11 Healthy Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes

June 07, 2016
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Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
It's hard to beat a gooey fresh peanut butter cookie straight out of the oven. Whether you prefer creamy or crunchy, store-bought or homemade, peanut butter is much more than a delicious ingredient—it's also a good source of protein and heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Our best peanut butter cookie recipes make for the ultimate healthy indulgence.  From peanut butter thumbprint cookies to peanut butter no-bake cookies, you're sure to find the perfect cookie for any occasion.
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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Credit: Photo: Randy Dausch; Styling: Lindsey Lower
View Recipe: Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

You probably have everything on hand to make these chewy, chocolaty gluten-free peanut butter cookies. To fit the cookies on a single sheet pan, divide cookies into 5 rows of 4. Pressing the cookies flat helps them bake quickly and get lovely crisp edges; otherwise they'll be too round and undercooked.

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Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies

Triple the peanut butter, triple the fun! With creamy peanut butter, crispy peanut butter-flavored cereal, and roasted peanuts, we pack plenty of decadence into these ooey-gooey treats. We like the lightly-sweet crunch of Barbara's Peanut Butter Puffins, which is also lower in added sugars.

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Peanut Butter Cookies

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Peanut Butter Cookies

These are just like Grandma made, complete with the crosshatch pattern on top. It’s easier than you think to make the pattern; just crisscross the tines of a fork and press gently into the top of each cookie before you bake.

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Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies

Like popcorn and butter or apple and cinnamon, chocolate and peanut butter is an enduringly irresistible combination. These yummy cookies are as much fun to decorate as they are to eat. Let the kids help create patterns with the icing!

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PB, Banana, and Oat Cookies

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: PB, Banana, and Oat Cookies

With omega-3 rich flaxseed meal, fiber from oats in two forms, potassium-packed banana, and anti-oxidant-rich chocolate, these bite-sized cookies show that gluten-free baking can invite the an opportunity for nutrient-packed ingredients.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Credit: Photo: Grace Elkus
View Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

These chocolate peanut butter cup cookies are rich, indulgent, and only 100 calories each. Pop these out of the freezer when chocolate cravings hit, or serve 'em up to guests as a quick yet crowd-pleasing dessert. Their pre-portioned size keeps calories in check, and the decadent flavors mean you only need one. 

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Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Drops

We pack two types of chocolate —unsweetened cocoa and dark chocolate chips—into these easy no-bake peanut butter drop cookies for extra decadence. Oats add a pleasing crunch while peanut butter lends creamy goodness. You can easily make these cookies gluten-free by using gluten-free oats (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats)

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Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

These delicious sandwich cookies boast a light, yet indulgent, double hit of creamy peanut butter goodness. Pack them into your lunch for a healthier sweet that will help energize you through the afternoon.

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

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View Recipe: Peanut Butter Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

Superfine teff flour works nicely for this cookie that riffs off the classic combo. To get the best shape for the cookies, use a cookie scoop for rounded dough mounds, or roll dough into balls (dough will feel oily). Make the thumbprint hollow after the cookies have baked, while they’re still hot; use the handle of a wooden spoon to save your thumbs from the heat.  

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Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bars

These peanut butter bar cookies are a classic of kids' cooking adventures and home economics classes. Our updated version of the bars is fit for modern palates—bake up a batch with your own young chef. Substitute light brown sugar for the dark if you are looking for a milder bar.

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Sweet and Salty Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
View Recipe: Sweet and Salty Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Coarse-grained sea salt does not melt into the batter, so you experience a crunchy burst with every bite. Use any other nut you like in place of peanuts.

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