Easy Chewy & Soft Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
These perfectly chewy and soft vegan peanut butter cookies are a dream! So easy to make, and undetectably eggless and dairy free!
Why this is the only peanut butter cookies recipe you need:
If you’re a peanut butter lover like me, then you’re going to absolutely love these easy vegan peanut butter cookies. They’re perfectly chewy, soft, and sweet; not to mention, incredibly simple to make! This twist on the classic peanut butter cookies recipe is the perfect addition to your vegan Christmas cookie spread. Here’s the deal:
- These cookies are full of peanut butter flavor: They’re just sweet enough while really letting the peanut butter shine through.
- The texture is slightly crumbly on the edges while being soft and chewy in the center: Aka the perfect combination. These peanut butter cookies still hold their shape well too, meaning you can easily pick them up without them falling apart!
- You won’t be able to tell that these peanut butter cookies are vegan: eggless, dairy free, and easily gluten free too! Not even the toughest vegan skeptics will be able to tell!
- You can easily freeze this dough for later baking: Don’t have time to bake all in one day? No worries! Either refrigerate the dough if you’re making it the next day, or freeze if you’re making it later on!
- A classic Christmas cookie that everyone will love: It’s not a cookie exchange without them!
These easy vegan peanut butter cookies taste like a dream! Absolutely everyone will love them!
Simple vegan ingredients:
Here’s all that you need to make these easy vegan peanut butter cookies:
- Creamy natural peanut butter: Yes, use natural peanut butter! Many classic peanut butter cookie recipes require a thick peanut butter, but I personally have found the best success with natural peanut butter. It’s super creamy and smooth, and makes for the best chewy texture.
- Flour: I used all purpose flour here but you could also use gluten free 1:1 baking flour for an entirely gluten free cookie.
- Sugar: I used a mixture of granulated sugar and brown sugar, but to make these healthy peanut butter cookies refined sugar free, you can use coconut sugar!
- Unsweetened applesauce: To replace eggs in peanut butter cookies, we’re using applesauce. It’s a wonderful binder that also adds a touch of sweetness to the cookies! You could also swap in banana or pumpkin puree, but keep in mind that the cookie will be slightly different.
- Vegan butter: I recommend Miyoko’s, Earth Balance, or Flora Plant Butter for your vegan butter option.
Note that we are not using any baking soda nor baking powder in this recipe. These cookies puff up really well without and omitting the baking soda will ensure that they do not spread as much!
How to make vegan peanut butter cookies (overview)
For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.
To make these vegan peanut butter cookies:
- Cream together the vegan butter and sugar.
Use a hand mixer or stand mixer and cream together for about 3 minutes, until the sugar starts to emulsify into the vegan butter.
- Add in the applesauce and peanut butter.
Then just cream together until combined.
- Fold in the flour.
Mix until JUST combined. You don’t want to over mix the flour!
- CHILL the dough!
More on this next!
- Scoop and roll into granulated sugar.
Then we’ll use the back of our fork to create a hatch mark and lightly press the cookie dough down.
- Bake for just 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
Then allow the cookies to rest for 10-15 minutes to solidify!
Do I need to chill the dough?
With peanut butter cookies, it’s actually best to chill the dough for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight! Which means that this dough is great if you want to make it ahead of time and then scoop and bake the cookies the day of!
If you were to just bake this vegan peanut butter cookie dough without chilling, your cookies would spread too much. You’re best chilling the dough for at least 1 hour in the fridge covered, but preferably overnight!
How to keep your vegan cookies from falling apart
With this peanut butter cookie recipe, you shouldn’t find an issue with your cookies falling apart! We’re using applesauce, which will help bind these vegan cookies together.
However, vegan cookies are super delicate when they first come out of the oven. You should allow the cookies to rest for 10-15 minutes on the baking sheet. This will allow them to solidify a bit more, and be able to be picked up and enjoy!
Tips for the best vegan peanut butter cookies!
You can safely use 75 grams (1/3 cup) granulated sugar instead of 100 grams (1/2 cup), and you can also omit the granulated sugar roll.
Did you know that vegan butter at room temperature is not truly 72F, but rather 65-67F? It should be easily indented with an index finger, but still feel slightly cold.
Simply wrap the dough in plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to 2 months! You can also refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days if you’re planning on making these peanut butter cookies later in the week.
And if your’e nut-free, you can swap in sunflower seed butter!
Because who doesn’t love the chocolate peanut butter combo?! Much like my vegan peanut butter blossoms, you’ll get the best of both worlds.
Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
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Chewy & Soft Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies (Easy!)
- Prep Time: 10
- 60 chill time:
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These perfectly chewy and soft vegan peanut butter cookies are a dream! So easy to make, and undetectably eggless and dairy free!
Ingredients
- 155 grams all purpose flour, or gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (omit if your peanut butter or vegan butter contains salt)
- 113 grams vegan butter, room temperature
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 50 grams coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 175 grams all-natural creamy smooth peanut butter
- 60 grams unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for coating the cookie dough
Instructions
- Please read through all instructions before beginning.
- Prep: Measure out all ingredients. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone cookie mat, and set aside.
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Then add in the peanut butter, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. Then add in the flour, baking soda, and salt (if using), and use a rubber spatula to fold the flour gently into the wet mixture just until combined. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge covered.
- When ready to bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Scoop the dough: Place the remaining granulated sugar in a small bowl. Use a cookie scoop (about 1.5 tbsp in size) or roll dough into small dough balls (about 1.5 tbsp each). Dip each cookie dough ball into the decorative sugar, coating it all around, then place the dough onto the baking sheet. They should be about 2 inches apart to prevent touching when they spread. If you can’t fit all of the cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheets, you can place any leftovers in the fridge while you wait for the first batch to bake!
- Create the classic peanut butter cookie look: Use the back of your fork and lightly press down onto each cookie dough ball to create a hatch mark.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the edges have set, and the middle is slightly puffy. Remove from the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool before enjoying: These cookies are super soft at first when first coming out of the oven! Allow them 10-15 minutes to cool and solidify more (then you can pick them up and enjoy!).
- Storage: Serve and enjoy! Store any remaining cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months in an air tight container.
These tasted great! An easy recipe to follow and everyone loved them – vegans and non-vegans! I will make them again.
I’m so happy to hear it!! Thank you for the review!
So tasty!! super easy to make and they came out great, nice and soft. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free baking flour and they turned out perfect, I would definitely make these again.
So happy to hear it 🙂 Thank you so much for the review! Enjoy!!
Made these as part of Christmas cookie tin presents and these were by far the biggest hit! So peanutty and crisp outside with a soft inside that melts in the mouth. Definitely going to make these again! Favourite cookie recipe ever!
Can I use almond flour instead of regular and monk fruit sweetener?
Hi Kim! Unfortunately, that combination won’t work here- I’m so sorry!
I have been making these constantly for the past year now and they always come out consistently great every time. One of the best recipes for chewy PB cookies I’ve found. And I definitely believe they come out amazing every time because I weigh all the ingredients. Thank you for taking the time to list the weights. It makes such a huge difference!
Omgsh!! Thank you so much for this review, wow! So glad you love these cookies so much 🙂 They’re some of my favorites too! Enjoy!!
These peanut butter cookies are melt in your mouth delicious! Will be the only peanut butter cookies I will make. Thanks for yet another fantastic plant-based recipe. You are my go to for baked goods recipes.
Oh my gosh this is lovely!! Thank you so much for the kind review! And for being here 🙂 Enjoy!!
Hello Britt, What low G.I./G.L. flour would you suggest to substitute the Gluten Free Flour? Thank you!
Hi Diane! Unfortunately I haven’t tested these cookies with anything other than all purpose flour and a gluten free flour blend (King Arthur gluten free measure for measure flour). I’m so sorry!
Britt, Thank you for your reply. I will let you know how my experiments go. :))