These keto peanut butter cookies are made with natural peanut butter and a touch of sweetener. They are so wonderfully flavorful! The fact that they are flourless makes their peanut butter flavor extra concentrated.
Made with just three ingredients, these cookies are incredibly good. They're not too sweet, and their texture is just right, especially after an overnight rest. I make them with natural peanut butter and a powdered sweetener to ensure a smooth texture. I like to add a few dark chocolate chips to some of them while leaving the others plain.
Ingredients
You'll only need three simple ingredients (plus optional chocolate chips) to make these cookies. See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on the ingredients.
- Egg: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, including this one.
- Powdered sugar-free sweetener: I use erythritol.
- Natural peanut butter: I use Whole Foods' natural creamy peanut butter. It's salted, and there's no added sugar. The only ingredients are peanuts and salt.
- Dark chocolate chips: I use 85% cacao chocolate chips by Pascha.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Lightly whisk an egg, then add the sweetener. Add the peanut butter and mix well using a rubber spatula. The mixture will be very thick - it should have the consistency of playdough.
Measure 1.5 tablespoons per cookie and shape them into a ball. Arrange the balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. For the plain cookies, use a fork to create a crisscross pattern. For the chocolate chip ones, gently flatten and shape them with your hands, then press 4-5 chocolate chips onto the top.
Bake the cookies until their edges are beginning to darken, about 15 minutes in a 350°F oven. Cool them in the pan, then remove them to a cooling rack. Cool them on the cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before enjoying them. Their texture improves as they rest and cool. In fact, they are best the day after you bake them.
Perfect. Simple and easy. The first time, I burned them a little, because I made them smaller and did not adjust the baking time, but they were still delicious . Second time - perfection. Thank you so much .
Magda
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Recipe Tips
- If your peanut butter is unsalted, add ¼ teaspoon of salt. The peanut butter I use is quite salty, and the saltiness comes through in the cookies and enhances them.
- Natural peanut butter will usually undergo normal oil separation, with a layer of oil at the top of the jar. Stir it patiently and thoroughly until it's fully blended. Pay attention to the sides and bottom of the jar, where you will usually find areas of hardened, dry peanut butter that should be blended with the oil.
- It's important to let the cookies cool on the cooling rack and not in the pan. That’s how they get a proper cookie texture. If you leave them on the pan, they will be too soft.
- The cookies' texture improves the next day. They are on the soft side on the first day, but by the second day, they have a perfect cookie texture.
Recipe FAQs
It's best to use a powdered sweetener to ensure the cookies have a smooth, non-grainy texture. While I usually use stevia in my recipes, I have experimented and found that these cookies need the volume and texture of a powdered sweetener.
This recipe should work in terms of texture with any smooth and creamy natural nut butter, but the flavor will be different. If you use almond butter, check the consistency of the batter. It should be very thick and dough-like. If it's too liquid, add 1-2 tablespoons of almond flour.
This pattern isn't just pretty - it helps flatten the thick dough and ensure the cookies are evenly baked.
These cookies keep well for up to four days in an airtight container on the counter. I keep them in a glass food storage container, as shown in the photo below.
For longer storage and up to a week, refrigerate them in an airtight container. Remove them from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.
You can also freeze these cookies in freezer bags for up to three months. If layering them, separate the layers with wax paper.
Recipe Card
Keto Peanut Butter Cookies (Plus a Chocolate Chip Version)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 egg - large
- ⅓ cup powdered erythritol
- 1 cup peanut butter - natural, smooth; 256 grams
- 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips - optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the egg, then add the sweetener. Mix with a rubber spatula, then whisk with a wire whisk until smooth.
- Add the peanut butter and mix well using a rubber spatula. The mixture will be very thick - it should resemble playdough.
- Use a cookie scoop to measure 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Shape the dough portions with your hands into balls. Arrange the dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet, 1 inch apart.
- For the plain cookies, use a fork to create a crisscross pattern. Press on the dough balls with the backside of a fork, then rotate the fork 90 degrees and press again. The cookies should be about 2 inches in diameter.
- For the chocolate chip peanut butter cookies, gently flatten and shape them with your hands, then press 4-5 chocolate chips onto the top of each cookie.
- Bake the cookies until their edges are beginning to darken, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies in the pan for about 10 minutes. They will be too soft to remove from the pan at this point.
- Use a spatula to gently remove the cookies to a cooling rack. Cool them to room temperature for about 30 more minutes. The cookies will be very soft initially, but will harden and set as they cool and get a proper cookie texture.
- Serve the cookies with your desired beverage - my favorite is unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
Notes
- The cookies' texture improves the next day. They are on the soft side on the first day, but by the second day, they have a perfect cookie texture.
- If your peanut butter is unsalted, add ¼ teaspoon of salt. The peanut butter I use is quite salty, and the saltiness comes through in the cookies and enhances them.
- Natural peanut butter will usually undergo normal oil separation, with a layer of oil at the top of the jar. Stir it patiently and thoroughly until it's fully blended. Pay attention to the sides and bottom of the jar, where you will usually find areas of hardened, dry peanut butter that should be blended with the oil.
- It's important to let the cookies cool on the cooling rack and not in the pan. That’s how they get a proper cookie texture. If you leave them on the pan, they will be too soft.
- The leftovers keep well for up to four days in an airtight container on the counter. You can also refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to a week. Remove them from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.
- You can also freeze these cookies in freezer bags for up to three months. If layering them, separate the layers with wax paper.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Magda says
I forgot to rate . 5 stars .
Magda says
Perfect. Simple and easy.First time I burned them a little because I made them smaller and did not adjust the baking time but they were still delicious . Second time - perfection. Thank you so much .
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome, Magda! Thanks again for your willingness to try so many of my recipes.
Jennifer says
Hi Vered,
I made these cookies without sweetener or chocolate chips. I only had crunchy peanut butter so they turned out a bit dry (next time I'll add a little oil), but were very good with cheese.
Thanks, Jenny
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Jenny,
Fascinating! I never thought to use them as a type of cracker and serve them with cheese! Love it!
Christine Bergen says
I am allergic to peanut butter so I used almond butter and they turned out beautifully, thanks for the recipe!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Christine, and thanks for letting us know it works with almond butter.
Melissa says
I love low-ingredient recipes!! So easy to throw together when you have a craving for something sweet, and I like that they're relatively high in protein so it's an all-around feel-good dessert. Plus, they are DELICIOUS!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed these cookies, Melissa! Thank you very much for the review.