These Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies are soft, chewy and hold all of the nostalgic flavor we know and love. A perfect nutty, molasses-y taste combined with a swim in a bowl of sugar for added sweetness equals a really tasty cookie! Only 8 ingredients and 1 bowl needed. Let's learn how to make them!
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Nothing beats a really good peanut butter cookie recipe and I promise this is the only one you'll ever need. It's so good, it can be used to make the pinnacle of all peanut butter cookie variations - vegan peanut butter blossoms!
The ease and incredible results of this recipe may even inspire you to make more vegan cookies in the near future.
Why You'll Love These Peanut Butter Cookies
- Only 8 staple/pantry-friendly ingredients needed
- Made in a single bowl
- Soft, chewy finished product
- Rich molasses flavor mixed with classic peanut butter
- Nostalgia, nostalgia, nostalgia
- They will bring all of the boys to the yard
Ingredients
All of the ingredients needed for the Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies are easy to find, household staples. Each serves a specific purpose to achieve the desired taste, texture, and consistency. Here's your grocery list:
Wet Ingredients
- Vegan Butter (½ cup): Vegan butter adds moisture and richness to the cookies. It also helps create a tender and crumbly texture.
- Creamy Peanut Butter (¾ cup): Peanut butter is the star ingredient of these cookies, providing flavor, texture, and moisture. Choose a Non-natural, creamy peanut butter for the best flavor and texture.
- Dark Brown Sugar (¾ cup): Brown sugar adds sweetness and moisture to the cookies.
- Vanilla Extract (2 tsp): Vanilla extract complements the peanut butter and brown sugar flavors and adds depth to the taste profile.
Dry Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour (1 ¼ cups): Flour provides structure to the cookies. All-purpose flour contains a moderate amount of protein, which helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Baking Soda (1 tsp): Baking soda is a leavening agent that helps the cookies rise and become fluffy.
- Salt (¼ tsp): Salt enhances the flavor of the cookies by balancing the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Granulated Sugar for Rolling (Optional, 2 tbsp): Rolling the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar before baking adds a crunchy exterior and a sweet coating.
How to Make Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies (with pictures!)
Making vegan cookies is no more difficult than making traditional cookies - there is just a slight variation on the "rules." Learning how to make the perfect vegan cookies comes with time and practice, but the steps below will give you a head start.
Please see the recipe card located at the bottom of the page for full instructions and recipe notes!
- Cream the Sugar: Place vegan butter, peanut butter, dark brown sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer, only until combined. You don't want to introduce a lot of air into peanut butter cookies like you may with others.
- Finish the Dough: Add the baking soda and salt to the bowl. Beat again to evenly distribute these ingredients. Pour in the flour and beat until just combined. Do not over-mix!
- Chill: Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the dough to firm up slightly and the flavors to meld.
- Coat in Sugar: Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the peanut butter cookie dough into your hands. Roll tightly into a ball. Roll the ball of cookie dough in granulated sugar until it is evenly coated. Place them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet as you work.
- Crosshatch: Flatten each cookie by pressing down in a perpendicular pattern using a fork. Do not skip this step! It is essential for even baking.
- Bake: Bake each batch for 12-14 minutes. Gently swirl the open side of a mug around each cookie right when they come out of the oven. This will give them a more uniform shape.
Why Do I Need to Chill My Cookie Dough?
Chilling cookie dough before baking is a crucial step in achieving the desired texture and flavor of your cookies. Here's why it's important:
- Controlled Spreading: Chilling the dough solidifies the fat (such as butter or vegan butter) in the dough. When the dough is placed in the oven, the chilled fat takes longer to melt compared to room temperature fat. This means that the cookies will spread less during baking, resulting in thicker and more evenly shaped cookies.
- Enhanced Flavor: Chilling the dough allows the flavors to meld and develop. This resting period allows the ingredients to fully hydrate and the flavors to intensify. The result is cookies with a more complex and developed flavor profile.
- Texture Improvement: Chilled dough produces cookies with a better texture. The cold dough takes longer to heat up in the oven, allowing the outer edges to set before the fat fully melts. This leads to cookies that are crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. Additionally, chilling the dough helps prevent excessive gluten formation, resulting in cookies that are tender rather than tough.
- Reduced Spreading of Add-ins: If your cookie dough contains add-ins such as chocolate chips or nuts, chilling the dough helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cookies during baking. This ensures that the add-ins are evenly distributed throughout the cookies.
Tips for the Best Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Don't Use Natural Peanut Butter: It is important when baking to utilize "unnatural" brands of peanut butter. These are brands like Skippy, Jif, etc. You do not want to choose a natural brand that displays a separation of ingredients. Brands such as these make for difficult measuring and subpar results.
- Avoid Over-mixing: Mix the ingredients until just combined. Over-mixing can result in tough cookies.
- Chill the Dough: After mixing the dough, refrigerate it for about 30 minutes as directed. Chilling the dough helps solidify the fats and results in better-textured cookies.
- Scoop Evenly: Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the dough onto the baking sheet. Doing so ensures evenly sized cookies that will bake uniformly.
- Flatten the Cookies: Use the tines of a fork to make a criss-cross pattern on the top of each cookie. This not only looks classic for peanut butter cookies but also helps them bake more evenly.
- Baking Time: Keep a close eye on the cookies while baking. Since vegan cookies may have a slightly different texture than non-vegan ones, they may require different baking times. Take them out of the oven when they are lightly golden around the edges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Natural peanut butters should be avoided when baking. The separation of ingredients makes for difficult measuring and inferior overall results. "Unnatural" peanut butters like Skippy or Jif should be used whenever possible.
Peanut butter cookies are more dense than other traditional cookies by design. While the fork print is decorative, it is also functional. Flattening the cookies before baking allows them to bake more evenly and produces a more uniform shape.
Yes, you can make the cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate it. Chilling the dough for about 30 minutes to an hour can help solidify the fats and result in better-textured cookies. You can also refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours before baking.
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup easier. This also helps ensure even baking.
The cookies are done baking when they are lightly golden around the edges and just set in the center. They will continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet. Avoid over-baking them to maintain a soft and chewy texture.
Storage Options for Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Storing vegan peanut butter cookies properly helps maintain their freshness and texture for a longer period. Here's how to do it:
- Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before storing them. Placing warm cookies in a container can create condensation, which can make them soggy.
- Air-Tight Container: Transfer the cooled cookies to an air-tight container. Choose a container that provides a snug fit for the cookies without crowding them too much.
- Room Temperature: If you plan to consume the cookies within a few days, storing them at room temperature is fine. Make sure to keep the container away from direct sunlight and heat sources to prevent the cookies from drying out or becoming stale.
- Refrigeration: If you want to extend the shelf life of the cookies beyond a few days, you can store them in the refrigerator. Place them in an air-tight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap.
- Freezing: Vegan peanut butter cookies freeze well, so if you want to store them for an extended period, freezing is a great option. Place the cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them until firm. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Frozen cookies can be stored for up to a month. Thaw them at room temperature before serving.
Please remember if you make this recipe to snap a pic and share with @censoredbaker on instagram!
PrintVegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Thick, chewy peanut butter cookies without the eggs or dairy! Perfectly sweetened and loaded with creamy peanut butter.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Bake Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 12 3-inch Cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
½ c vegan butter
¾ c creamy peanut butter
¾ c dark brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp granulated sugar for rolling (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, beat together vegan butter, peanut butter, dark brown sugar and vanilla extract with a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer until well combined. This should take about 30 seconds. For peanut butter cookies, you don’t want to introduce too much air into the dough. Add in the salt and baking soda. Beat again to distribute. Pour in the flour and beat until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Chill the Dough: Cover dough with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Sugarcoat and Criss-Cross: While dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Add granulated sugar to a small bowl. Taking about two tablespoons of dough at a time, roll the cookie dough into a ball between your hands and then roll in the granulated sugar until coated on all sides. Place balls of dough 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Press down into the sheet using a fork to create a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake: Place baking sheet on center rack of preheated oven and bake cookies for 12-14 minutes. Cookies will be delicate when they first come out of the oven so allow them to rest on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
*Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or can be frozen for up to a month. Cookie dough will keep in the fridge for about 24 hours or can be frozen for up to a month.
*When it comes to baking, non-natural peanut butters are best. Save your natural peanut butters for cooking and toast!
*Always use a name brand, high quality vegan butter like Earth Balance. It makes all the difference!
*If you like perfectly round cookies, gently swirl a circular cookie cutter or the open side of a large mug around the cookies right when they come out of the oven.
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