Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Cookies (Soft, Chewy, Addicting)
Satisfy your cookie craving with these irresistible Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Cookies. A soft, chewy, deliciously addicting vegan treat.
These Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Cookies, with their delicious soft and chewy texture, tempt you to indulge in more than one. They are simply irresistible and ever so addicting.
For all peanut butter lovers, this recipe is for you. These are the best vegan peanut butter cookies and a breeze to make with only eight ingredients. Perfect for a cozy post-meal treat or to share at a friend’s gathering.
This easy recipe stems from the traditional peanut butter cookies my mom used to make when I was a child. I changed the measurements a bit and, of course, made it vegan but the delicious taste and texture are still there.
A dense, rich, soft cookie with just a hint of chewiness. The perfect vegan peanut butter cookie. So yummy and addicting, that it truly is hard to eat just one.
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What Is Dairy-Free Vegan Baking?
Dairy-free, vegan, baking is a cooking style that avoids animal-based ingredients and instead uses plant-based alternatives.
This style experiments with ingredients such as plant-based milk and egg substitutes to adhere to vegan dietary preferences while still offering enjoyable and flavorful treats.
Dairy-free vegan baking involves experimenting with various substitutions to maintain the same quality, texture, and taste but in a more healthful, and for some concerned with animal welfare, compassionate manner.
Ingredients To Make Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
vegan butter: I like to look for plant-based butter with the least amount of saturated fat but rather poly and monounsaturated fats.
creamy peanut butter: The main ingredient for these delicious cookies so don’t skimp! Purchase the best quality peanut butter you can find without added sugar and oil.
granulated sugar: I like to buy organic sugar since sugar cane is a highly herbicide and pesticide-sprayed crop.
brown sugar: The same goes for brown sugar. Best to look for organic.
ground flax: This is what you will use to make your egg substitute.
pure vanilla: A good quality vanilla tastes so different than an artificial one. I believe once you’ve tried the real deal, you won’t go back.
all-purpose flour: I like to use organic flour for the same reason I use organic sugar. These ingredients may not be the most healthy but if I am choosing to eat a less than nutritious treat, I also don’t want to be consuming high amounts of toxic chemicals. Nothing is perfect but every little bit of effort helps.
baking soda: Just enough to give these cookies the perfect texture.
My favorite add-ons
Kitchen Tools To Consider
electric hand mixer – or a stand mixer. I love and will continue to use, as long as I can, my mother’s old hand mixer. I have been using this old ’70s mixer since I was a child. The best.
glass mixing bowls – one of each – a small, medium, and large bowl.
measuring cups – when it comes to baking, it is very important to measure your ingredients well. These cups are a must in every baking household.
measuring spoons – the same for measuring spoons. And don’t forget to level off when you are measuring.
silicone spatula – you can also use a wooden spoon.
medium cookie scoop – I find this the perfect size for these cookies. Not too big or too small.
Baking Sheet – this is a nice set to own. It comes with three different-sized baking pans, three coordinating silicone baking sheets, and cooling racks.
silicone baking sheet – or unbleached parchment paper.
Cooling rack – always use a cooking rack to completely cool your baked goods.
glass storage container – glass is wonderful for storage and prevents potential toxic exposure from using plastic or metal.
Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Cookies Step-By-Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the oven rack on the second lowest shelf.
In a small bowl, measure out the ground flax and add 6Tb of filtered water. Whisk until combined and bubbly. Set aside to thicken.
In a medium bowl, measure out the flour and add the baking soda. Set aside.
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until soft and smooth.
Add the peanut butter and continue to mix until creamy and smooth.
Next, add the granulated white sugar and brown sugar and mix until smooth, light and fluffy.
Add the thickened flax mixture and pure vanilla extract. Blend until smooth, making sure to scrape down the side occasionally.
Add the flour mixture, a small portion at a time, and blend until incorporated and smooth.
Scoop cookie dough balls and place them 1-2 inches apart on the silicone-lined prepared baking sheet. Press down on each cookie with the back of a fork to flatten or make the traditional crisscross pattern.
Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 12-14 minutes or until the cookies turn golden brown.
Once done, take the baked cookies out of the oven and allow them to cool directly on the cookie sheet for several minutes.
Once slightly cooled, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely to room temperature before storing.
ENJOY!
Tips For Success
Always try to find the best quality ingredients you can find. This really does make a difference. Not only in taste but in nutrition as well.
Look for a plant-based butter that does not contain a lot of fillers and artificial colors or flavorings. Personally, I try to stay away from vegan butter that is coconut-based due to its high saturated fat content.
Make sure your “flax egg” is thickened before pouring it into the peanut butter cookie dough batter. This helps to hold all of the ingredients together. Sometimes if you don’t wait long enough, and the flax mixture is running, the cookie dough will spread more thin. This is not a huge deal but when the cookies are thicker, you get that soft and slightly chewy texture which is so addicting.
Feel free to use crunchy peanut butter if you prefer.
Look for a quality natural peanut butter, one that is made solely of peanuts, preferably organic peanuts. Don’t forget to read your ingredients label. Many kinds of peanut butter on the market contain added oils and sugars which you do not need.
Feel free to use other types of nut butter, like almond butter or hazelnut butter. Also, if you have a nut allergy, you can swap out the peanut butter for seed butter like sunflower seed butter.
You can also swap out the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour, oat or almond flour, or even gluten-free flour. The ratios will be roughly the same.
That said, do add the flour gradually so if you feel like the cookie dough is getting too dry, then you can stop there. Sometimes, depending on how you measure, you may use roughly 1/4C less or so.
The key to getting these easy vegan peanut butter cookies soft and dense is to whip the butter, sugar, flax, and vanilla well – until it is very light and fluffy. Then, when you go to mix the flour into the dough, do so sparingly. Mix until just incorporated. You do NOT want to mix and “whip” the flour. This creates a tougher cookie.
It is important to allow these vegan cookies to cool on a cooling rack until they are completely cooled down before even thinking about storing them in an airtight container. Again, this keeps the texture of the cookies intact.
How To Store
Store these dairy-free peanut butter cookies in an airtight glass container for best results. They will last on your kitchen counter for approximately 5-6 days.
These soft vegan peanut butter cookies freeze well for longer storage. Just make sure to store them in a freezer-safe container, or freezer bag, and they will last in the fridge for up to 5-6 months.
To defrost, just take the cookies out of the freezer and allow them to defrost on a cooling rack for 10-15min.
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Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Cookies (Soft, Chewy, Addicting)
Equipment
- glass mixing bowls – one of each – a small, medium, and large
- silicone baking sheet – or unbleached parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar – firmly packed
- 2 tbsp ground flax
- 1 tsp pure vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the oven rack on the second lowest shelf.
- In a small bowl, measure out the ground flax and add 6Tb of filtered water. Whisk until combined and bubbly. Set aside to thicken.
- In a medium bowl, measure out the flour and add the baking soda. Set aside.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream the butter until soft and smooth.
- Add the peanut butter and continue to mix until creamy and smooth.
- Add the granulated and brown sugar and mix until smooth, light and fluffy.
- Add the thickened flax mixture and pure vanilla extract. Blend until smooth, making sure to scrape down the side occassionally.
- Add the flour mixture, a small portion at a time, and blend until incorporated and smooth.
- Scoop dough and place 1-2 inches apart on the silicone-lined baking sheet. Press down on each cookie with a fork to flatter or make the traditional crisscross pattern.
- Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for approximately 12-14m minutes or until the cookies turn a golden brown.
- Once done, take the cookies out of the oven and allow to cool directly on the baking sheet for several minutes.
- Once slightly cooled, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before storing.
Notes
- Always try to find the best quality ingredients you can find. This really does make a difference. Not only in taste but in nutrition as well.
- Look for a plant-based butter that does not contain a lot of fillers and artificial colors or flavorings. Personally, I try to stay away from vegan butter that is coconut-based due to its high saturated fat content.
- Make sure your “flax egg” is thickened before pouring it into the cookie dough batter. This helps to hold all of the ingredients together. Sometimes if you don’t wait long enough, and the flax mixture is running, the cookie dough will spread more thin. This is not a huge deal but when the cookies are thicker, you get that soft and slightly chewy texture which is so addicting.
- Feel free to use crunchy peanut butter if you prefer.
- Look for a quality peanut butter, one that is made solely of peanuts, preferably organic peanuts. Don’t forget to read your ingredients label. Many peanut butter on the market contain added oils and sugars which you do not need.
- You can also swap out the all-purpose flour for whole-wheat or gluten-free flour. I have used both and these cookies turn out great either way.
- The key to getting these peanut butter cookies soft and dense is to whip the butter, sugar, flax, and vanilla well – until they are very light and fluffy. Then, when you go to mix the flour into the dough, do so sparingly. Mix until just incorporated. You do NOT want to mix and “whip” the flour. This creates a tougher cookie.
- It is important to allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack until they are completely cooled down before even thinking about storing them in a container. Again, this keeps the texture of the cookies intact.
- Store these dairy-free peanut butter cookies in an airtight glass container for best results. They will last on your kitchen counter for approximately 5-6 days.
- These cookies freeze well for longer storage. Just make sure to store them in a freezer-safe container, and they will last in the fridge for up to 5-6 months.
- To defrost, just take the cookies out of the freezer and allow them to defrost on a cooling rack for 10-15min.
We made these yummy cookies yesterday! Thanks for the recipe!
Oh I’m so glad! I just made them again a couple of days ago and, ummmmm, they are already gone!
My husband won’t stop asking me to make these. So good!
Haha! I’ve had several wives tell me this! 😉 I love to make them too though, being the cookie monster that I am.