Enjoy classic, old school peanut butter blossoms cookies using gluten-free all purpose flour with an easy copycat recipe that avoids dry, gritty results. What’s the trick? Chilling and resting the dough slightly, along with baking at a slightly lower oven temp, saturates the GF starches to replicate a taste and texture just as good as the one’s you grew up on!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get affordable and easy gluten-free recipes delivered each week!
Copycat Classic Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe
When it comes to holiday baking, I love to recreate my favorite childhood recipes as easy, copycat gluten-free replicates. The goal is always to make the taste and texture so spot on family and guests enjoy my gluten-free Christmas cookie collection without actually figuring out they are GF. (Shhh 🤫)
Now these easy gluten-free peanut butter kiss cookies make a star appearance alongside other essential holiday treats, like homemade cut-out gluten-free sugar cookies and my absolute go-to recipe for soft-batch gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.
When creating the best peanut butter blossoms using gluten-free flour, I relied on easy GF baking tips to avoid grittiness or a dry, crumbly texture. (Remember…we don’t want peeps to know these are GF!) How do we do that?
It’s simple. Using melted butter, along with letting the dough rest a bit before baking, gives time for the butter and peanut butter to coat and soften the GF starches. Also, baking at a slightly lower oven temp makes a soft texture without a sticky chewiness that sometimes gluten-free cookies have.
So, let’s recreate a classic together. Turn on the Christmas claymation movies, throw so tinsel on the tree, and pull out the Trivia Pursuit! We’re going full retro here.
Just made these for Christmas and you can’t tell they are gluten free! Thanks for the recipe!!!
—Regina
Free Guide! 5 easy tips for baking like a gluten-free pro!
Simple hacks for fail-proof gluten-free dishes every time!
Ingredient Tid Bits
- Peanut Butter – Since we want to replicate those classic Hershey kiss peanut butter cookies use a creamy peanut butter, such as Skippy or Jif brand, which are both certified GF. I don’t recommend using natural peanut butter, which will make the cookies dry and crumbly. I have not tested it with an alternative nut butter, such as almond butter. If you do, leave me a comment below!
- Butter – The butter is melted to coat the gluten-free starches, eliminating grittiness. For dairy-free gluten-free cookies, use vegan butter sticks.
- All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour – I use and highly recommend Cup4Cup gluten-free flour for this recipe. However, readers have had success with other GF flour brands as well, like King Arthur Measure-for-Measure.
- Hershey chocolate kisses – Classic peanut butter blossoms use milk chocolate, but I’m a huge fan of dark, so that’s what I used here. As far as other gluten-free options, most of the “hugs” seem to be safe, but Hershey makes a lot of flavors so be sure to read labels. Some varieties, such as sugar cookie or cookies ‘n creme are not gluten-free.
Watch This Recipe
Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Whip up the peanut butter cookie dough
In a large bowl beat together the peanut butter, light brown sugar, sugar, and slightly warm melted butter. Using warm butter breaks down the sugar slightly so it blends homogeneously. Add the egg, vanilla extract. Stir in the gluten-free flour, baking soda, and salt until no flour pockets remain.
The dough with be shiny and soft. Once you chill the dough for a bit it will stiffen enough to scoop in balls, plus this gets rid of any potential grittiness.
Time to shape the dough
Efficiency is my middle name (yes, I’m that person), so when it comes to making all those dough balls I like to go at it systematically.
First, take a small cookie scoop and divide out all the dough. Once all the balls are formed, go back and roll them all into smooth balls. Finally, roll the balls in sugar and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, evenly spaced apart.
Bake, think ahead, and press (best part!)
Baking in a slightly lower 325°F oven also improves the texture. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the tops begin to slightly crack. While they are baking don’t forget to unwrap your Hershey kisses! This is the part where the kids can help and you can reward them with the extras (or yourself 😉).
What’s the best part you remember as a kid? Pressing on the chocolate kiss, of course! As soon as they come out of the oven, press them gently onto the hot cookie. The chocolate will melt into the cookie, basically “glueing” itself on.
The chocolate will become pretty melty. So either them sit at room temp until they cool and harden again, which will take about 1 hour, or let them cool for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a plate and refrigerate until set.
Alternative Unique Options For Hershey Kiss
If like to add a new twist on a classic cookie, you have other gluten-free options for the “kiss.” You can also do a mix of cookies, using different chocolate candies so people can pick their favorite. Plus, this is an easy way to add variety to your holiday cookie tray.
- Instead of chocolate kisses, top with a miniature Reese’s peanut butter cup (they’re GF!)
- Roll the dough in festive colored sugars – red and green for Christmas, pastels for Easter, or tiny GF sprinkles for any holiday.
- Top with peanut M&Ms
- Use caramel Kisses, Rolos, or Dove chocolates
Save this recipe to your pinterest board!
Let’s be friends on Pinterest! I’m always sharing great recipes!
Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Vintage, Soft Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 tablespoons melted butter, slightly warm
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons gluten-free all purpose flour , Cup4Cup brand recommended
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 30 chocolate kiss candies, unwrapped
- ½ cup granulated sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Begin by lining baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Alternatively, use ungreased cookie sheets.
- In a large bowl beat together the peanut butter, butter, light brown sugar, and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again until well combined.½ cup creamy peanut butter, 4 tablespoons melted butter, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Blend in the baking soda and salt on low speed. Add the gluten-free flour and mix again until no flour pockets remain. The dough with be shiny and soft.½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons gluten-free all purpose flour
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes, or until chilled. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 325ºF.
- Use a small cookie scoop (equivalent to 1 tablespoon) to scoop dough balls, then roll the balls evenly in your hands. Roll each ball in the 1/2 cup of sugar and arrange on the baking sheets about 1 ½ inches apart.½ cup granulated sugar
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the tops begin to slightly crack. Remove from the oven and press chocolate on immediately. If you'd like the chocolate to set immediately, let cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a plate carefully and place in freezer for 5-10 minutes. Otherwise, let cool at room temperature until the chocolate sets.30 chocolate kiss candies
Notes
Dairy-Free Modification
I have not tried making these dairy-free, but many readers have had success with substituting vegan butter sticks, such as Earth Balance, in other gluten-free cookie recipes. You will also need to use a non-dairy chocolate kiss candy, such as Smooches.Storing and Freezing
Once the cookies have fully cooled and the chocolate has hardened, store in an airtight container up to 2 days. I don’t recommend longer than that because GF cookies lose moisture quickly. They may frozen baked or unbaked. To freeze unbaked, portion out the dough, roll in sugar, and freeze until solid. Transfer the unbaked cookies to an airtight freezer container and freeze up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the dough on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 1 minute longer. To freeze baked cookies, make sure they have cooled completely and the chocolate has set. Transfer to an airtight freezer container up to 3 months. Recipe adapted from gluten-free peanut butter cookiesThis post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
My daughter was recently diagnosed with Celiacs and my mom’s peanut butter blossoms were her favorite Christmas cookie. I found this recipe and followed it exactly (including using the old recipe Cup4cup flour) and they turned out even better than I could’ve hoped. My whole family even said they were better than Grandma’s (don’t tell!). Thank you for saving our tradition!
Aww, Jamie, I’m so glad you all enjoyed this recipe and I hope it has helped ease the transition to being gluten-free. Thanks for taking the time to share!
Best,
Melissa
I think the baking time is too long for these cookies. I would suggest 9-10 minutes instead of 13-15. They were still very good, but I think they’d be less crispy at 9-10 minutes. Maybe it’s a personal preference?
Thanks for sharing, Nancy. I really like soft and chewy cookies, so in my oven this was what I’m shooting for. It sounds like there could be a difference in oven calibrations between our two ovens?
Best,
Melissa
Just made these for Christmas 🎄 you can’t tell they are gluten free ! Thanks for the recipe!!!
Lovely to hear, Regina. Always the goal! Have a wonderful Christmas!
Best,
Melissa
I used natural peanut butter and I had no issues with crumbling. I also used vegan butter and was only able to use dark chocolate vegan chips on the top. They were a hit! Thank you for the great recipe.!
So lovely to hear, Heather! I’m glad they worked out as a dairy-free gluten-free recipe for you and that’s good to know about the natural peanut butter!
Best,
Melissa