Easy 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies (Flourless & Dairy-Free)
For a digital entrepreneur, simplicity is a high-impact content strategy. These cookies eliminate flour and butter, utilizing the natural oils and proteins in peanut butter to create a steady energy release. From an expertise perspective, the secret to a professional-grade flourless cookie is “emulsion stability.” By whisking the egg and sweetener thoroughly into the nut butter, you create a structural bond that replaces the need for gluten, resulting in a chewy, decadent texture.
Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 5 Min
- Cook Time: 10 Min
- Total Time: 15 Min
- Yield: 12 Cookies
- Calories: 95 kcal per cookie
Ingredients:
The Foundation
- 1 cup Natural Peanut Butter (Only peanuts and salt)
- 1/2 cup Coconut Sugar or Monk Fruit Sweetener (Lower glycemic index)
- 1 Large Egg (Pasture-raised is best)
The Optional Polish
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract (Aromatic depth)
- A pinch of Sea Salt (To finish)
Preparation Steps:
1. The “One-Bowl” Fusion
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Blend until the mixture is a smooth, slightly stiff dough.
2. The Iconic “Criss-Cross”
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on sheet 2 inches apart.
- Technique: Use a fork to gently press a “criss-cross” pattern, flattening to 1/2 inch. This isn’t just aesthetic; it ensures the flourless dough cooks evenly through the center.
3. The Golden Bake
- Bake for 8–10 minutes. The edges should be just set, but the centers will look soft.
4. The Structural Set
- Crucial Step: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes.
- Because they are flourless, they are fragile when hot. This cooling period allows the structure to firm up into a “Gold Standard” chewy bite.
Expert Tips:
- PB Consistency: If using very oily natural peanut butter, stir it thoroughly first. If the dough feels too runny to roll, refrigerate it for 15 minutes to firm up the oils.
- Doneness Rule: Do not overbake! They will look underdone when you pull them out, but the carry-over heat on the pan finishes the cooking perfectly.