Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
These Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are dairy-free, simple, and without refined sugar. They taste delicious, like the original peanut butter blossom, but are healthier. Get in the holiday spirit with these melt-in-your-mouth and easy-to-make holiday cookies.
One of the most popular combinations is chocolate and peanut butter which is why you are going to love these peanut butter cookies. They are a staple in my home during the holidays and I know they will be in yours, too.
There’s something about peanut butter blossom cookies that remind me of my childhood. Jolly St. Nick would always get a plate of the Hershey Kiss topped peanut butter cookies that my brother and I got to help bake. There’s nothing like making a healthier version of a traditional cookie from years ago.
If you love this flavor combination, you have to also try these Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats or these Peanut Butter Power Balls Dipped in Chocolate.
Spotlight on These Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- There’s no refined sugar. Typically, these types of cookies have white sugar in the ingredient list. This recipe calls for coconut sugar only which is an unprocessed sugar alternative.
- They are oil-free. With no butter, oils, or eggs in this recipe, you will be surprised how perfect they turn out. Believe it or not, the flax egg and peanut butter do the trick.
- There’s no refined sugar. Typically, these types of cookies have white sugar in the ingredient list. This recipe calls for coconut sugar only which is an unprocessed sugar alternative.
- They are oil-free. With no butter, oils, or eggs in this recipe, you will be surprised how perfect they turn out. Believe it or not, the flax egg and peanut butter do the trick.
The Ingredients
Flax egg: An easy vegan swap for an egg. It works perfectly and is filled with protein and fiber.
Peanut butter: This is the main flavor in these peanut butter cookies. I like to use all-natural, no-sugar-added peanut butter.
Vegan butter: This is a simple replacement for regular dairy butter. Use it 1 for 1 and you will never know it is dairy-free.
Coconut sugar: This is one of my favorite sweeteners as it is unprocessed and is not stripped of its nutrients.
Vanilla extract: Because there is no such thing as a baked good without this ingredient, am I right?
Flour: While I typically like to use alternatives other than white flour, this cookie does well with white flour.
Baking soda: This is always found in cookies and it acts as a leavening agent in most baked goods.
Salt: A pinch of salt will help round off this cookie. This is a typical last ingredient in many cookies.
Chocolate peanut butter cups: I like to purchase Justin’s or Unreal vegan peanut butter cups, and you can find them at Whole Foods.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Almond butter or cashew butter will work. Keep in mind that peanut butter has a distinct stronger flavor unlike cashew or almond butter.
Peanut butter cups are ideal, however, you could try chocolate chips, dark chocolate Hershey Kisses, or chunks of a chocolate bar.
You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and refrigerate it up to 3 days in advance. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before scooping and baking.
Freeze the baked cookies in an even layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer Ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake cookies straight from frozen cookie dough, but add about 2 additional minutes to the bake time.
There are three brands that come to mind for vegan peanut butter cups. My favorites are Justin’s and Unreal. Reese’s recently came out with plant-based peanut butter cups as well.
The Instructions
Step one: Make your flax egg. Grab a small bowl and mix the water and ground flax with a fork until well incorporated. Place the bowl in the fridge while you prepare the rest.
Step two: In a medium-sized bowl, add the dry ingredients including flour, baking soda, and salt. Using a fork or whisk, stir the ingredients together. Set the bowl aside.
Step three: In another large mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter, vegan butter, coconut sugar, vanilla, and the flax egg from the fridge until creamy and well incorporated. This usually takes about one minute with a hand mixer.
Step four: Combine the dry into the bowl of wet ingredients and hand mix until everything is incorporated. Do not over-mix. It is now recommended to cover the dough and chill it in the freezer for 30 minutes before baking. However, if you do not have time for this, skip this step and go right to baking.
Step five: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Step six: Remove the dough from the freezer. Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place the balls onto a lined cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake them for 12 minutes.
Step seven: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for three minutes, or so.
Place the chocolate peanut butter cups into each cookie center. The idea is to slowly and gently press them in a bit. That will help flatten the cookies and keep them in place. Allow them to cool for another three minutes and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Storage
Place the completely cooled cookies in an air-tight container. They can stay out on the counter for up to five days or in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Freeze the baked cookies in an even layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer Ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips + Modifications
Alternatively, you can replace the peanut butter cups with a few chocolate chips or a square of your favorite dark chocolate.
You can make the cookie dough up to 3 days in advance. Allow the dough to sit on the counter for 30 minutes before baking.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes
Strawberries and Cream Cookies
Chewy Vegan Almond Butter Cookies
Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Equipment
- 1 cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 small bowl like a ramakin
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flax
- 3 tablespoons filtered water
- ½ cup natural, unsweetened smooth peanut butter
- ¼ cup vegan butter, softened (but not melted) *You could leave this out for a few hours or use the microwave to defrost
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour If gluten-free, use gluten-free flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- a pinch of salt
- 16 mini vegan chocolate peanut butter cups brands like Justin's or Unreal work great
Instructions
- Make your flax egg. Grab a small bowl and mix the water and ground flax with a fork until well incorporated. Place the bowl in the fridge while you prepare the rest.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the dry ingredients including flour, baking soda, and salt, excluding the coconut sugar. Using a fork or whisk, stir the ingredients together. Set the bowl aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter, vegan butter, coconut sugar, vanilla, and the flax egg from the fridge until creamy and well incorporated. This usually takes about one minute with a hand mixer.
- Combine the dry into the bowl of wet ingredients and hand mix until everything is incorporated. Do not over-mix. It is now recommended to cover the dough and chill it in the freezer for 30 minutes before baking. However, if you do not have time for this, skip this step and go right to baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Remove the dough from the freezer. Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place the balls onto a lined cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake them for 12 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for three minutes, or so. Gently press a chocolate peanut butter cup into each cookie center. The idea is to slowly and gently press them in a bit. That will help flatten the cookies and keep them in place. Allow them to cool for another three minutes and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Place the completely cooled cookies in an air-tight container. They can stay out on the counter for up to five days or in the fridge for up to 10 days.
