Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

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Soft, melt-in-your-mouth vegan peanut butter cookies made in just 1 bowl.

Peanut butter defies the ages, beloved by kids and adults. These simple vegan peanut butter cookies will cure any sweet tooth, and possibly save the world. Am I being dramatic? Maybe, but just taste them before you make that judgment call.

You need 7 basic ingredients, and absolutely no flax eggs. I like flax eggs for some vegan baking recipes, but peanut butter cookies are famously smooth and buttery, so the texture of flax seeds just won't fit in here. Along with those ingredients, you'll just need 1 bowl and a baking sheet.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Scaling
• Make Ahead
• Tips
• Recipe

Ingredients

• Peanut Butter: Creamy peanut butter is traditionally used and what I recommend. You certainly can use crunchy peanut butter, though, if you want more texture in your cookies! Choose your favorite brand.
• Vegan Butter: I like using Earth Balance Buttery Sticks for the ease of measuring.
• Sugar & brown sugar: I have not tested this recipe with alternative sweeteners.
• Vanilla extract: Pure extract has the best flavor.
• Flour: All-purpose/white flour.
• Baking Soda: This helps the cookies lift & spread while baking. Make sure not to use baking powder.

Instructions

First, mix together the peanut butter and vegan butter. The butter will mix in easier if it has been left at room temperature for at least an hour or two. Add in the sugars and vanilla before mixing in the flour and baking soda.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a large baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. (Be careful not to use wax paper.)

Roll the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons worth of dough each. Place them on the baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart so they don't stick together while baking.

Now, let's make the pattern that is traditional to peanut butter cookies. Using a fork, press each ball down lightly in a crisscross pattern. Rock the fork back and forth gently while pressing to avoid cracking the cookie.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn brown. Let cool completely on the baking sheet to help maintain the shape.

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Substitutions

• Nut allergy: Replace the peanut butter with equal parts sunflower butter.
• Extract: If you want to switch things up, almond extract helps enhance the nut flavor in this recipe! I recommend replacing only ½ teaspoon of the vanilla with almond extract. A little goes a long way.

Scaling

Yes, you can easily double or halve this recipe. Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card for the proper ingredient amounts. The instructions stay the same.

Make Ahead

You can make these cookies up to 48 hours in advance before baking. Simply cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.

If you refrigerate for more than an hour, I recommend leaving the dough on the counter for about 20 minutes before rolling into balls, otherwise they won't spread easily in the oven and will crack easy while pressing down with a fork.

Tips

• These peanut butter cookies call for packed brown sugar. While measuring out the brown sugar, press it firmly into the cup to get an accurate measurement.
• If the butter and peanut butter are not mixing together well, that simply means the butter is too cold. Cover the bowl and try again in 30 minutes.

Did you make these vegan peanut butter cookies? Leave a comment & star rating below!

Looking for more cookies recipes? Try vegan oatmeal raisin or vegan chocolate chip cookies.

Recipe