I was on the fence a bit about this post. I’ve been itching to create a recipe for vegan peanut butter cookies for a while. Peanut butter cookies were always a favorite of mine growing up! Obviously, being such a big fan of classic peanut butter cookies, I wanted my vegan version to be perfect. I worked on this recipe quite a bit, until they were almost there. Perfect flavor? Check! Just chewy enough texture? Check! Easy to make? Check! The problem I kept running into was all about aesthetics. I couldn’t get my vegan peanut butter cookies to look just like the ones I ate growing up. I was snacking on a cookie from my last batch (the one you see in the photos), when I decided it didn’t matter. These peanut butter cookies tasted so good, I was okay with them looking a little rough around the edges.
What You’ll Need
Vegan butter. Look for brands like Earth balance or Miyoko’s.Peanut butter. Normally I’m all about natural peanut butter, but for these cookies, regular old peanut butter works much better. Make sure it’s creamy (not chunky).Organic sugar.Organic brown sugar.Non-dairy milk. Just about any variety will work…soy, almond or oat would all be goo choices. Whatever you use, make sure it’s unsweetened and unflavored.Vanilla extract.Flour. We’re using all-purpose wheat flour. Other types might work, but I can’t guarantee it.Baking powder.Baking soda.Salt.
How to Make Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make vegan peanut butter cookies. Scroll down if you’d prefer to skip right to the recipe!
Make sure to take your vegan butter out of the fridge early in the day, so it has time to soften up. Now place the butter in a bowl with your sugars, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla. Cream everything on high speed with a mixer for about 1 minute.Begin stirring in your flour, about a third at a time. Sprinkle your baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the final addition before stirring everything together.
Shape your cookie dough into a ball and wrap it tightly in plastic. Chill the dough for 2 to 3 hours, no more, no less! Check the dough periodically — you want it to be firm but not rock solid.
Once your dough is ready, line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper and heat up the oven.Roll the dough into balls, then, if you’d like, roll each ball in some extra sugar.
Place your dough balls on a baking sheet and use a fork to flatten them out, pressing the tines into the top of the cookie once, turning the fork 90 degrees, then pressing again, to make a grid.
Pop the baking sheets into the oven and bake your cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they’re barely set. Transfer the baking sheets to cooling racks so your cookies can cool — they will continue to set as they do!
Can these cookies be made gluten-free? I’m afraid I’m not sure. An all-purpose gluten-free flour blend might work, but I haven’t tried this.Shelf-life & storage. Cookies will keep for about 2 weeks in a sealed container at room temperature, or about 3 months in the freezer.Can I use natural peanut butter for this recipe? I don’t recommend using runny natural peanut butter, as your cookies will probably spread out too much. You can use conventional peanut butter or one of those peanut butters labeled as “natural,” but where the peanut oils have been replaced with palm oil or coconut oil (the consistency should be similar to conventional peanut butter).Where can I get vegan butter? This is usually found near the regular butter at the store. Earth Balance and Miyoko’s are two popular brands.Why does the sugar need to be organic? Most granulated sugar in the United States is processed using animal bone char. Organic sugar is processed differently and considered vegan.Looking for more vegan versions of classic cookies? Try my chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread cookies, or oatmeal raisin cookies.
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