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    Home > Recipes > Desserts

    Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

    Published: Dec 27, 2020 · Modified: Dec 15, 2022 by Iosune · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Three vegan peanut butter cookies stacked up.
    Lots of vegan peanut butter cookies on a marble slab.

    These vegan peanut butter cookies are soft, chewy, perfectly sweet, and easy to make. They're ready in just 30 minutes and require only 9 ingredients.

    This version is healthier than the original one, as it's dairy-free and also egg-free. In addition, they work as the perfect snack to offer when you have guests at home and I promise you everyone will love them!

    Lots of vegan peanut butter cookies on a marble slab.

    December is the month of cookie baking, and also making cookies at Christmas is one of my favorite traditions, but I make these cookies all year long as they're melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

    These cookies along with my vegan chocolate chip cookies, vegan sugar cookies, and vegan gingerbread cookies are perfect for filling a cookie box with and gifting to a loved one, or just to enjoy by yourself!

    Jump to:
    • 🌟 You’ll love this recipe because it is
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 📋 Substitutions & variations
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • ❄️ Storage
    • 💭 Expert tips
    • ❓Recipe FAQs
    • 🍪 More vegan cookie recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    🌟 You’ll love this recipe because it is

    • Ready in just 30 minutes.
    • Made with only 9 everyday ingredients.
    • Easy to make and doesn't require any special equipment.
    • Perfect for Christmas, gift-giving, welcoming new neighbors, bringing to the office, or pretty much any situation!
    • So good! The cookies are crunchy on the outside, but soft on the inside.

    🧾 Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make vegan peanut butter cookies.
    • Flax egg: make your own just using ground flaxseed and water. I guess you could also use any egg replacer, but I haven't tried it myself.
    • Vegan butter: homemade or store-bought.
    • Peanut butter: smooth or crunchy, both will work. I always use smooth, though.
    • Granulated sugar.
    • Vanilla extract: homemade or store-bought. You could omit it if you can't find it, but it will make your cookies taste even better.
    • All-purpose flour.
    • Baking powder.
    • Baking soda.
    • Salt: I used ionized salt, but any salt will do. If your peanut butter is salted, you may want to omit this ingredient.

    See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

    🔪 Instructions

    A homemade flax egg in a small bowl.

    Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350ºF or 180ºC and prepare the flax egg by mixing the ground flaxseed with the water, and let the mixture rest at room temperature for at least 5 minutes.

    The vegan butter, peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla extract mixed in a large bowl.

    Step 2: Add the vegan butter, peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

    All the wet ingredients mixed in a large bowl.

    Step 3: Add the vanilla and flax egg and beat on low speed until just incorporated.

    The dry ingredients mixed in a bowl.

    Step 4: Combine the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl (baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour).

    The wet and dry ingredients mixed in a large bowl.

    Step 5: Incorporate the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. If the dough is tough to stir, using your hands to mix it together will be easier.

    Cookie balls onto a lined baking sheet.

    Step 6: I used a cookie scoop to make the cookies, but feel free to use a regular spoon or even your hands. Fill the scoop with dough and just press and release onto a lined baking sheet.

    Cookie balls rolled in sugar onto a lined baking sheet.

    Step 7: Roll the dough into balls, then roll the balls in sugar and place them evenly onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart (about 5 cm).

    A fork flatten in a crisscross pattern a cookie.

    Step 8: Using the back of a fork, flatten in a crisscross pattern.

    Baked vegan peanut butter cookies onto a lined baking sheet.

    Step 9: Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are very lightly golden brown (I baked my cookies for 12 minutes). They will be soft when they come out of the oven but will firm up as they cool.

    Cookies cooling onto a cooling rack.

    Step 10: Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

    📋 Substitutions & variations

    • Use vegan butter for the best results, but if you can't find it, just use more peanut butter instead, or even coconut oil.
    • Peanut butter can be replaced with almond butter, cashew butter, or any nut butter.
    • If you can't eat nuts, you could try to use any seed butter, or even coconut butter instead.
    • Other types of sugar will work just fine, like brown, coconut, or cane sugar. Make sure the sugar you’re using is vegan, though.
    • I’ve only made this recipe using all-purpose flour, but I think it could work if you use another type. However, you may need to add more or less.
    • Use my gluten-free flour blend if you're gluten-free.
    • There are so many add-ins you can incorporate into your cookies like chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, coconut flakes, etc.

    🍽 Equipment

    To make this recipe you'll need:

    • Measuring tablespoons and measuring cups (or a scale) to weigh your ingredients.
    • A small bowl and a teaspoon to make the flax egg.
    • I used my stand mixer, but you can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer, or a wooden spoon.
    • A medium bowl where you're going to combine the dry ingredients. You could add them directly into the wet ingredient mixture, but it's better to combine them in a separate bowl.
    • A cookie scoop to make your cookies, although you could also use your hands.
    • A small bowl to place the sugar where you're going to roll your cookies. This is optional, as you don't have to roll your cookies if you don't want to.
    • A fork to flatten your cookies in a crisscross pattern. This is also optional, but it will make your cookies look better.
    • A lined baking sheet.
    • A cooling rack to cool your cookies. This is optional as well, you could transfer them to a dish, but use a cooling rack if you want.
    Vegan peanut butter cookies stacked up with the top cookie broken in half.

    ❄️ Storage

    • At room temperature: store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 1 week.
    • Refrigerator: store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
    • Freezer: store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    • Tip: make sure the cookies are completely cool before storing them.

    💭 Expert tips

    • Do not over-mix the dough, otherwise, it will be prone to spreading.
    • Rolling the dough into the sugar is optional, but I personally believe the cookies taste better this way.
    • Avoid dipping the fork in flour when making the crisscross pattern, dip the fork in sugar between pressing the cookie to keep them from sticking if necessary.
    • Bake for 10 minutes for softer cookies, 12 minutes for crunchier cookies, and 14-15 minutes for really crunchy cookies.
    • Be careful so that they don’t burn as the baking time may vary depending on the oven you're using.
    • This recipe can easily be cut in half, or doubled, or even tripled.
    • Let the cookies cool before eating as they'll be very soft and puffy when you take them out of the oven.

    ❓Recipe FAQs

    Can you make the dough in advance?

    Yes, you can! Place the cookies onto a lined baking sheet before baking and freeze. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.

    Bake them directly from the freezer (no thawing needed) for 2-4 minutes longer than the recipe time.

    Should the cookie dough be refrigerated before baking?

    Many recipes require chilling the dough in the refrigerator so the cookies don’t spread out too much in the oven.

    I prefer to omit this step to save some time and also because I think the cookies are so delicious this way.

    But please feel free to refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes if you want, especially if your house is very warm.

    Why do you put fork marks on vegan peanut butter cookies?

    As peanut butter is a pretty dense ingredient, adding the crisscross pattern to your cookies allows them to bake evenly.

    That way they'll have a crispy exterior around the edges and a chewy interior where the marks are formed. And they also look prettier!

    How can I make my cookies fluffier instead of flat?

    Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, so the cookies don’t spread out too much in the oven.

    However, I prefer to save some time and omit the chilling as I think my cookies are perfect this way.

    Why are my cookies dry?

    You may over-bake the cookies, that's why it's really important to remove them from the oven when the edges are just lightly golden.

    🍪 More vegan cookie recipes

    • Easy Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
    • Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
    • Vegan Snickerdoodles
    • Vegan Chocolate Cookies

    ⭐️ Did you like these vegan peanut butter cookies? Please consider giving them a 5-star rating and comment below!

    📖 Recipe

    Lots of vegan peanut butter cookies on a marble slab.

    Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

    These vegan peanut butter cookies are soft, chewy, perfectly sweet, and easy to make. They're ready in 30 minutes and require 9 ingredients.
    5 from 2 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 21 cookies
    Author: Iosune


    Ingredients 

    US Customary - Metric
    • 1 flax egg, 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water
    • ½ cup vegan butter, softened
    • ½ cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt, only if you use unsalted peanut butter

    For rolling (optional):

    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350ºF or 180ºC.
    • Prepare the flax egg by mixing the ground flaxseed with the water, and let the mixture rest at room temperature for at least 5 minutes.
    • Add the vegan butter, peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
    • Add the vanilla and flax egg and beat on low speed until just incorporated.
    • Combine the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).
    • Incorporate the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. If the dough is tough to stir, using your hands to mix it together will be easier.
    • I used a cookie scoop to make my cookies, but feel free to use a regular spoon or even your hands.
    • Fill the scoop with dough and just press and release onto a lined baking sheet. 
    • Roll the dough into balls, then roll the balls in sugar and place them evenly onto the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart (about 5 cm). 
    • Using the back of a fork, flatten in a crisscross pattern.
    • Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cookies are very lightly golden brown (I baked my cookies for 12 minutes). They will be soft when they come out of the oven but will firm up as they cool.
    • Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Notes

    Substitutions:
    • Use vegan butter for the best results, but if you can't find it, just use more peanut butter instead, or even coconut oil.
    • Peanut butter can be replaced with almond butter, cashew butter, or any nut butter.
    • If you can't eat nuts, you could try to use any seed butter, or even coconut butter instead.
    • Other types of sugar will work just fine, like brown, coconut, or cane sugar. Make sure the sugar you’re using is vegan, though.
    • I’ve only made this recipe using all-purpose flour, but I think it could work if you use another type. However, you may need to add more or less.
    • Use my gluten-free flour blend if you're gluten-free.
    Storage:
    • At room temperature: store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 1 week.
    • Refrigerator: tore them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
    • Freezer: store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
    • Tip: make sure the cookies are completely cool before storing them.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 0.2IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

    More Vegan Dessert Recipes

    • Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
    • Vegan Apple Crisp
    • Vegan No Bake Cookies
    • Vegan Banana Bread

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. bblfoods says

      March 02, 2021 at 9:17 am

      wowwww!!!!!!!!!!! it looks great.......gonna to try it in the weekend

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        March 02, 2021 at 10:10 am

        Hope you liked it!

        Reply
    2. bblfoods says

      March 02, 2021 at 9:13 am

      wowwww!!!!!!!!!!! it looks great

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        March 02, 2021 at 10:10 am

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    3. Jeanna says

      December 29, 2020 at 4:17 am

      Hi! Was wondering when I add the flax egg in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        December 29, 2020 at 3:32 pm

        Hi Jeanna! We've forgotten to add the flax egg in the recipe instructions, sorry! Feel free to add it in the 2nd step 🙂

        Reply

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