You won’t believe these old fashioned, soft and chewy peanut butter cookies are actually made with oat flour and naturally gluten-free. Peanut butter oat flour cookies have that old school taste and texture thanks to two simple baking tricks anyone can pull off. Let’s make this super-dooper easy recipe together!
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Absolutely Perfect Peanut Butter Oat Flour Cookies
Making recipes with 1-minute homemade oatmeal flour has been my jam for a few years. I knew it wouldn’t lead me astray when I wanted to test out a stellar peanut butter cookie made with oat flour. It’s more affordable than GF flour blends, plus has more consistent results. Making flourless peanut butter cookies with 100% oats is another way we do gluten-free easy.
When making these homemade peanut butter cookies you can streamline the recipe so it’s mix, scoop, and bake, but I have a hard time leaving well enough alone, especially when making my favorite gluten-free cookie recipes. When creating these oat flour cookies I experimented with chilling versus not chilling, different baking temps, and varying the amount of oats to create an old fashioned cookie with an identically classic taste and texture.
You can’t beat the slightly sweet, nutty taste of oatmeal blended up into a fine powder. It works magic in everything from soft batch cookies, the world’s fluffiest oat flour cake with brown sugar frosting to our family’s favorite Belgian-style oat flour waffles.
Let’s learn what easy tweaks work best, how to create a crispy cookie, if that’s your thing, and fun additions to take these gluten-free peanut butter cookies to the next level.
Ingredient Tid Bits
- Peanut Butter – For all of my peanut butter desserts, I like to use old school, creamy peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy brand. If you prefer natural peanut butter, or another nut butter, just be sure it’s well blended with the oils before using in the recipe.
- Butter – If you are looking for a dairy-free modification, this would be the only ingredient to make an adjustment on. Use plant-based, vegan butter sticks and cut the amount of salt added in half.
- Oat Flour – You can use premade oat flour, if you have gluten-free oats and a high-powered blender on hand, I beg you to make your own! Place 2 cups of rolled or quick oats in the blender and process until very, very fine and powdery, about 1 minute.
- Sugars – I use a combo of granulated or packed light brown sugar for a little caramel taste and to build structure. I have not tested the recipe with sugar alternatives, but let me know in the comments if you do!
Made these several times. Family loves them. Asked my hubby if he wanted oat flour or regular flour. Quickly answered oat flour. Oat flour for the win. Thank you for the recipe.
—Beth
Free Guide! 5 easy tips for baking like a gluten-free pro!
Simple hacks for fail-proof gluten-free dishes every time!
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.)
Cream butter and sugar
Place room temperature butter, creamy butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix until creamy and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Then add the egg and vanilla extract.
Mix in dry ingredients
Now it’s time to mix in the oat flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well combined and a thick cookie dough is formed. That’s it. Your hardest part is done!
Drop and bake…or not.
The texture comes out better if the dough is chilled first (more on that below). However, if you find yourself in a cookie emergency, you can also drop and bake the dough before chilling. I used a medium cookie scoop, which is about 1.5 tablespoons dough per cookie.
Crispy or or chewy – you choose!
For other GF cookie recipes, I’ve found that baking at a slightly lower oven temp improves the texture, so I decided to give it a try for peanut butter cookies made with oat flour as well. I REALLY loved the softer ridges and chewy, soft batch crumb when they were baked in a 325ºF oven. However, if you are on team crispy cookie, I recommend baking at 350ºF and extending the baking time 1-2 minutes.
Chilling Dough Versus Not Chilling
Usually chilling cookie dough helps with shaping because chilled dough is easier to work with. This dough was easy enough to work with without chilling, especially if you use a cookie scoop, so I almost skipped the test of chilling. So glad I saw the experiment through.
Chilling oat flour cookie dough makes a smoother, less granular texture with smooth, puffy undulations along the top. First-class-tickets-to-cookie-heaven kind of stuff.
If you are short on time, you could skip this step, buutttt, maybe just don’t. You can always pop the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes to speed up the chilling process as well.
Yummy Additions
You could just stop at a great tasting cookie. Or not? Here’s some mix-in ideas, along with other ways to use that peanut butter dough.
- Sprinkle on flaky sea salt before baking.
- Mix in chopped peanuts or roll the cookie ball tops in crushed peanuts before baking.
- Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips. I like to use a mixture of semi-sweet chips and miniature baking chips.
- After the cookies have baked and cooled, dip half in melted chocolate.
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion out smaller cookies. Once they come from the oven place an unwrapped Hershey Kiss in the middle to make peanut butter blossoms.
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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
Big, Soft, and Chewy Oat Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (194 g) creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (117 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (190 g) oat flour, see recipe notes for making your own
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- First, make your oat flour if you don't have some on hand. Place 2 cups old fashioned or quick-cooking oats into a food processor or high-powered blender. Blend until the oats until it turns into a fine, powdery flour (about 1 minute). Check to make sure you don't have any larger flecks of oats, and if so, blend again. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand-mixer, mix together on medium high speed the softened butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and combine well.½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup creamy peanut butter, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- On low speed mix in the oat flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined.2 cups oat flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Although this step may be skipped if you're in a hurry, I recommend chilling the dough for best results. (See post for why!) Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325℉ for soft batch cookies, 350℉ for a crispier cookie. Use a medium cookie scoop or drop 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons onto the sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes, turning and rotating pans halfway through. Be careful to not over bake, especially if making soft batch cookies. If making crispy cookies, bake 14-15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
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One of our favorites
Thank you for saying so, Anita! I appreciate it!
Best,
Melissa
I made these cookies recently and really enjoyed them. Replaced some of the oat flour with just quick cooking oats to up the chewiness. They also freeze well. I will definitely be making this recipe again!
So glad you enjoyed these. They are delish! Thanks for commenting, Lisa!
Best,
Melissa
The cookies were wonderful my family loved them. Can the se be made using alternative sweeteners making them sugar free and sugar free or maybe use 1/4 C white 1/4 cup granulate sugar free substitute same with the brown sugar, I would be interested on your take.
Hi LaVern,
I’m glad you enjoy the cookies. They are one of my favorites! I don’t think that should be a problem as long as it’s a granulated alternative. I think you best option would be to start with the half sugar, half alternative and if that works well you can try the all alternative option.
Best,
Melissa
Made these several times . Family loves them. Asked my hubby if he wanted oat flour or regular flour. Quickly answered oat flour. Oat flour for the win. Thank you for recipe.
Love it! Thanks, Beth, I appreciate you sharing!
Best,
Melissa
These are delicious,first time using oat flour&love the flavor it brings to the cookie!!!
Love it, Robin! Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
Best peanut butter cookies ever!! Had to go gluten and dairy free about a year ago for health reasons so I’m always looking for gluten free cookie recipes and this is a great easy to follow recipe and the cookies are amazing!! I did use the dairy free butter and it still came out great!! Can’t wait to try other recipes! Thank you so much!!
This makes me so happy, Tricia! I hope you find many more cookie recipes here and I love hearing feedback on all my recipes!
Best,
Melissa