These 3-Ingredient PB Cookies are about as straightforward as homemade cookies get. All you need is almond flour, maple syrup, and peanut butter to make soft, nutty cookies with plenty of peanut flavor. There are no eggs, dairy, or complicated baking steps, and the little paired shape makes them a bit more fun than your average peanut butter cookie.
Try my Sweet Potato Cookies: The Healthy Treat That Actually Tastes Amazing recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Only three ingredients: Almond flour, peanut butter, and maple syrup.
- Quick to prepare: The dough comes together in one bowl.
- No eggs or dairy: Easy to keep completely plant-based.
- Naturally sweetened: Maple syrup provides all the sweetness.
- Plenty of peanut flavor: Peanut butter is right at the center of this recipe.
- Fun shape: Each cookie is made from two small dough balls pressed together.
- Easy cleanup: One mixing bowl and one baking sheet are basically all you need.
Try my Soft Banana Oat Cookies recipe.
What You’ll Need to Make 3-Ingredient PB Cookies
- 4.2 ounces (120 g) almond flour
- 2.8 fluid ounces (80 ml) maple syrup
- 4.4 ounces (125 g) smooth peanut butter
What You’ll Need to Do
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes, plus cooling
Makes: 12 cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the almond flour, maple syrup, and smooth peanut butter to a mixing bowl.
- Stir everything together until you have a soft, evenly mixed dough.
- Divide the dough into 24 roughly equal portions.
- Roll each portion into a small ball using your hands.
- Place two balls next to each other on the prepared baking sheet to create one cookie. Repeat until you have 12 pairs.
- Leave a little space between each pair because the cookies will spread slightly while baking.
- Gently press each pair down with a fork. You can use the fork to create the classic peanut butter cookie pattern while also helping the two halves join together.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies look set and the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
- Remove the tray from the oven.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. They will still be quite soft when hot.
- Carefully transfer them to a wire rack.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving. They’ll firm up as they cool.
Try my Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
Easy Ingredient Swaps
Almond flour: Another finely ground nut flour may work, although the texture can change significantly.
Peanut butter: Almond butter or cashew butter can work if you want a different nutty flavor.
Maple syrup: Agave syrup can be substituted, although the sweetness and texture may vary slightly.
Smooth peanut butter: Crunchy peanut butter can be used if you want little peanut pieces throughout the cookies.
Try my 3-Ingredient Pecan Cookies recipe.
Some Twist and Tweak Ideas
Add a pinch of cinnamon to the dough.
Mix in a little vanilla extract.
Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the cookies before baking.
Add dairy-free chocolate chips.
Dip the cooled cookies halfway into melted dark chocolate.
Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the tops.
Add a small pinch of cocoa powder for a chocolate-peanut version.
Drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled cookies.
Try my Superfood Oatmeal Protein Cookies recipe.
Some Helpful Tips
Use smooth peanut butter. It makes the dough easier to mix and shape.
Measure the almond flour carefully. Too much can make the cookies dry and crumbly.
Divide the dough before shaping. Making 24 equal portions is the easiest way to get 12 similarly sized cookies.
Don’t flatten them too much. A gentle fork press is enough.
Watch the final few minutes. Almond flour can brown fairly quickly.
Let the cookies cool. They will be soft immediately after baking and firm considerably as they cool.
Use parchment paper. These cookies are fairly delicate while warm, so parchment makes removal easier.
Why Almond Flour Works Here
Almond flour brings both structure and fat to the cookie dough.
Because peanut butter also contains plenty of natural fat, you don’t need additional butter or oil.
The maple syrup adds sweetness and moisture, which means three ingredients are enough to create a workable cookie dough.
Some Budget-Friendly Tips
Store-brand peanut butter works perfectly well.
Buy almond flour in larger bags if you bake with it regularly.
You can often find maple syrup more economically in larger bottles.
Skip specialty toppings and keep the cookies at three ingredients for the lowest cost.
If almond butter or another nut butter is considerably more expensive, stick with regular peanut butter.
Some Serving Ideas
Serve these cookies with:
- Coffee
- Tea
- A glass of plant-based milk
- Fresh berries
- Sliced banana
- Dairy-free ice cream
- Fresh apple slices
- A drizzle of dark chocolate
- Extra peanut butter
They also make an easy little addition to lunchboxes or snack boxes.
Great for Making Ahead
These cookies are simple to make ahead and keep well once completely cooled.
You can prepare a batch, store it in an airtight container, and have a quick homemade treat ready for the next few days.
They also freeze well if you’d rather make several batches at once.
Some Storage and Reheating Tips
Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing them.
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.
For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 7 days.
You can also freeze the cookies for up to 2 months.
Let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature before serving.
There’s no need to reheat them, but if you prefer a slightly softer cookie, a few seconds in the microwave will do the job.
Final Thoughts
These 3-Ingredient PB Cookies are a useful little recipe when I want homemade cookies without pulling half the pantry apart.
Almond flour provides the structure, peanut butter gives them that rich nutty flavor, and maple syrup takes care of the sweetness.
Mix, shape, bake, cool, and you’re done. For three ingredients, that’s a pretty good return on effort.
3-Ingredient PB Cookies
I love these 3-Ingredient PB Cookies when I want something quick, nutty, and sweet without a long ingredient list! 🥜🍪 Almond flour, maple syrup, and peanut butter do all the work.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Place the almond flour, maple syrup, and smooth peanut butter in a mixing bowl.
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Stir until the ingredients are fully combined and a soft dough forms.
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Divide the dough into 24 equal portions.
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Roll each portion into a small ball.
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Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet in pairs, placing two balls next to each other to form one cookie.
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Gently press each pair with a fork to flatten slightly and create a decorative pattern.
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Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the edges are lightly golden.
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Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to rest on the tray for approximately 5 minutes.
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Transfer the cookies carefully to a wire rack.
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Allow them to cool completely before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 145kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 10g16%
- Sodium 50mg3%
- Total Carbohydrate 11g4%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 6g
- Protein 4g8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Estimated Glycemic Index: ~38
Estimated Glycemic Load per Serving: ~6
