If you love peanut butter (or any nut butter) like I do, these Keto Peanut Butter Cookies are a must! They’re lightly crisp on the outside with a soft and chewy center that will have you swooning. And with only 2 net carbs a pop, they’re a treat you don’t have to feel guilty about.
Plus, they’re super fast and easy to whip up! They’re perfect for a last minute treat or if you have unexpected guests. They also freeze well if you would like to make a big batch to keep in the freezer.
Easy Flourless Peanut Butter Cookie Steps
Start by beating an egg and some sweetener in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined and fluffy, around 2 to 3 minutes.
For the sweetener, I like to use either Swerve Sweetener or Lakanto Sweetener (affiliate links). These are my 2 favorite Keto sweeteners. Or if you’re Paleo, feel free to use coconut palm sugar (or any granulated sugar of choice!).
As with most flourless peanut butter cookies, these have a 1:1 ratio of peanut butter to sugar. If you’ve been Keto for a while though, this may be way too sweet for you.
Feel free to reduce it down to 1/2 cup if you prefer less sweet desserts.
Then, add 1 cup of nut butter of choice, baking soda, and pure vanilla. The batter with thick and a bit crumbly, but this is OK.
The Nut Butter: Nut butters can vary – a lot! Whatever kind you use – be it peanut, almond, sunbutter, etc.. – it needs to be smooth and creamy.
If you use a nut butter that is dry or hard, the cookies will not turn out well. If the nut butter has oil sitting on top, be sure to stir it in really well before measuring. I suggest using a salted, unsweetened variety.
Roll the batter into Tablespoon-sized balls and place them on a lined baking sheet. The batter should make around 15 to 16 cookies.
Then, use a fork to slightly press them down and make a criss-cross pattern. The criss-cross pattern is a must when making peanut butter cookies, you just hafta do it, lol!
After that, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the cookies in the freezer for at least 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
Why Freeze Cookies Before Baking
I freeze these before baking because this causes them to spread less and have a better texture. This is because the chilled fat in the cookies takes longer to melt than room-temperature fat.
The longer it takes the fat to melt, the less the cookies spread. They also turn out softer and chewier making for a much better texture.
Bake for 11-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and set. Do not over-bake or they’ll lose their soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture!
If you’re a fan of sea salt and would like them to be more savory, feel free to sprinkle some flaky sea salt on them halfway through baking. I personally love desserts with sea salt (like these truffles!) so this is a step I never miss!
Tips For Perfect Flourless Keto Peanut Butter Cookies
- Be careful not to over-bake. Bake until lightly golden and set. If they’re over-baked, they will be crumbly instead of soft and tender.
- These work with any nut butter, not just peanut butter! Just be sure the texture is soft and smooth. If the nut butter is dry or hard, the cookies will not turn out well.
- If there’s oil sitting on top of the nut butter, stir it in really well before measuring. Sometimes nut butter can be hard to stir after it has separated. If this happens I process my peanut or almond butter in a food processor until it’s well blended and creamy. Then, it should be easy to measure and stay soft and smooth until the jar is empty.
- I have never tried these with crunchy nut butter or homemade peanut butter or almond butter. If you give either of them a shot let me know how they turn out.
- You have to make a criss-cross pattern on top of the cookies. It’s an unspoken rule when making peanut cookies, lol!
- Feel free to sprinkle these with flaky sea salt halfway through baking to make them a bit more savory.
Looking for more treats? Check out these Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies and Easy Keto Chocolate Pudding recipes! Or these Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats from Veggie Balance look delicious too!
If you’ve tried these Keto Peanut Butter Cookies or any other recipe on the blog please let me know in the comments below!
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(The Easiest!) Flourless, Keto Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Unsweetened, Salted Creamy Peanut Butter Or Nut Butter Of Choice be sure it's soft and creamy, not dry or hard
- 1 Cup Swerve Sweetener Lakanto Sweetener or coconut palm sugar for Paleo. This makes a very sweet cookie, reduce down to 1/2 Cup if you prefer less-sweet desserts
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1 tsp. Pure Vanilla
- Flaky Sea Salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or baking mat.
- Add sweetener and egg to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes. Add the baking soda, peanut butter, and vanilla. Beat until well combined and fluffy.
- Form dough into 1-inch sized balls, place on prepared baking sheet, and slightly press down on each one with a fork creating a criss-cross pattern and patch up the edges as needed. Freeze for 15 minutes before baking.
- Bake 11-14 minutes or until lightly golden and set. Do not over-bake as this will make the cookies crumbly instead of soft. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt half-way through baking to make them a bit more savory.
- Cool completely. Store covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months.
Notes
- Be careful not to over-bake. Bake until lightly golden and set. If they're over-baked, they will be crumbly instead of soft and tender.
- These work with any nut butter, not just peanut butter! Just be sure the texture is soft and smooth. If the nut butter is dry or hard, the cookies will not turn out well.
- If there's oil on top of the peanut butter, stir it in really well before measuring. Sometimes nut butter can be hard to stir after it has separated. If this happens I process my peanut or almond butter in a food processor until it's well blended and creamy. Then, it should be easy to measure and will stay soft and smooth until the jar is empty.
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary.
Making the second round of these this week! Always trust your recipes!
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Two “m”s in commission. Have a wonderful day.