These delicious 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies with no egg are the perfect simple, healthy, and delicious, treat. Made with just smooth peanut butter, almond flour, and maple syrup, these cookies are ready in less than 12 minutes from start to finish and are the perfect vegan, gluten-free snack for an afternoon treat or even a pre-gym session!

a white plate of six 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies on a beige cloth

I feel like peanut butter belongs to that category of foods you either love or hate. Me? I’m firmly in team love!

There’s something about that nutty flavor that pairs perfectly in a sweet cookie – especially combined with the flavors of maple syrup and almond flour. If peanut butter isn’t your thing, try these almond butter cookies instead!

The maple syrup gives these cookies that oh-so-good sweetness, while the almond flour gives these cookies an insanely soft texture without the cookie crumbling into oblivion (and all over your lap!).

These 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies with no egg and all vegan ingredients have been my go-to snacks for years now. I love them for a pre-gym snack or just a quick afternoon treat. They provide a short burst of sweetness but aren’t an overly sugary treat.

Ingredients

Make sure you scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient quantities and recipe instructions for these 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies!

Smooth peanut butter: Any natural peanut butter (or whatever you have in the cupboard!) will work great for this recipe. Smooth works best, but crunchy will also be fine.
Almond flour: This might also be described as almond meal or ground almonds in your local store. Almond flour gives the peanut butter cookies a wonderfully sweet, soft texture that you can’t easily replicate with other flours.
Maple syrup: Sweetens the cookies without adding refined sugar! You could also use an alternative liquid sweetener such as honey, date syrup, or agave nectar.

Substitutions & Variations

Adding ingredients: These 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies can be easily customized with additional add-ins such as chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or a sprinkle of sea salt. When I have a little more time, I love to dip half the cookie in dark chocolate and let it dry with a little desiccated coconut sprinkled over the top.

Swapping out the flour: Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend directly swapping the almond flour with something else as you may need to adjust the quantities of the other ingredients (oat flour will make the cookies drier, for example, and with so few ingredients you can’t afford for textural changes!).

a white plate of golden 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies

How To Make These 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Step 1) Prepare Your Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 180°C | 350°F and line a large baking sheet with baking paper. You might also want to measure out your ingredients to get them ready for making your cookies.

Step 2) Mix the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine the smooth peanut butter, almond flour, and maple syrup. Stir until the ingredients are well incorporated, creating a slightly sticky dough.

Step 3) Shape the Cookies

Take a small scoop of the dough and roll it between your palms to form a ball. Each ball should weigh approximately 22g. Repeat this process to make a total of 9-10 dough balls.

Step 4) Flatten the Cookies & Bake

Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them out evenly. Using a fork, press it horizontally into each dough ball, about halfway through, to flatten the cookie. Turn the fork 90 degrees and repeat to create a hatched cross-section pattern.

Press your fork slightly into the dough ball

Bake the peanut butter cookies for 5-8 minutes, checking them frequently to ensure they do not burn. Remember, they can go from golden to overcooked quickly, so keep a close eye on them. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes on the baking sheet.

When you remove your cookies from the oven, they will be extremely soft! So soft that you’ll think you underbaked them. Trust me, you didn’t. As they cool, the peanut butter cookies will firm up to a perfectly manageable (although still soft) texture, perfect for picking up and eating!

Expert Tips

The cookies will be soft when first removed from the oven but will harden as they continue to cool.
To shape the cookies into perfectly round shapes, use a cookie cutter edge when they’re still pliable after baking.
Customize your cookies by adding a handful of chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the dough for extra flavor and texture.
Alternatively, you could dip half the cookies in melted dark chocolate for an extra indulgent twist.

Storage

If you have leftover peanut butter cookies, store them in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The cookies should be fine to eat for up to 5-6 days.

Other Recipes You Might Like

If you like quick, easy and bite-sized snacks, you’ll also love these recipes:

a stack of peanut butter cookies in the sunlight, on a white plate

FAQs

Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth?

Yes, you can use crunchy peanut butter if you prefer some texture in your cookies. However, the texture and appearance may differ slightly.

Can I substitute the almond flour with another type of flour?

Yes, you can experiment with different flours, but keep in mind that the texture and taste may vary. Almond flour gives these cookies a soft and delicate crumb that I don’t think you can beat with any other type of flour, personally. You might also need to adjust quantities.

How should I store these 3ingredient peanut butter cookies?

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They also freeze well for longer storage.

Can I use honey or another sweetener instead of maple syrup?

Yes, you can substitute honey, agave syrup, or another liquid sweetener of your choice in equal amounts. I think agave syrup works particularly well!

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Yield: 9 Cookies

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Additional Time: 4 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

Gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and refined sugar-free, these super simple 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies are the perfect sweet but healthy treat. Ready in 15 minutes maximum and a lovely afternoon snack.

Ingredients

120g smooth peanut butter
60g almond flour
55g maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 180° C | 350° F and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, and almond flour in a large mixing bowl to create a slightly sticky dough.
Take a small scoop of the dough and roll it into a ball between your two palms (each ball should weigh approximately 22g - I place the mixing bowl on my electric scale and remove 22g of dough each time).
Repeat step 3 to make a total of 9 - 10 balls.
Place your cookie dough balls on your baking sheet, spreading them out evenly.
Press a fork horizontally into your cookie dough ball about half way to flatten the cookie out. Turn the fork 90 degrees and repeat to give the peanut butter cookies that lovely hatched cross-section.
Bake your 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies for 5-8 minutes, checking them frequently (without opening the oven door, if possible) to ensure they do not burn. These cookies go from golden to over cooked very quickly, so keep an eye on them!
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before using a spatula to gently transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack.

Notes

The cookies will be extremely soft when you first remove them from the oven - but don't worry, they will harden as they continue to cook while cooling down. Just avoid touching them or lifting them while still hot.

If your cookies are not perfectly round, you can take this opportunity when they're still pliable to use a cookie cutter edge and gently round the cookies.

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies (No Egg)