These flourless keto peanut butter cookies are so easy to make! They require only 4 ingredients and you simply stir them together with a fork. Perfect for any low carb or keto diet. Gluten free and sugar free!
"I just made these and they are amazing! I have to force myself to portion control! I was unsure about the cinnamon but it really brings out the peanut butter flavor. Thank you! This one is a keeper." (Michelle)
I regularly make these cookies and they always disappear in a flash. My whole family goes crazy for them, even my teenage carb lovers.
The recipe has been on my blog since 2018. I have just updated the post with more tips and variations to bring it up-to-date. The recipe was perfect as it is and it hasn't changed!
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Why This Recipe Works
There are a number of reasons why you've got to try these keto friendly cookies ASAP - beyond the fact that they are only 1.6g net carbs per cookie.
1. NO SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
To make this keto peanut butter cookie recipe, you need no blender or any other special equipment. In fact, you can mix the dough in a bowl with a fork. And if you are like me, lick the fork (and the bowl).
See? No labour-intensive cleaning of food processors and more fun!
2. QUICK ASSEMBLY
The cookies take 5 minutes of prep time and 15 minutes total time from start to finish! All ingredients go in as-is, and in any order you like.
The only thing I would recommend is that you keep your ingredients at room temperature.
3. SUPER SATISFYING TASTE
The cookies are chewy, crunchy and taste of peanut butter. They are filling and so satisfying.
Have I convinced you? Let's get started with the recipe.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need to make these flourless keto cookies:
PEANUT BUTTER. I used a crunchy peanut butter. Choose a brand that contains only one ingredient - peanuts. Try Meridian or Whole Earth. Always check the label! Often, brands add palm oil and sugar.
Sugar-free SWEETENER. To make sugar free peanut butter cookies, you need a sugar substitute. I used Sukrin Gold, which is a brown sugar substitute blend made from erythritol and stevia. But really, any sweetener will work. You could choose a monk fruit sweetener such as Lakanto, xylitol, allulose or Swerve.
EGG. Use a large, room temperature egg.
SEA SALT and CINNAMON. Both are optional, but if the peanut butter does not contain salt, I recommend sprinkling sea salt on top of the cookies or mixing it into the cookie dough.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
👩🍳 Instructions
This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities
Let me show you how to make the best keto peanut butter cookies.
First of all, you'll want to preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1
In a large mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients with a fork.
Step 2
Form small dough balls with your hands and place them on the parchment paper-lined cookie sheet or on a silicone baking mat.
Alternatively, use a cookie scoop and simply scoop the dough on the baking sheet.
The mixture makes 20 small cookies of around 15 grams each.
Step 3
Now comes the ONLY ever-so-slightly challenging part of this recipe: the creation of the pretty criss-cross pattern on top of the cookie.
For this, press a fork onto the dough balls to flatten them into ½-inch thick cookies.
Step 4
Bake the cookies in the oven until they are golden brown and the edges are firm.
Expert Tips
I like to 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. I clean the fork and wet it as needed while I work my way through the batch.
Secondly, let the cookies cool fully before touching them. All low carb cookies are soft and fragile when freshly out of the oven. It's because they do not contain gluten. Patience! They firm up as they cool down.
Variations
I have made this recipe many, many times over the years. While it is perfect as written, I sometimes tweak it a little, just for fun. Here are ideas for recipe variations:
Chocolate chips. First of all, all peanut butter cookies taste great with chocolate. One option is to add sugar-free chocolate chips to the dough. Or, simply chop a few squares of dark chocolate. I recommend using chocolate with a cocoa content of 90%, such as Lindt.
Chocolate coating. Another delicious way to add chocolate flavor is to dip one-half of the cookie in melted dark chocolate (again, use a minimum of 85% cocoa solids). Just make sure the cookies are cooled fully first!
Change the texture. If you prefer a smooth texture, feel free to use smooth peanut butter instead of crunchy. This way, the criss-cross pattern on the cookies will be more visible, too. You could even use a patterned cookie stamp.
Make them rise. Add ½ teaspoon of baking powder to the cookie dough for a fluffier, lighter texture. I tried this recently and really liked the result. The cookies puffed up nicely in the oven.
Change the flavor. Sometimes I like to add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, which gives the cookies a warm note. Once I even made a delicious festive version by adding a teaspoon of pumpkin spice (a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves).
Tiger cookies! This version is a hit with my children: Separate the dough into two mixing bowls. Add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder to one bowl and incorporate. Then, roughly blend the two doughs together and proceed as per the recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. This recipe works with almond butter, cashew butter or any other nut or seed butter. In fact, I used it to create my 3 ingredient Keto Almond Butter Cookies!
If you want a cookie that's soft in the centre, bake for around 8 minutes.
If you prefer crunchy cookies, leave them in the oven for 10 minutes.
To make homemade peanut butter, you need a food processor or high speed blender. Simply blend the peanuts 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.
Yes. The sweetener is not essential for the recipe. If you prefer sugarless peanut butter cookies, simply omit any sugar substitute. Just be sure to add sea salt and cinnamon for a good flavor.
Serving Suggestion
I like to enjoy one of these cookies with a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon. My kids tell me they are also very good dunked in a glass of cold milk.
It's good to know that they also make a great on-the-go snack as they are sturdy and easy to transport.
And here's a tip for gourmets: Take 2 cookies and spread the middle with sugar free nutella. It's like a peanut butter chocolate version of keto oreos!
Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If stored in the fridge, the cookies will keep fresh for 3-4 weeks.
You can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. It's best to freeze them on a parchment paper-lined baking tray and then transfer them into a ziplock bag once they are frozen. This way, they don't stick together.
Defrost frozen cookies on the kitchen counter or overnight in the refrigerator.
More Keto Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes
I am a bit of an expert when it comes to sugar-free peanut butter cookies! Here are more recipes to try:
Coconut Flour Peanut Butter Cookies. Adding coconut flour to the dough makes the cookies soft and fluffy.
Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies. This is another popular recipe. Almond flour adds a new layer of flavor.
Keto No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies. If you leave out the egg it's possible to create the most delicious no-bake cookies.
Fun fact - did you know a peanut is not a nut but a legume? True story, but really. In my book, peanuts are welcome to live alongside almonds, pecans and the like. Let a nut be a nut.
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Low Carb Keto Peanut Butter Cookies
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary.
Ingredients
- 1 cup crunchy peanut butter (100% peanuts) (250g)
- ½ cup granulated sweetener (100g)
- 1 egg large
- pinch of sea salt
- optional: ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 Celsius / 350 Fahrenheit.
- Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork.
- Roll small balls of dough (ca 15g each) with your hands (or use a small cookie scoop) and flatten them on a baking sheet.
- Wet a fork and press on cookies to create a criss cross pattern.
- Bake 8 -10 minutes, until the edges are firm. (8 minutes = soft centre, 10 minutes = overall crunchy)
- Let cool completely before eating. They are very soft when just out of the oven, but will become crunchy once cooled.
- Store in an airtight container.
Mindy
Whoever came up with this peanut butter cookie concept was a genius. Your adaptations with the cinnamon and or sugar free chocolate chips really hits the spot!