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These Low-Carb Peanut Butter Cookies are a delicious, healthy way to satisfy your cookie craving! They come together in 1 bowl with only 5 ingredients for a super easy treat.
Why you should make this recipe
If you’re like me and have a weakness for cookies, you’ll love these low-carb peanut butter cookies! They’re perfectly chewy and delicious, and you can eat more than one without overloading on sugar.
In fact, these cookies are completely sugar-free and only have 4 grams of carbs (mostly fiber) per cookie! This makes them suitable for even a ketogenic diet.
If you’ve never made these before, you’re in for a treat! The batter comes together in just 1 bowl using 5 simple ingredients. No fancy kitchen equipment is needed, just mix it all up and bake!
I recommend making these cookies at the start of the week so you have a treat ready to enjoy or share with friends and family. They will be amazed at how easy and tasty low-carb baking can be.
Ingredients
These keto peanut butter cookies call for 5 simple ingredients that you likely already have in your kitchen.
- peanut butter: make sure to use classic peanut butter with no added sugar. Smooth, creamy peanut butter is the best in this recipe.
- egg
- erythritol: powdered erythritol works best in this peanut butter cookie recipe (you can blend regular erythritol or use low-carb confectioner’s sweetener)
- baking soda
- vanilla extract
Step-by-step instructions
You can see how I make this keto cookie recipe in this short video or read the step-by-step instructions below.
It only takes about 5 minutes to mix up the batter, and then you’ll have a delicious treat ready to be enjoyed throughout the week!
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 2: Add the erythritol to a Nutribullet or blender and blend until powdered. Set aside. If using a confectioner’s low-carb sweetener, you can skip this step.
Step 3: Add a cup of peanut butter, egg, powdered erythritol, baking soda, and vanilla extract into a medium mixing bowl. Mix until smooth, glossy dough forms.
Step 4: Roll about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough between your palms to form a ball, then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all dough has been used. You should end up with 12-14 cookies.
Step 5: Use a fork to flatten the cookies, creating a criss-cross pattern across the top.
Step 6: Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes.
Step 7: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 25 minutes on the baking tray, then transfer to a cooling rack for another 15 minutes.
Now your cookies are ready to be enjoyed! How easy were these 5 ingredient peanut butter cookies?!
Expert tips
Even though your cookies are going to smell amazing when you take them out of the oven, resist the urge to sample one right away! Make sure you give them the full amount of time to cool on the baking tray and the cooling rack.
Because this recipe does not contain any flour, the cooling step is crucial to allow the cookies to firm up. The longer they are able to cool, the better the texture will be. You don’t want them to fall apart when you eat them!
Be patient with these. I promise it’s worth it 🙂
Variations
There are a few different variations for this recipe that you can try. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
- We all know that peanut butter and chocolate are a classic combination. For a little extra sweetness, add some sugar-free chocolate chips for peanut butter chocolate cookies.
- For a truly decadent treat, half-dip each cookie in melted sugar-free dark chocolate to make the best chocolate peanut butter cookies. This takes it to a WHOLE new level! Just be sure you allow the cookies to fully cool before dipping.
- To give the cookies a nutty texture, try using crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy peanut butter.
- You can also swap out the peanut butter altogether and use different nut butter. Cashew or almond butter would work well in this recipe!
Keep in mind that the natural peanut butter will add the most taste to the cookies, but if you prefer not to use it or have an allergy, any nut butter will do.
Storage
I recommend storing these keto peanut butter cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. They will stay fresh, soft, and delicious!
For longer storage, you can freeze them instead and enjoy for several months.
Nutrition
This peanut butter cookie recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy free. They are also free from any flours, making it all the more easy and practical to whip up a healthy low-carb cookie treat.
Each cookie has just 4 grams of carbs and only 2.8 grams of net carbs, making it a wonderful treat for those following a keto or low-carb diet.
Even though these are a healthier option because they are lower in carbs than traditional peanut butter cookies, it’s important to remember it is still very much a treat. Therefore, it should be enjoyed in moderation and never on an empty stomach.
Learn more: Is Peanut Butter Good for People Living with Diabetes?
Frequently asked questions
Plain peanut butter is keto compliant and suitable for those following a low-carb diet. But stick to good quality peanut butter that is free from added sugars and other additives. Flavored peanut butter is not ideal as it is usually higher in carbs from added sugars and flavorings.
Peanut butters that have only 1 or 2 ingredients are best for the keto diet. It should be plain and natural peanut butter with only peanuts and possibly salt. Chunky or creamy peanut butter are both suitable for keto and low-carb diets.
When making keto and low-carb cookies, use erythritol-based sweeteners for the best results. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that mimics sugar in its molecular structure. This makes it a great option because it browns nicely, yielding a very crispy texture. More importantly, erythritol does not impact blood sugar at all due it its zero carb count. It is an excellent sugar substitute for people with diabetes.
Other healthy dessert recipes
I believe a healthy diet should absolutely include dessert! If you’re looking for a few more treats that you can enjoy guilt-free, check out these recipes I know you’ll love:
You can also read this roundup of my favorite 10 diabetic cookie recipes for even more delicious inspiration!
When you’ve tried these cookies, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked them and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Low-Carb Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, (no added salt and sugar)
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup erythritol, (powdered)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Skip this step if using a confectioner's low-carb sweetener. Add the erythritol to a Nutribullet or blender and blend until powdered. Set aside.
- Add all of the ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and mix until a smooth, glossy dough forms.1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 large egg, ⅔ cup erythritol, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Roll about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough between your palms to form a ball, then transfer to the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat until all dough has been used. You should end up with 12-14 cookies.
- Use a fork to flatten the cookies, creating a criss-cross pattern across the top.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 25 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack for another 15 minutes.
Notes
- To add chocolate, you can mix sugar-free chocolate chips into the batter or dip the cookies (once cooled) into melted sugar-free chocolate.
- You can use crunchy peanut butter to add a nutty texture.
- The peanut butter can be substituted with any nut butter, but keep in mind that peanut butter will add the most taste.
Angie Morales
Hi! I just made these cookies and they came out delicious. I am on a ketogenic diet so these were a perfect treat. Very sweet. I can’t wait to stare them with my mother in law who is diabetic. I added Hershey kisses to some of them for the kids.
Brin
Tried the recipe and found it easy to make. leaving them to cool fully is best to stop the crumbling.
I did reduce the stevia amount and added coconut essence instead of vanilla, plus dried coconut and walnuts (unsalted). Great result!
Anita Balakishnan
Will these work without the sweetener?
Christel Oerum
They should, not sure how good they’ll taste though
Pooja
Instead of eggs what else I can use?
Christel Oerum
Common egg replacements are; Mashed Banana, Ground Flaxseeds or Chia Seeds or Commercial Egg Replacer. I don’t know if any of those options would work for this recipe though. If you try it and it does, please let us know
MommaBear
They tasted pretty good but could have used a tad more sweet factor for a cookie. They turned out very crumbly so were hard for kids to eat. I’d love to figure out how to make them firmer.
Christel Oerum
Yeah, given there’s no flour in them they will be a little “crumbly”. The trick is to let them cool completely on the rack before moving/consuming
Steve
Can I use confectioners swerve instead of blending the erythritol in a Nutribullet?
Christel Oerum
I would think so, but I haven’t tried it
MB
Confectioners swerve is just Erythritol ground into a powder. It’s exactly what the recipe calls for without having to grind it yourself.
Jessica vandenberg
Yes look up the conversion chart
Grace
Have you ever used Swerve instead of Erythritol in this recipe? Would you use the same amount?
Christel Oerum
The granular Swerve should work just as well I’d think
Mary
Can you use swerve as the sweetener?
Christel Oerum
Yes, I often do that. Some people do say that they see a blood sugar impact from Erythritol (main sweetener in Swerve) so that’s the only thing to be mindful off
F A
but youre advertising erythritol too no?
Christel Oerum
I don’t advertise any specific sweetener, I tell you what options are available. I have no issue with Erythritol, and according to science, the body can’t absorb it. However, some say it impacts their blood sugar
Ann Nuding
Can you use Splenda ? Also you do not use any flour in this recipie?
Christel Oerum
Splenda should be ok if you can tolerate it. Correct, no flour, so they need to cool completely before being moved or they will fall apart
Errol Young
i have the same question?
Leanne Rodriguez
Wow! Its really high in sodium
Christel Oerum
There’s 134 mg sodium in a cookie, I believe that’s lower than most bought bars/cookies. You could lower it even further by using low sodium baking powder and peanut butter
KS
If I use Stevia instead, do I use the same amount as the recipe calls for of erythritol?
Christel Oerum
I haven’t tried, but Stevia is sweeter than Erythritol so you’d probably need about half of the amount. You’ll have to test it out though
Cheryl Raymond
I used “Stevia in the Raw”, which is Stevia made for baking. I used it in the amount called for in the recipe and they came out fine. Regular Stevia would most likely need to be adjusted.
Anita Galliher
Hi!
Just printed out the PB cookie recipe and they look terrific! But what is a serving? 1 cookie? 2? How large are they? I just don’t want to eat too much or, worse, too little! 😉
Thanks!
Anita
Christel Oerum
I hear you, eating too few would be bad 😉
We’ve assumed that this recipe makes 12 cookies, each being a serving. As for size, I think you’ll get the best idea if you look at the picture where we flatten a cookie with a fork. As you’ll see they are about the length of the teeth of a regular fork.