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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.
Peanut butter cookies are my favorite, and I love this recipe! It’s amazing how you can make such a tasty cookie with so few ingredients. Thanks for sharing!
can i half the sugar? or change sugar to 1 tbsp of honey instead as we can’t eat too much sugar in our household. they look amazing!
Hi, Wanda! You can definitely try to half the sugar. If you try it, let us know what you think.
Came out delicious !
Just made these for the very first time and they were a hit! Recipe was easy to follow and cookies were delicious! I’m making a second batch now with chocolate chunks in the mix! These are my new go to sweet treat
I love the idea of adding chocolate chunks! Thanks so much for you feedback, Bonnie!
I was very hesitant on making these cookies. I whipped them up and they are the best cookies .. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe .
Can I whip the sugar and eggs first for this recipe then hand mix in the peanut butter?
We usually just stir together everything at once but I don’t see why you couldn’t whip butter and sugar first. If you try it, let us know how it turns out. Enjoy!
Absolutely the best! My children really enjoyed these and they are so easy to make!!!
Thanks for your feedback, Jessica! I’m so glad to hear you and your family loved them.
Can you use Splenda instead of Sugar for these Peanut Butter Cookies??
Yes, you should be able to use Splenda instead of sugar, however I haven’t tested it myself so I can’t guarantee results. Please come back and let us know if you try it.
The taste was fine with Splenda but the texture is a bit dry and crumbly. Maybe a touch of Honey would help.
And I used crunchy
This recipe made my day! The cookies are beyond delicious! They turned out wonderful, and are buttery, have the perfect consistency, and have the perfect level of sweetness! Thank you so very much for sharing this delightful recipe!
Hi, Vail! I’m so glad to hear that this recipe made your day. Thanks so much for your feedback!