Healthy peanut butter cookies

These healthy peanut butter cookies are as wholesome and nourishing as they are delicious. Made with smooth peanut butter, sweet bananas, coconut flakes and seeds and berries, they are soft and chewy and just melt in your mouth.

Nothing makes me want to bake cookies more than a rainy day (and it was pouring in Melbourne today). The warmth from the oven, the delicious smell, and the feeling of happiness that comes with baking will always remind me of my childhood and the days I spent at my grandparent’s house, baking with my Oma (grandma in German).

Unfortunately, I didn’t inherit my Oma’s baking skills. I am a lousy baker and am a much better cook. However, I keep trying and every time I find a good recipe, I will give it another go.

I was experimenting with some gluten-free baking lately and this banana and peanut butter cookies recipe turned out to be really delicious. In fact, I believe this recipe is so good that I want to share it with you.

Why is this the best peanut butter cookies recipe?

• Wholesome. These flourless peanut butter cookies are all you want a healthy snack to be – nutritious, low in sugar, and delicious of course.
• Quick and easy. They are incredibly easy to make. You just throw all the ingredients in a bowl, mix and spoon them onto a baking tray. 20 minutes later you can find yourself back on the couch enjoying that rainy day with cookies by your side.
• Delicious. Bananas, shredded coconut and cranberries make them naturally sweet, without additional sugar. They are beautifully soft and chewy on the inside and crisp and crunchy on the outside.

These gluten-free peanut butter cookies are free from:

• Gluten. They are in fact flourless cookies and are safe for anyone who is following a gluten-free diet.
• Eggless. Not even a chia egg or flax egg is needed.
• Xanthan gum or guar gum free.
• Refined sugar-free.
• Dairy-free.

Ingredients for peanut butter cookies

• Natural peanut butter. Look for one that contains only one ingredient – peanuts. No added flavours, colors, additives or sugars. The smooth creamy peanut butter is the best.
• Bananas.
• Quinoa flakes. Nowadays you can find them in most supermarkets in the health food aisle.
• Coconut flakes.
• Pepitas, which are pumpkin seeds. They will add crunch to the cookies and add some extra nutrients.
• Cranberries and currents. Look for berries that are dried naturally without the use of vegetable oil if possible.
• Honey. Raw and organic is the best. We only need one teaspoon. (For vegan peanut butter cookies, replace honey with a teaspoon of maple syrup.)

See the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.

How to make healthy peanut butter cookies

Making these gluten-free peanut butter cookies is as easy as pie.

Start by soaking the cranberries and currents in a small bowl with hot water and set aside.

1. In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients, such as quinoa flakes, pepitas and coconut flakes.
2. In a separate bowl mash the bananas, add the peanut butter, and a teaspoon of honey and mix to combine.
3. Add the banana and peanut butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix using a wooden spoon. Be careful to not overmix and not to break the coconut flakes and quinoa puffs too much.
4. Drain the berries and add them to the peanut butter cookie dough, and fold them in gently.

• 5. Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper.
• 6. Using a cookie scoop, scoop some cookie dough and place it on the baking sheet. Flaten the dough balls with the back of a fork or a spoon a little. (This recipe will yield 10 medium-size cookies, but you can make smaller cookies if you wish)

• Bake them at 180’C (360’F) for 12 minutes. All ovens are different. Please watch them closely so that they don’t get burnt. Once the cookies are golden brown or after 12 minutes, take them out, turn them around on the other side and bake for another 8 minutes.
• Take the cookies out and let them cool down for 5 minutes.
• Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool down completely.

How to store peanut butter cookies

These delicious cookies can be stored as any other cookies in an airtight container or a cookie jar for up to 4 days.

And if you are a real peanut butter lover, you definitely should try these BANANA AND PEANUT BUTTER OVERNIGHT OATS THAT TASTE LIKE A DESSERT

More gluten-free cookie recipes:

Healthy peanut butter cookies

Elena Elliott

Did anybody say cookies and peanut butter? Yes, please! Soft and comforting, these cookies are ready in just 20 minutes. Gluten-free of course!

5 from 5 votes

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Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10 cookies

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 small bananas or 1 big one (mashed)
• 2 tbsp good quality peanut butter (heaped)
• ½ cup quinoa flakes
• ¼ cup coconut flakes
• ¼ cup pepitas
• ¼ cup a mix of currents and cranberries (I use the Australian variety)
• 1 tbsp honey

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F)
• Soak the cranberies and the currents in hot water, set aside.
• Place quinoa flakes, coconut flakes and pepitas in a large mixing bowl
• In a separate bowl mash the bananas. Add peanut butter and a teaspoon of honey and mix everuthing to combine.
• Add the banana peanut butter mixture to the dry ingredients and combine gently. Do not over-stir the dough, you don't want the quinoa and coconut flakes to break.
• Divide the dough into 10 equal balls using a spoon and place the balls on a baking tray lined with the parchment paper. Flatten them with a spatula or a fork.
• Bake cookies for about 12 minutes. Take them out, turn them to the other side and bake for another 8 minutes. They will be nice and golden when cooked through.
• Take the cookies out and let them cool for a couple of minutes. Now transfer them onto a cooling tray and let them cool off completely.
• If you have any leftover cookies at the end of the day, which is very unlikely, put them in an airtight container or cookie jar and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Video

Notes

• Use peanut butter at room temperature. It will make it much easier to integrate the ingredients.
• For the extra crisp edges, turn the cookies around a second time and bake them for additional 5 minutes.
• Do not use a food processor to make the cookie dough. The quinoa and coconut flakes are very delicate. You will achieve the best results by mixing the dough with a wooden spoon.

Keyword banana and peanut butter cookies, gluten-free cookies

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Happy baking!