I love peanut butter cookies. They were never my favorite, but definitely in my top 5. So after going vegan, they were one of the first types I tried to make. I tried multiple recipes. From cookbooks I trusted. Websites I trusted. Websites that I did not trust. None of them were good. Most of the cookies turned out gritty and grainy, no matter how much I creamed the butter and sugar. Some didn’t even taste like peanut butter when they were done. So I gave up.
In the nine years since going vegan, the only peanut butter cookie I had that was any good was a recipe developed by the head chef at a now defunct vegan restaurant in Chicago that I worked at. They were soft, chewy and tasted like peanut butter. They were especially amazing because my boss had a mild peanut allergy and couldn’t even eat one to test it out himself. How he pulled it off, I’ll never know. But I ended up leaving that job, the restaurant went under, the head chef moved away and got out of the culinary world, etc. Why did they work so well? Sadly, I’ll never know.
When I started working on some things to make for this site, I decided I would attempt to take a peanut butter cookie recipe and make it vegan and gluten free. I guess I love a challenge a little too much sometimes. So after three or four attempts, I found one that I was happy with. The first version was too flat. The second batch went in the opposite direction. They looked great, but had the texture of a dry peanut butter flavored scone. I usually eat all of my failures. Those ended up in the garbage. But then the next try worked.
I used natural peanut butter when I made them. I know some recipes say it can’t be done, but you just have to make sure it’s well stirred and refrigerated beforehand. But feel free to use whatever kind you have and like.
Also, the dough has to be refrigerated before baking. It’s a must. Otherwise they spread out too much. So without further ado,
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup margarine, softened
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 flax egg 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp hot water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Flour blend
- 2/3 cup + 2 tsp oat flour 84 gram
- 1/3 cup tapioca starch 42 grams
- 1/4 cup +1 tsp white rice flour 42 grams
- 1/3 cup corn starch 42 grams
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp psyllium husk flakes
Instructions
- Measure out flours, baking powder, baking soda and psyllium into a bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
- In bowl of stand mixer or with hand mixer, cream margarine, brown sugar and peanut butter until light and fluffy.
- Add “egg” and vanilla and continue beating until combined.
- Add flour mixture. Stir until well combined. Scoop out into balls, approximately 1.5 tbsp/rounded tablespoon/ping pong ball sized. Put on parchment lined pan. Flatten slightly by hand or with the back of a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. When oven is heated and cookie dough has chilled for 30 minutes, bake cookies about 10-12 minutes. They should just start to set up on the edges. Let them cool slightly, approximately 5-10 minutes, before removing from pans to cool the rest of the way,
