Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies

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I adore a crunchy peanut butter cookie as a healthy snack, so good with a steaming cup of coffee! They’re great fuel for growing kids, too, as peanut butter is packed full of protein.

a stack of 8 peanut butter cookies on a wood cutting board with cookies around the stack

These homemade peanut butter cookies are simple to make, so they’re a great option if you want to whip up a quick snack! They’re also really fun cookies to make with kids, which I love as a rainy day activity.

Are Peanut Butter Cookies Healthy?

A question I’m often asked is, are peanut butter cookies healthy? The answer is that these peanut butter cookies are healthier than most! I’ve substituted sugar for maple syrup, which is a healthier choice and creates a lovely flavor. I’ve also used white whole wheat flour instead of white flour.

If you’re looking for other healthy cookies, take a look at these 15 healthy cookie ideas for some inspiration.

top view of the corner of a cookie cookling rack with a peanut butter cookie on it

The combination of nutrient-rich whole wheat flour and peanut butter means that these peanut butter cookies will keep you fuller for longer, so they’re a perfect snack for those days when lunchtime seems too far away!

VIDEO TUTORIAL – Coming Soon

Ingredients You Need For Peanut Butter Cookies

Butter
Peanut Butter
Maple Syrup
Egg
Baking Powder
Salt
White Whole Wheat Flour

peanut butter cookies stacked on each other on a wood cutting board

Step by step instructions on how to make peanut butter cookies

a glass bowl with maple syrup and butter in it. Above that is a bowl with the dry ingredients and a bowl with peanut butter — Add the maple syrup and butter to a bowl.

a glass bowl on a light blue napkin. The bowl shows butter and maple syurp creamed together — Beat with hand mixer until well blended. Add the egg and peanut butter and blend well.

top view of the butter, maple syrup and peanut butter together — Mix the try ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to the peanut butter mixture. Mix well.

top view of a cookie sheet with 9 round balls of peanut butter cookie dough — Place 1 inch balls of cookie dough on a lined cookie sheet. Use a fork to add the criss cross pattern. Bake until browned

How To Make Peanut Butter Cookies

Use a hand blender to cream together the butter and maple syrup.

Once they are combined, add the peanut butter and egg and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix all of your dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix them well.

Using your hands or a cookie scoop, form the mix into balls roughly an inch wide. Place the balls on a lined cookie sheet, ensuring you leave space between them as they will spread.

Use a fork to press a criss-cross pattern onto each one.

Pop your peanut butter cookies into the oven, and bake them for 12-14 minutes at 350°.

Try not to eat them all at once!

Important Teaching Tips

Peanut butter. Choose a natural peanut butter with no added sugar, as this will make a healthier (and tastier) peanut butter cookie.

Bake your cookies in batches. The cookie dough will spread, so I usually limit batches to 9 to prevent them from sticking together.

Store your dough in the fridge. If you’re cooking in batches or making your dough ahead of time, it’s important to keep it cold while you’re waiting to cook it. Keep any dough you’re not cooking yet in the fridge. Criss-cross your cookies. Adding the criss-cross pattern does more than making your peanut butter cookie look good! It helps to flatten them, so they bake more evenly. The pattern is also a good way of marking the difference between peanut butter cookies and other cookies, which is essential as peanuts are an allergen for some people.

Frequently Asked Questions About Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies

Should you refrigerate peanut butter cookie dough before baking?

If you have the time, refrigerate your cookie dough before baking it. Refrigerating it will keep the butter cold and keep the cookies from spreading too much!

How long can you leave peanut butter cookie dough in the fridge?

This cookie dough can stay in the fridge for up to 2 days. After that, the dough starts to dry out. If you aren’t going to use it right away, you can freeze cookie dough. Roll them in to balls and place on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen, pop them off and store them in an airtight container. When you are ready to cook them, let them defrost in the fridge and bake per the instructions.

Is there a white whole wheat flour substitute?

You can substitute white flour 1:1 for the white whole wheat flour.

Why are peanut butter cookies bad?

Peanut butter cookies are generally considered “bad” because of the ingredients in the peanut butter. There is a lot of hydrogenated oil in peanut butter spread. When making peanut butter cookies, be sure to use natural peanut butter made with only peanuts.

What is best to bake cookies on?

I like to use parchment paper or silicone mats. Parchment paper is great because there is no clean up! In most cases, cookies will not stick to either one, especially given the oil content.

Here Are More Healthy Cookie Recipes You Might Enjoy: