How to make peanut butter cookies without brown sugar

These flourless peanut butter cookies only take one bowl and are a breeze to whip up. Their ultra-rich flavor makes them perfect for peanut butter lovers!

Table of Contents Show

Are these cookies gluten free?
Can you use natural peanut butter?
Can you use crunchy peanut butter?
How long do peanut butter cookies last?
Can you freeze peanut butter cookies?
Notes & tips for these flourless peanut butter cookies
More fun cookie recipes
Other peanut butter recipes
How to make easy peanut butter cookies
Recipe Details
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
What happens if you don't put brown sugar in cookies?
Is it necessary to use brown sugar in cookies?
Why do cookies need brown and white sugar?
Can u make brown sugar?

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The only thing better than cookies are easy cookies, and these flourless peanut butter cookies definitely hit that mark.

And, yes, you read that right: there is no flour in these cookies, but I promise you, they taste just as good as a traditional cookie. And if anything, the peanut butter flavor is even more potent with these because of the fewer ingredients. The peanut butter is the star of these cookies and they know it.

So if you’re a peanut butter lover like I am (high-five!) then this is definitely a cookie recipe you need in your arsenal for curing cravings.

Are these cookies gluten free?

While these cookies can technically be considered gluten free peanut butter cookies, not all brands of peanut butter are created equal. From what I’ve read, there are varying opinions of the “trustworthiness” of certain types of peanut butter.

So before serving these cookies to someone you know who lives a gluten free lifestyle, let them know what brand of peanut butter you used. If you’re baking with them in mind, you could even ask them what brand of peanut butter they use and trust. And, finally, you can also try verifying a brand of your choice with this list: 12 Gluten Free Peanut Butter Brands.

Can you use natural peanut butter?

Due to the limited ingredients in these cookies, no, you should not use natural or homemade peanut butter. You’ll need all the “extra stuff” that comes from brands like Skippy, Jiff, etc for this recipe to come together.

Can you use crunchy peanut butter?

I’ve only made these cookies with creamy peanut butter, but in theory, yes, you can use store-bought crunchy peanut butter (so long as it’s not natural or homemade – see above note).

How long do peanut butter cookies last?

Once prepared, these cookies should last for up to one week in a sealed container. There’s no need to refrigerate these cookies.

Can you freeze peanut butter cookies?

Yes, you totally can!

Once prepared, store the cookies in a sealed container or freeze bag for up to six months.

Notes & tips for these flourless peanut butter cookies

If you’re doing a lot of baking, I highly recommend having some silicone baking mats on hand. Baking cookies takes enough time without having to cut or measure parchment paper. Or if you prefer using parchment paper, you can try using pre-cut parchment paper sheets instead.
Plus, some quality baking sheets are a must for a cookie baking extravaganza!
For this recipe, I highly recommend using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. This recipe would be difficult to make by hand with a whisk.

Other peanut butter recipes

How to make easy peanut butter cookies

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), add sugar, peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract.

Step 2 – Cream everything together on medium-high speed until batter is thick and crumbly.

Step 3 – Use a cookie scoop to scoop out some dough, then roll it between your hands until it forms a ball. Place the cookie ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 4 – Use a fork to gently press a criss-cross pattern on the top of the cookie. Doing this will also give the cookie a classic flat, round shape, since these cookies won’t change that much while baking.

Step 5 – Bake!

Step 6 – Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Details

4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Yields: 24 cookies

These flourless peanut butter cookies only take one bowl and are a breeze to whip up. Their ultra-rich flavor makes them perfect for peanut butter lovers!

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then set aside.
Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), whip together granulated sugar, peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined, about 8-10 minutes. Batter will be a little crumbly; this is okay.
Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll it between your hands. Place cookie ball on prepared baking sheet. Use a fork to gently press a criss-cross pattern in the dough (see above video for example.) Repeat this step until all dough is used, placing cookies about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
Bake cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies have dried and are no longer as shiny. Note that cookies will not expand or grow as much while baking; this is okay.
Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.

What happens if you don't put brown sugar in cookies?

Brown sugar adds a dense chewiness to certain types of baked goods like cookies. When brown sugar is replaced with white sugar, you may end up with a slightly crispier result. Still, this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Is it necessary to use brown sugar in cookies?

Using brown sugar will result in a denser, moister cookie. Brown sugar is also hygroscopic (more so than granulated sugar) and will therefore also attract and absorb the liquid in the dough.

Why do cookies need brown and white sugar?

In that role, white sugar aerates the dough when creamed with butter for thick and puffy cookies. Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more.

Can u make brown sugar?

Make Your Brown Sugar Darker or Lighter To make dark brown sugar from white sugar, increase the molasses to 2 tablespoons per 1 cup of granulated sugar. Stir with a fork and keep in an airtight container. To make dark brown sugar from light brown sugar, add 1 tablespoon of molasses to 1 cup of light brown sugar.