baking. It should also be possible to use crunchy peanut butter for a more rustic result.
- Form the Cookies: Scoop the dough and roll it into a ball between your palms, or Using your hands, form 12 balls of dough and place them on the lined baking tray. The dough will be slightly sticky so if it sticks to your fingers, simply wet them with a little water and roll. Cut into 9 and roll into balls. Wet your hands again if needed. Place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Flatten: Place each ball onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space for the cookies to expand. Flatten each cookie dough ball into 1 cm thick / 5 cm diameter disks using a fork, making a criss cross pattern, or Try to flatten each cookie softly using a spatula.
- Create the Pattern: Grab a fork and make a kiss-cross pattern on top of each cookie, or Press down on each cookie and cross the sides with a fork.
- Bake: Let your cookies bake in the oven for about 7-9 minutes, or Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until they just begin to go brown around the sides, or Bake for 8 - 10 minutes (mine baked for 9), or Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until fully baked.
- Cool: Once they’re out of the oven, let them cool right on the cookie sheet before transferring them onto a wire cooling rack for complete cooling, or Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on the tray completely, or Let the cookie cool completely before handling or eating, or Then, allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack. Cool on the Sheet First: Let your cookies cool on the baking sheet before transferring them; it helps them not break apart.
- Optional: Drizzle the cookies with melted unsweetened chocolate (optional). Your cookies are ready. Then, sprinkle pine nuts on top of the cookies.
- Serve: Serve these cookies for breakfast with a bowl of Peach Overnight Oats, Biscoff Porridge or Sweet Rice Porridge. Thanks for dropping in!
Tips for Success
- Don't Overbake: Do not overbake the cookies, as they continue to firm up as they are cooling down.
- Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They probably keep longer, just not in my house! They also freeze well for up to 3 months. Freeze in a single layer so the cookies don't stick together. Simple, easy, and quick low-carb peanut butter cookies can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a week. Cookies can be stored at room temperature in a sealed container. They will keep fresh for up to 2 weeks.
Variations and Substitutions
- Nut Butter Alternatives: Try these with almond butter or sunbutter. If you’d like to replace the peanut butter, you can use almond butter or cashew butter. Heads up: if you use sunbutter, the cookies can turn a bit green.
- Vegan Option: I have not yet tested this but am reasonably confident that replacing the eggs with flax eggs should work, although the cookies may not rise as much and may spread more. To make two flax eggs: in a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal with 5 tablespoons water. Let sit 5 minutes. I haven’t tried this swap myself, but I have had a number of readers report replacing the two eggs called for in the recipe with flax eggs and loving the results.
- Sweetener Options: I don’t recommend making these Coconut Flour Cookies with no sugar or with a liquid sweetener.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto