1 Bowl Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies – Easy to make and easier to eat, thick, soft, and chewy homemade cookies made in 1 bowl with peanut butter, flour, sugar, vanilla, and almond milk are truly the best!
Every recipe collection needs a great peanut butter recipe. And that, my friends, is what I have for you today!
These easy cookies are joining the likes of these delicious classic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vegan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, flourless Salted Pecan Sandies with chocolate chips, 4-ingredient Almond Butter Cookies, and classic Vegan Snickerdoodles!
And like the others, these vegan peanut butter cookies are made with simple pantry staples and are crazy delicious. Not to mention, they make the best air freshener while baking!
It’s such an easy recipe, you’ll probably memorize it and make it again and again. Dairy and egg-free, they are my all-time favorite peanut butter cookies!
How To Make Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
These delicious peanut butter cookies contain no complicated ingredients and are super easy to make with just a few simple steps.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what I used (plus ingredients swaps you can use):
- Peanut butter: Creamy or crunchy for texture (almond butter or sunflower seed butter works great as a substitute)
- Sugar: Coconut or brown cane for deeper flavor or organic cane for lighter color (or a mix of both)
- Flour: Light spelt, all-purpose, almond, gluten-free blend, or chickpea, all bake up beautifully
- Almond milk: Unsweetened for moisture and binding (any plant milk or even water works fine)
- Baking soda: For lift and spread (baking powder is a good 1:1 swap if needed)
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla for classic cookie aroma (optional, but highly recommended)
- Mineral salt: A small pinch to balance sweetness (only needed if your peanut butter is unsalted; start with ¼ tsp and adjust)
Quick Notes
- Use room-temperature ingredients (especially peanut butter and milk) for smooth mixing.
- If dough feels too dry, add milk 1 tsp at a time; if sticky, add flour 1 tbsp at a time.
- Cookies will look slightly underdone when done, but firm up beautifully as they cool.
***Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card to get the full ingredient list and written recipe.
Step-by-Step
Preheat the oven: Heat to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 cookie sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper, or leave ungreased.
Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, add the peanut butter and sugar and mix until creamy. Stir in the almond milk and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients: Stir in the flour and baking soda, and mix to combine. The dough will start to stiffen and become tough to stir; use your hands to finish mixing it.
Shape: Using a trigger scooper, scoop out the dough and roll into balls, about 1 1/4 inches. Place the dough balls about 2 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Using the back of a fork, flatten in a crisscross pattern. Optionally, sprinkle with sugar or coarse salt.
Bake: Place on the center rack, for 10 – 13 minutes (13 minutes will yield a crispier cookie that’s tender inside).
Cool & enjoy: Let cookies rest for 2-5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack, and repeat with the remaining dough. Makes about 20 – 24 cookies.
Do I Need To Chill The Cookie Dough?
No! Unlike most peanut butter recipes that call for chilling the dough before baking, which helps keep it from spreading too much, this recipe doesn’t require chilling, making for one less step and cookies in minutes. BUT if the temperature in your kitchen is above 80 degrees, you may consider rolling the balls and letting them chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking. My kitchen was a cool 74 with the air on.
Tips For Your Best Peanut Butter Cookies!
- Less sweet? Reduce sugar to ¾ cup — they’re still perfectly delicious with that classic peanut butter flavor.
- No baking soda? Baking powder works great as a substitute (1:1 swap) — I tested multiple batches, and the cookies came out tender and flavorful every time.
- Warm the milk quickly: Set it near the preheating oven for a few minutes; room-temperature liquids mix more smoothly with coconut oil or butter.
- Fork trick: Dip the fork in sugar before pressing each cookie — it prevents sticking and adds a subtle sparkle to the tops.
- Scale the recipe: Cut in half for a small batch or double it easily — perfect for sharing or freezing dough balls.
- Nut-free swap: Use sunflower seed butter (sunbutter) in place of peanut butter — same creamy texture and great results.
Recommended Equipment: I love using this Silpat or parchment paper to line my baking sheets. And this tablespoon trigger cookie scoop (affiliate links) helps keep the cookies uniform when scooping.
How To Store Cookies
Keep your peanut butter cookies fresh in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. They do well loosely covered for a couple of days, too. To keep longer, refrigerate them for up to 2 weeks.
How To Freeze Cookies & Dough
- To freeze peanut butter cookies, let them cool completely, then store them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers. Cookies will keep for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the fridge or on the counter.
- To freeze peanut butter cookie dough, roll the dough into balls as directed, place the balls on a cookie sheet, and freeze until solid. Place frozen dough balls in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, no thawing needed, simply place the frozen dough on a lined baking sheet and bake for 2 – 4 minutes longer than recipe time.
If you try this easy cookie recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
1 Bowl Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Makes 20 – 24 1x
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan
Description
Soft and chewy, these easy vegan peanut butter cookies are made in one bowl with simple ingredients — no eggs, no dairy, no chilling required. Ready in under 30 minutes, nut-free & gluten-free adaptable, and perfect for snacks, dessert, or meal prep. Healthy and easy recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter (270g), creamy or crunchy (or almond butter)
- 1 cup coconut sugar or pure cane sugar* (192g)
- 6 tablespoons almond milk, room temp
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour (120g), spelt, unbleached all-purpose, almond flour, or 1-1 gluten-free blend
- 1 teaspoon baking soda**
- generous pinch of mineral salt (only use if nut butter is unsalted)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat, parchment paper, or leave it ungreased.
Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter and sugar until creamy. Stir in the almond milk and vanilla. Next, add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix to combine. The dough will be tough to stir; mixing it by hand will be easier.
Roll and flatten: Using a 1.5 tablespoon scooper, scoop out the dough and roll into balls, about 1 1/4 inches. Place the dough balls about 2 1/2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Using the back of a fork, flatten in a crisscross pattern. Optionally, sprinkle with sugar or coarse salt.
Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 10-13 minutes (13 minutes will yield a crispier cookie that’s tender inside). Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining dough.
Makes 20 – 24 cookies.
Notes
Store: Cookies can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for 5 days. They do well loosely covered on the counter for 2 – 3 days as well. To keep longer, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: Let cookies cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
*Reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup for a less sweet cookie. It’s just as delicious!
**If you don’t have baking soda on hand, baking powder works just as well. I tested many batches, and they were just fine.
Use room-temperature ingredients (especially peanut butter and milk) for smooth mixing.
If dough feels too dry, add milk 1 tsp at a time; if sticky, add flour 1 tbsp at a time.
Cookies will look slightly underdone when done — they firm up beautifully as they cool.
When flattening, dip the fork in sugar between presses to keep the cookies from sticking.
Nut-free: Use sunbutter instead.
Gram conversions may vary depending on the exact ingredient used: all-purpose and spelt have different measurements. Although this recipe is pretty forgiving, use this King Arthur Ingredient Weight Chart to ensure you have the correct measurement for your exact ingredient (or do a quick Google search if your ingredient isn’t listed).
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: I love this Silpat or parchment paper to line my baking sheets. And using a tablespoon trigger cookie scoop (affiliate links) helps keep the cookies uniform when scooping.
Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Cookie, Dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
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Tried this fabulous recipe today! Wow are those cookies GOOD!! In fact, they are a little too good. It took a lot if self control to only eat 1.5 of them!! Make them, you’ll love them!
Thank you for a great recipe!!!
We love them. I’m gonna leave them a minute or two longer so they would get cranchier.
I used almond flower and no added sugar peanut butter.
I’ve done several additions and alterations to these cookies, and just now even forgot the rising agent. They’re always good. With oat milk instead, with added hazelnut/cashew/almond powder, using a bit of tahini instead of peanut butter (not the whole amount of nut butter!), and I always add sesame seeds to these. They are foolproof, as long as you can roll them into a ball. I always squish them flat.
This is such a great recipe! We love these cookies, and I’ve made a few batches. Thanks for sharing this recipe. :)
I have a question. I make these all the time and I love them and so does everyone else. Do you think I could make them into bars?
Made these tonight for my girlfriend and her family and they loved them. 10/10 would make again.
Can I use oatmilk instead of almond milk?
Yes, use your preferred non-dairy milk. Enjoy!
Having a party where several guests will be vegan, so decided to make these so they can have some dessert also. I live at 6050′ altitude so made a slight change with the baking powder (decreased amount and timed baked), but these cookies were the BOMB!! Better than my regular PB cookie recipe. Will be trying them next GF for my DIL. Delicious! Thank you.
I made these for my family yesterday morning and everyone loved them! My family had eaten all of them by the time I went for seconds, which never happens when I bake vegan! These are definitely a new family favorite. Thank you!
I tried making these with coconut sugar and the peanut butter + sugar combo was SO thick, so I added a little extra milk – and the dough ended up insanely sticky, impossible to create the criss-cross pattern because the whole ball of dough just came up with the fork. Please can you clarify if you need to adjust any of the other ingredients if using coconut sugar instead of normal brown sugar?
Sorry you had issues, Megan. Coconut sugar should have been fine. I’m thinking something else happened. Wondering what type of flour and peanut butter did you use? Also, you might try using your fingers to manage the cookie while creating the criss-cross. Maybe try dipping the fork in sugar before pressing to keep it from sticking. I hope that helps!