These homemade flourless white chocolate chip peanut butter cookies are made with simple ingredients, plenty of peanut butter, and no dairy. This quick, easy recipe is a delicious gluten-free dessert you can make from scratch without a mixer.
One of the best things about this recipe is how prominently the peanut butter features. It isn’t diluted by lots of flour, butter, or excess sugar—peanut butter is the star. Each bite delivers a salty, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with creamy, sweet white chocolate chips.
The dough comes together in about five minutes in a single bowl and can be mixed by hand—no electric mixer needed.
Why is there no butter?
In this recipe the peanut butter acts as the fat component. With 1 ½ cups of peanut butter in the dough, there’s no need for added butter or shortening. The peanut butter provides the fat that keeps these cookies soft and moist.
The role of both sugars
Using both granulated and brown sugar balances texture and flavor. Granulated sugar helps create slightly crisp, chewy edges, while brown sugar keeps the centers soft and tender. Using only one type of sugar changes the texture too much: brown sugar alone can make them overly soft, and white sugar alone can make them crumbly. The combination gives the best result.
The role of the eggs
Eggs add moisture and act as a binder. Before adding the eggs the mixture is loose and batter-like; once the eggs are incorporated the dough firms up and becomes easy to shape into cookies.
Why are there no leavening ingredients?
This recipe does not use baking soda or baking powder. The sugars and the peanut butter allow the cookies to spread properly during baking, so no additional leavening is necessary.
Why does the dough need to be refrigerated?
Why does the dough need to be refrigerated?This is not a typical flour-based dough. Because it’s mostly peanut butter and contains no flour to absorb the fat, the dough is oily and sticky at room temperature. If you bake it warm, the oil escapes and the cookies can turn out tough and dry.
Refrigerating solidifies the peanut butter’s oil, so less fat melts out during baking. The result is cookies that stay soft, chewy, and moist.
Shaping the cookies
The cookies retain roughly the same shape they are when placed in the oven—only slightly larger—so take care to shape them as you want them to appear. Thicker cookies stay softer; flatter cookies become chewier. I prefer flattening slightly for a chewy texture, but avoid making them paper-thin or they will turn crispy.
How to tell when the cookies are done
The edges should be set and lightly browned, while the centers remain soft and slightly underbaked. They continue to firm up as they cool.
Cooling
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes before removing. Because there’s no flour to structurally bind them while hot, they need the residual heat from the sheet to finish setting. Even after cooling they will be soft—use a spatula if you need help transferring them. They usually cool completely on the baking sheet, so a wire rack is optional.
Storage & Freezing
How to store: Keep cookies in an airtight container or resealable bag.
Shelf life at room temperature: They stay soft and chewy for 5–7 days when stored properly.
Freezing: Yes. Place fully cooled cookies in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag, squeeze out excess air, and seal. Freezing in a single layer first prevents them from sticking together.
Nutrition Facts
These cookies are naturally higher in fat due to the peanut butter, but they are also rich in protein and contain some iron and vitamin D. See the recipe card below for estimated calories and nutrition per cookie.
Gluten Free White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Beat Bake Eat
These flourless white chocolate chip peanut butter cookies are made with simple ingredients and are dairy-free. Quick to prepare and baked in under 15 minutes.
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 11 mins Cool Time: 20 mins Total Time: 46 mins
Servings: 15 (about 15–16 cookies) Calories: 249 kcal each (estimate)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt.
- Add the peanut butter and mix until smooth.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla until the mixture is fully incorporated and the dough thickens.
- Gently fold in the white chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a nonstick baking mat.
- Portion dough into 2 heaping tablespoon balls (10–12 per sheet). Roll, flatten, and shape the dough into rounds, spacing them evenly.
- Press a few extra white chocolate chips onto the tops of each cookie.
- Bake for 11–12 minutes, until the edges are set and slightly browned but the centers are still soft and slightly underbaked.
- Allow cookies to cool and firm up on the baking sheet for 20 minutes before removing. A spatula may help transfer them without breaking.
Notes
- Dough storage: The dough keeps for 4–5 days in the refrigerator.
- Do not bake warm dough: At room temperature the dough becomes oily and mushy and will not bake properly.
- Avoid bare pans: Bake on parchment or a baking mat to prevent sticking and burning on the bottoms.
- Thickness matters: Don’t flatten dough balls too thin — very thin cookies will be crispy rather than chewy.
- Spread: The cookies spread a little but not dramatically; they won’t double in size.
- Removal: Do not remove cookies from the sheet while they are still hot; they need time to set.
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