Simple 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
No flour? No problem! These easy peanut butter cookies are just what you're looking for!
Three-ingredient peanut butter cookies are the most reliable budget-friendly cookie recipe. No flour, no butter, no baking powder. Just peanut butter, sugar, and an egg. They are gluten-free, dense, and intensely peanut-buttery.
Quick Reference
- Three ingredients: peanut butter, sugar, egg.
- Time: 5 minutes mixing + 10 minutes baking.
- Yield: 24 cookies.
- Gluten-free: yes, naturally.
- Best peanut butter: creamy (smooth texture) or crunchy (more texture). Avoid natural-style separated peanut butter; the consistency throws off the recipe.
- Variations: add chocolate chips, swap in almond butter, top with sea salt.
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla, pinch salt, ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Mix peanut butter, sugar, and egg in a bowl until smooth.
- Roll into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart.
- Press a fork into each cookie twice (criss-cross pattern).
- Bake 10 minutes until edges are set.
- Cool on the pan 5 minutes (they firm as they cool).
Variations
- Chocolate chips: fold in ½ cup mini chips.
- Sea salt top: sprinkle with flaky sea salt before baking.
- Almond butter: swap 1:1.
- Reduce sugar: ¾ cup if you prefer less sweet.
- Stuffed: press a small Hershey’s Kiss into the center while still warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why no flour?
Peanut butter is dense enough to hold the cookie together without flour. The egg provides structure. The result is dense and slightly fudgy.
Can I use natural peanut butter?
Most natural-style separated peanut butter is too oily; stir thoroughly first. No-stir natural peanut butter works fine. Conventional peanut butter (Jif, Skippy) is the most reliable.
Are these really gluten-free?
Yes. All three ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Use a certified gluten-free peanut butter if cross-contamination is a concern.
How long do they keep?
5-7 days at room temperature in an airtight container. 2 months frozen.
Why the fork crosshatch?
It is the traditional pattern but also serves a purpose: it flattens the dense cookies for even baking. Without it, they bake into rounder, denser balls.
This article was published by the Staff at FarmersAlmanac.com. Any questions? Contact us at questions@farmersalmananac.com.
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
Can you do this with tahini? I noticed if I drain off the oil, it’s pretty dense. Tahini has a peanut-like flavor. Just curious.
Wouldn’t these be awfully dry???
Would these be suitable for diabetics
Hi Bob, there is sugar in the recipe so probably not unless you want to substitute the sugar with monk fruit or something. Also be careful if your peanut butter does’t have sugar.
14 Minutes in the oven
I make them all the time but I use 1/2 cup ight brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar. Really good
That sounds like a good idea. Without some butter I cannot see how they aren’t awfully dry and crumbly. Are they?