These ultra-chewy peanut butter cookies are rolled in cinnamon sugar just before being baked for an extra pop of flavor. Bonus: they’re also gluten-free!
In This Post
As a kid, I was never a big fan of peanut butter, but as an adult, I find myself craving a good old PB&J at least once a week. On toast. That’s just how I roll. And over the years, I’ve also become a sucker for peanut butter desserts, as proven in recipes like my chocolate chip peanut butter cookies, and salted chocolate peanut butter krispie treats. But what would my blog be without a classic peanut butter cookie recipe? This flourless peanut butter cookie recipe comes from blogger Averie Sunshine of Averie Cooks, and is from her cookbook Peanut Butter Comfort. These peanut butter cookies are something altogether different than any I ever had before—moist, chewy, and beyond decadent. Plus, they’re incredibly simple to make, and they just happen to be flourless! One of the things that set them apart from so many other peanut butter cookie recipes is they’re rolled in cinnamon sugar before they’re baked, which I love. The cinnamon adds a nice warmth and the sugar adds an irresistible crunch. They truly are the best peanut butter cookies.
What’s in These Peanut Butter Cookies
I know peanut butter cookies with no flour seem like an oxymoron, but trust me, this recipe works. And, you might be wondering where’s the salt? But since you’re using salted peanut butter, you don’t need any! Here’s what goes into these addicting flourless peanut butter cookies:
- Creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butter is much oilier and can make for a crumbly cookie dough.)
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
How to Make These Peanut Butter Cookies
These gluten-free peanut butter cookies couldn’t be any easier. Seriously. All you do is cream together the PB, sugars, egg, vanilla, and baking soda, then pop the mixing bowl into the fridge for an hour. Mix. Add the first six ingredients to a stand mixer on medium-high speed and beat for 1 to 2 minutes with a paddle attachment. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat for 1 minute more or just until smooth and the ingredients are combined. Chill. Place mixing bowl in the refrigerator for 1 hour, allowing to rest and chill. Roll. Roll the chilled cookie dough into balls, and roll them in cinnamon sugar before baking. 
Can I Use Natural Peanut Butter?
No, you should use a creamy peanut butter from a brand like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butter is much oilier and can make for a crumbly cookie dough.
Do I Have to Chill the Cookie Dough?
Absolutely. If you don’t chill the flourless peanut butter cookie dough, your cookies will spread like crazy in the oven.
Why do You Put Fork Marks in Peanut Butter Cookies?
Making criss-cross patterns on your peanut butter cookies with a fork helps them bake evenly (peanut butter is the central ingredient in these, and it’s dense, so this helps ensure you have cookies with a chewy middle and crispy edges).
3 Tips for Making Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
- When rolling the cookie dough in cinnamon sugar, Averie recommends doing a double coating to create a thicker layer of cinnamon sugar. This gives the gluten-free peanut butter cookies more texture and lots of cinnamon flavor.
- Averie also recommends baking these chewy peanut butter cookies just until the edges are set. The tops may look a little glossy and underdone, but they’ll firm up as they cool.
- These flourless peanut butter cookies freeze well. Let them cool completely, then seal them inside a freezer bag to enjoy later.
More Easy Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
- Chewy Ginger Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The Best No Bake Cookies with Coconut
- Milk Bar’s Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Coconut and Lime Frosted Soft Sugar Cookies
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Cinnamon Sugar Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (not organic)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar , packed
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup granulated sugar , for rolling
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon , for rolling
Instructions
- Add the first six ingredients to a stand mixer on medium-high speed and beat for 1 to 2 minutes with a paddle attachment. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat for 1 minute more or just until smooth and the ingredients are combined.
- Place mixing bowl in the refrigerator for 1 hour, allowing to rest and chill.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine the ¼ cup granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Using a small cookie scoop, form balls and dredge each one through the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Dredge the balls through the mixture twice to create a thicker cinnamon-sugar coating will produce cookies with more texture and a more intense cinnamon sugar flavor.
- Place balls onto a Silpat-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Flatten the mounts slightly with the tines of a fork, creating a crisscross pattern.
- Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. The bottoms will have set, but the tops may look under-done but they will set up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for at least 10 minutes or until they've firmed up.
Notes
- It's important to use a creamy peanut butter from a brand like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butter is much oilier and can make for a crumbly cookie dough.
- It's also crucial to chill your dough for at least an hour before baking (otherwise the cookies will spread massively).
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Reprinted with permission from Averie Sunshine
Nutrition
More Peanut Butter Desserts to Try
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
- Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Krispie Treats
- 4-Ingredient Ice Cream Pie with Peanut Butter Krispie Crust
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Love the peanut butter cookies. Thank you for sharing your recipe that I can add on my list.
We made these this afternoon. Very simple to make with ingredients I had on hand and delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I used organic PB and these didn’t turn out well at all :( The dough and cookies were a crumbly mess like one poster above described.
We made these tonight and loved them–even our almost-2-year-old nephew liked them! Very simple recipe; I made them with dark brown sugar (because that’s what we had) and they were great. Thanks for sharing!! :)
These look so good and I am planning on making them tonight, but I had 2 questions, I HOPE someone can answer…. Can I use natural peanut butter AND can i refrigerate them overnight? Trying to plan and prep ahead ;-)
I wanted so badly to like these! Mine look nothing like these. The batter was so greasy/oily. Did I do something wrong? Overbeat it? I followed the directions exactly but I sure wish they looked like the photo. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!
I made these with almond butter instead of peanuts and its so good! I ate them for breakfast with some Greek yogurt and bananas this morning. Check out my adapted version at babusbookofyum.com :)
I was so excited to try these but when I put the ingredients in my Kitchen Aid, it turned into this crumbly mixture and never formed into a dough. I stuck it in the fridge like the recipe said, but afterwards, it was still very crumbly. I was able to use my hands to form them into balls, but couldn’t squash them down because they would still crumble. They still tasted good, but I’m wondering if you have any idea what I could have done wrong. I followed the directions.
Trisha mine turned out the same. My dough was incredibly crumbly and I couldn’t squash them down because they totally fell apart. When I rolled the balls my hands were literally dripping with oil! They didn’t flatten and bake like the picture, but I’m sure they will still be very tasty – especially with that cinnamon sugar! Maybe we used the wrong kind of peanut butter?
I didn’t love the cinnamon and PB combo, but I did love the cookie recipe rolled in plain sugar. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
You’re welcome. And luckily, ever recipe can be adapted to your tastebuds.
Love the cookies… and I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER!!! Ok, my embarassing secret… there are currently 6 jars of peanut butter in this house right now.
Looks yummy, good energy snack.
I did not know you can cook so many different ways with peanut butter.
My favorite kind of cookie would probably have to be snickerdoodles! :)
OMG. I had no idea there was a cookbook. I have baked a couple of recipes via pinterest from Avery Cooks. Must have cookbook! Thanks for this great blogpost, so informative in so many ways ;)
I have made Averie’s Lofthouse-Style Peanut Butter Chip Cookies and they are amazing! They have recently become one of my favorite cookies, right behind the classic chocolate chip cookies.
I think my boys will be wild about the Flourless Chewy Cinnamon Sugar Peanut Butter Cookies!
I love any cookie with peanut butter in it!
My favorite ingredient – peanut butter! YAY!!!
Oh my gosh!! I am a Cinnamon FREAK!! I never even thought of putting my two loves together!! Thank you so much! Now to figure when to make these!
I love PB&J on toast too. The peanut butter gets all melty. Almost as good as eating one of these luscious peanut butter cookies.
These cookies look delicious!!! I can’t wait to bake them.
These look perfect for fall weather, will definitely pop these into the oven over the weekend, thanks for the great recipe!
Totally making these this week! I’ve been on the lookout for a chewy flourless peanut butter cookie :)
Averie is the best! And these cookies are phenomenal. I’m not the biggest peanut butter fan but I’d still make these any day of the week!
I LOVE Averie and this is such a sweet/awesome post!!!
I love all cookies, but right now my favorite is flourless peanut butter cookies, so I’ll have to try this version!
These look so delicious! Can’t wait to try these… and love that there’s no butter in them. :)
Averie’s awesome! I’ve met her a few times and always down to earth and approachable…the peanut butter Queen :)
A chocolate chip peanut butter cup cookie, soft and slightly underbaked.
My favorite type of cookies is chocolate chip pecan cookies!! They are both chewy and salty and sweet! Thank you very much for this giveaway!
I love a cookie with Peanut Butter. Can’t believe this recipe has no flour at all!
Just found out it’s National Homemade Cookie Day…I think I know what I’m baking today!
I recently discovered Averie on FB and love her recipes! I just tried several of her bars over the weekend and the co workers loved them! Going to make some for the deployed BF this weekend.
Heidi thank you so much for this awesome post, the sweet things you said, the detail and time you took to do this; for hosting a giveaway, making a recipe, my goodness I am honored and so very grateful! Thank you, thank you!! Your cookies look amazing. I would like to reach through the screen right now and grab one. Wow! Pinning! :)