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These gluten-free peanut butter oatmeal cookies require just 9 ingredients, and not one of those is butter or flour! I keep the recipe simple by using natural peanut butter and rolled oats to create a cookie that’s entirely gluten-free, grain-free, and flourless. The edges are slightly crisp, and the center is soft and chewy, with a rich peanut butter flavor and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chips. I’ve never met anyone who could resist these homemade cookies!
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
I love a good gluten-free peanut butter cookie, but gluten-free chocolate chip cookies also hold a special place in my heart. And I can’t get enough of these gluten-free oatmeal cookies, either! So I knew I had to combine all three flavors into one delicious treat—gluten-free peanut butter oatmeal cookies! I switched out the flour with rolled oats, added dark brown sugar for extra chewiness, and used creamy peanut butter for a rich and nutty flavor. I was going to leave out the chocolate chips, but I just couldn’t resist. Each bite is a perfect balance of peanut butter, oats, and chocolate—a match made in cookie heaven.
Ingredients
- Natural Peanut Butter: I use natural, creamy peanut butter. It’s a little darker in color and has no added sugars or oils. You can also use regular peanut butter, but commercial peanut butters may contain additives that can affect the flavor and texture of the cookies. Always check the label to make sure there are no gluten-containing ingredients in your peanut butter.
- Gluten-Free Rolled Oats: Use certified gluten-free rolled oats (old-fashioned oats) to keep the cookies gluten-free. Oats themselves don’t contain gluten, but they can be cross-contaminated during processing. Quick oats or steel-cut oats won’t work well in this recipe.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and sweetness to these cookies. You can also use light brown sugar, coconut sugar, or granulated sweeteners like cane sugar. Keep in mind different sweeteners may alter the taste of the cookies or affect the texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle but delicious flavor.
- Eggs: Binds the ingredients and adds structure to these gluten-free peanut butter oatmeal cookies.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These work together to help the cookies rise and spread out a little while baking.
- Chocolate Chips: I use semi-sweet chocolate chips as they provide a nice balance of sweetness and bitterness. Feel free to use your favorite type of chocolate chips or chunks.
- Sea Salt: A sprinkling of sea salt over freshly baked cookies is simply delicious! It adds a salty-sweet element and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. Use as much or as little salt as you’d like, or omit it altogether.
Tips and Suggestions
- The peanut butter makes this cookie dough quite thick, so I recommend adding the ingredients gradually and mixing well after each addition.
- I like using a greased cookie scoop to get evenly sized cookies.
- There’s no need to chill the dough!
- Your oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip cookies will be soft when you remove them from the oven. Always let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Natural peanut butter can sometimes separate in the jar. If that happens to your peanut butter, just give it a good mix to reincorporate the oil back into the peanut butter before using.
Can I Make These Cookies Refined Sugar-Free?
Yes, you can use coconut sugar and unsweetened dark chocolate chips to make these peanut butter oatmeal cookies refined sugar-free. You should also use natural peanut butter with no added sugars. These changes may slightly alter the texture and taste, but they’ll still be delicious!
What Else Can I Add?
You can easily customize these peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies by adding different mix-ins! Here are some of my favorite ideas to get you started:
- Chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)
- Dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, cherries)
- Shredded coconut
- Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
- Cinnamon or other spices (nutmeg, ginger, cardamom)
Can I Make the Dough Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can prepare the cookie dough ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let the dough come to room temperature to make it easier to shape the cookies before baking.
Storage Instructions
Leftover gluten-free peanut butter oatmeal cookies keep well in an airtight container for up to 4 days. There’s no need to refrigerate them. You can also freeze the cookies (for whenever a cookie craving strikes!) by placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container and storing them for up to 2 months.
More Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookie Recipes to Try!
- Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies
- Gluten-Free Monster Cookies
- Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Gluten-Free Breakfast Cookies
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
- ⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Add the eggs to the peanut butter mixture, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the gluten-free rolled oats, baking soda, and baking powder to the wet ingredients, mixing until a thick cookie dough forms.
- Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Use a spoon or cookie scoop to portion out the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each cookie for spreading.
- Gently flatten each cookie with the back of a spoon or your fingertips. Bake in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle a small amount of sea salt on top of each cookie.
- Let your gluten-free peanut butter oatmeal cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Make the cookie dough ahead of time by storing it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cover it with plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container. Let the cookie dough come to room temperature before shaping and baking.
- To Store: Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Mama says, “Check all of your labels!”
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies Step-by-Step
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup peanut butter, ⅔ cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
Add 2 eggs to the peanut butter mixture, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon baking powder to the wet ingredients, mixing until a thick cookie dough forms.
Fold in ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Use a spoon or cookie scoop to portion out the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each cookie for spreading. Gently flatten each cookie with the back of a spoon or your fingertips. Bake in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle a small amount of sea salt on top of each cookie. Let your gluten-free peanut butter oatmeal cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy.
