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If you’re looking for a quick and easy cookie recipe, these 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies are the perfect treat anytime of the year. They are naturally flourless and gluten free. They require only three ingredients and 10 minutes of prep!
These cookies are one of the best cookie recipes with many 5 star reviews! Only three ingredients combine to create tasty flourless cookies. Bake a batch for a cookie swap or any time of the year to share with friends and family.
Only 3 Ingredients
These cookies are made with a few pantry staples. All ingredients are gluten free and delicious!
- Creamy peanut butter – Using creamy peanut butter creates the best consistency. Do not use natural peanut butter with the oil on top as the cookies will spread and possibly break apart. Standard creamy peanut butter like Jiff Natural or regular Jiff works best. Some other brands of natural peanut butter without the oil on top, like creamy MaraNatha works good too.
- Granulated Sugar – The sugar adds the sweet caramelized flavor to the cookies.
- Egg – Use fresh eggs and organic, when possible. This helps ensure the best consistency and flavor.
How to Make Peanut Butter Cookies
First, combine the three ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. We love this inexpensive glass set of mixing bowls. Stir the ingredients until smooth.
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls with your hands and place on a lined baking sheet. The dough may be a little sticky and that’s okay. Just shape them into a small ball. They will smooth out while baking.
Next, flatten the cookies slightly with the bottom of a glass. Gently press down on the top of the cookies.
Use a fork to press a criss-cross pattern into each cookie. Then bake on a cookie sheet and allow to cook completely. They will harden more as they cool.
These are our go-to baking sheets!
Expert Tips
- This recipe yields crispy cookies. You can adjust cook time to make them softer or chewier.
- To make them soft, reduce the cook time slightly to about 9 to 12 minutes. You can also make them thicker and softer by not pressing down so much with the glass prior to baking.
- To make chewier cookies, press down on the glass more to make them thiner. A thiner cookie will create a chewier cookie.
- Reduce the sugar: If you want to reduce the amount sugar, use 1 cup peanut butter and 3/4 cup sugar instead.
- Don’t use crunchy peanut butter. It changes the consistency of the cookies.
FAQs
Pressing with a fork helps create the best thickness so that the cookies cook evenly. A fork is a basic kitchen tool that everyone has in their kitchen so it makes the process easy.
There are a few reasons why your cookies are falling apart. The wrong ratio of ingredients, such as too little sugar or peanut butter will make them fall apart. The wrong type of peanut butter may cause them to fall apart. Or using old eggs may create crumbly cookies.
These cookies will last up to 5 days in a sealed bag or container. You can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Don’t skip the flattening step. Use the bottom of the glass and the fork to flatten. If you skip this step then your cookies may not flatten.
Other Easy Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Lemon Tea Cookies
- No bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies
- Stuffed Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
What are you waiting for? Make a batch of these cookies to share with your friends, neighbors and coworkers. Once you make them once, you will want to make them again and again.
3 ingredient peanut butter cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Stir the ingredients together until smooth. Roll into 1-inch balls with your hands and place on a paper-lined baking sheet.
- Flatten the cookies a bit with the bottom of a glass, then press a criss-cross pattern into each with the back of a fork.
- Bake 12 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
- Peanut Butter: We recommend using creamy Jiff peanut butter or Jiff natural. You do not want to use crunchy peanut butter.
- Sugar: If you want to reduce the amount sugar, use 1 cup peanut butter and 3/4 cup sugar instead. Do not use confectioners’ (powdered) sugar.
- Eggs: Use fresh eggs. To make it vegan, you can substitute an egg for a flax egg, which is made by mixing together 1 tablespoon flaxseed with 2 tablespoons water and letting it rest for 5 minutes.
- Don’t skip the flattening step.
- To make them soft, reduce the cook time slightly to about 9 to 12 minutes.
- To make chewier cookies, press down on the glass more to make them thiner.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in December 2018. It was updated in July 2020 with new process photos, tips and FAQs.
Tastes really good but mine are falling apart to easily any tips ?
Hi, Dixie! If you followed the ingredients and instructions precisely, I’m not sure what went wrong. Since this recipe doesn’t use flour, there shouldn’t be any reason for them to fall apart. Sometimes cookies can fall apart with over baking. Perhaps try to reduce the bake time or double check the temperature of your oven. Either way, I hope you try them again!
My second time to make theses !!! They are delicious ?!!!t
Thank you for the easy recipe
I’m so glad you love these, Lannie! Thanks so much for your feedback.
I used coconut sugar!
put chocolate chunks in half the dough and did not press the cookie = chewy and indulgent!!!
I also added cocoa powder and cinnamon for fun 🙂
Thanks for the amazing recipe that is so fun to modify and experiment with!!!
Thanks so much for your feedback and suggested adaptions! I’m so glad you found this recipe useful.
Can I use coconut in the cookies?
I don’t see why not. If you try it, let us know how it turned out.
I made a batch of these last year for a gluten free friend, going through breast cancer. They were a huge hit with her, and when I gave some to my non gf friends, they had no idea they were gluten free! They were delicious! I second the brown sugar, I sprinkled them with a little salt, and I used chunky peanut butter. It works fine, I like the texture. Making another batch today for one of my friends, who is a new mom.
HI, Jessica! I am so glad to hear you and your friend loved these cookies. They are always a hit here too. Thanks so much for your feedback!
We love them especially made with brown sugar instead of white mmmmm delicious delectable down right dooable dessert….
I’m so glad to hear you love these peanut butter cookies, Amber! Thanks so much for your feedback.
Thank you just made them with my grandchildren there lovely John from uk
Glad to hear you and your grandchildren loved them! Thanks for the feedback.
I froze Reese cups and added a little to the dough and put pieces on top…. OH MY GOODNESSS!!!
Oh my goodness is right, that sounds AMAZING! I’m so glad to hear that you loved them, Melissa. Thanks so much for your feedback!
These are an easy and delicious treat especially when you have little hands in the kitchen. I press mine more and cook 9 min so soft and chewy. Trick is to sprinkle with brown sugar since it contains mollasses and helps make them softer. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi, Angela! I’m so glad you love them. The great thing about these cookies is that you can definitely adapt as you suggested. Thank you so much for your feedback!
Why can’t I use the crunchy peanut butter for this recipe
Hi, Genay! The texture and consistency of the cookies will be different with crunchy peanut butter. You can definitely try using it and let us know what you think.
These look so good. Thanks for sharing such an easy recipe.
Peanut butter cookies are one of my absolute favourite cookies. And this is such a simple recipe, and only three ingredients! Will definitely be trying this out 🙂