Gooey and chocolatey gluten free peanut butter cup cookies that are bursting with peanut butter and naturally gluten free, dairy free, and vegan!
Okay so I’m not going to lie. These might be my favorite cookie of The Banana Diaries Cookie Week 2019.
I mean, these gluten free peanut butter cup cookies are just unreal.
Bursting with deliciously gooey peanut butter and melted chocolate, not too sweet, but still satisfyingly decadent, and just the best little dessert in a bite.
Plus, you’d never know that these cookie cups are completely gluten free, grain free, dairy free, vegan, soy free, and could be made Paleo if you swap out that PB 😉
Anddddd my family and my boyfriend’s family basically devoured them in a day.
Keep in mind, these taste testers are for the most part not low sugar, dairy free, gluten free eaters!
The ultimate peanut butter cup cookies
Allow me to explain what a peanut butter cup cookie is, and why this peanut butter cookie cup recipe is the ultimate recipe.
You’re going to flip.
So we start with a chocolate chip cookie cup. Basically a gluten free (grain free) vegan chocolate chip cookie based off of my simple vegan chocolate chip cookie (which you guys just loveeee and that makes me so happy!).
Then we stick a homemade 2 ingredient vegan peanut butter cup in the middle and call it a day.
Yes homemade! Trust me, it’s the reason why these cookie bites are so dang delicious. And addicting!
Yet incredibly low sugar, the only added sugar comes from the coconut sugar, and we’re using a very small amount when you compare that to regular cookies!
But you’d never know because they’re so decadent!
Now do I have your attention? Thought so 😉 Okay let’s make these deliciously decadent cookie cups!
How to make gluten free peanut butter cup cookies
So to make these gluten free peanut butter cup cookies, you’ll need to do them in two steps…if you’re also making the vegan peanut butter cups!
Personally, I think that’s the move. Homemade peanut butter cups taste 10x better than store bought (in my oh-so humble opinion).
First we’ll go through how to make the peanut butter cups and then we’ll make the cookie cups.
Finally we’ll put it all together!
How to make 2 ingredient vegan peanut butter cups
So if you choose to make the 2 ingredient vegan peanut butter cups, all you’ll need is:
- chocolate
- peanut butter
That’s it! For chocolate, I recommend Lily’s Sweets, Pascha Organics, or Enjoy Life, but if you have a favorite brand go for it!
Now to make the vegan peanut butter cups, you’ll need to:
- Melt the chocolate.
- Spoon one layer of chocolate into the bottom of a mini cupcake tin liner (I recommend also using the mini cupcake pan for stability), and make sure to spread the chocolate up the sides. Freeze this layer to set.
- Next, spoon a little peanut butter on top of the set chocolate, and freeze again.
- Then finish off with one more layer of chocolate and freeze until set, then store them in the fridge for when you’re making the cookie cups!
See how easy that was?! Now we make the cookie cups!
How to make Paleo chocolate chip cookie cups
Alright SO for the paleo chocolate chip cookie cups (although if you just want to make them regular ol’ deliciously sweet gluten free chocolate chip cookies, you absolutely can), you’re going to need:
- Cassava flour (or gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour)
- Coconut oil
- Coconut sugar
- Flaxseed or unsweetened applesauce
- Vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips
Not crazy, right?
Now for how to make these peanut butter cup cookies, it’s a very simple process. In fact, you’re basically just making chocolate chip cookies, except pressing them into a cupcake tin instead of dropping them onto a baking sheet!
- First start by using a hand mixer to beat together the wet ingredients, along with the coconut sugar.
- Then sift in the cassava flour and fold in the chocolate chips.
- Press the dough into cupcake liners in a muffin tin or grease the cupcake tin and press the dough straight into the pan.
- Chill the dough for 10 minutes, then bake the cookie cups.
- Let the cookie cups cool for 10 minutes before removing.
Then we’re onto the final step in the process!
Assembling the gluten free peanut butter cup cookies
Okay so this is the fun part! We’re going to assemble the peanut butter cup cookies!
To do this, press one peanut butter cup into the middle of one cookie cup lightly. You can sort of hold the edges of the cup to make sure that the cookie cup doesn’t fall apart (cassava flour can sometimes be fragile when just out of the oven!).
Then that’s it! Your gluten free cookie cups are complete!
I hope you love these cookie cups as much as I do! If you give them a go (or have any questions or comments), be sure to leave a comment and rating down below!
As always, I love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!
Happy baking and peanut butter cup-ing!
Want a free guide for all of my healthy baking tips + tricks?
More healthy holiday cookie recipes!
Gluten Free Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
Gluten Free Vegan Linzer Cookies
Almost Paleo Peanut Butter Blossoms
Gluten Free Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
Description
Gooey and chocolatey gluten free peanut butter cup cookies that are bursting with peanut butter and naturally gluten free, dairy free, and vegan!
Ingredients
Paleo Cookie Cup:
- 1 1/2 cup cassava flour (or 2 cups regular flour or gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, softened but still cold
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 3 tbsp ground flaxseed with 7 tbsp water or 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
Peanut Butter Cup:
- 1 cup chocolate chips (I recommend either Lily’s Sweets, Pascha Organic, or Enjoy Life)
- 1/2 cup smooth unsweetened peanut butter (I recommend Woodstock or Santa Cruz)
Instructions
Peanut Butter Cups:
- Make sure you have 12 mini cupcake liners in a mini cupcake tin.
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl or via stovetop.
- Add about 1 tbsp of melted chocolate to each mini cupcake liner. Use a spoon to smooth the chocolate up the sides of the liner a little to create a pocket for the peanut butter.
- Place the tray into the freezer to chill for 10 minutes before adding the peanut butter. Once the chocolate has set, remove from the freezer and add 1 tsp of peanut butter per cup.
- Place the tray back into the freezer to set for 5 minutes. Then fill the rest of the cups with chocolate to cover the peanut butter.
- Place the tray back into the freezer to set for 10 minutes.
- When they’re set, move the tray to the fridge to chill as you prepare the chocolate chip cookie cups.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups:
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray the tin with olive oil or coconut oil.
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, flaxseed egg (or applesauce), and vanilla.
- Sift in the flour and sea salt, and mix until it’s a sticky batter.
- Add in the chocolate chips and fold until the chocolate chips are evenly distributed.
- Take about 2 tbsp of dough and press it into the bottom of each cupcake tin or cupcake liner and create a cup-shape to fit the peanut butter cup into.
- Place the muffin tin into the fridge to chill for 10 minutes. Then place the tin into the oven to bake for 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the cupcake tin.
- When ready to assemble the cookie cups, lightly press one peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie cup, making sure the edges don’t crumble (so don’t press hard!).
- Store in the fridge to help keep from. Enjoy!
Keywords: peanut butter cup cookies, gluten free peanut butter cup cookies, vegan peanut butter cups
WOAH… When you put my all-time fave (pb cup) inside my other fave (chocolate chip cookie)!! AND it’s paleo(ish)/vegan! Mind blown! Easily one of the BEST cookies I’ve EVER had 🙂
★★★★★
You are too kind!! So happy to hear you loved them!! They’re so much fun right?!