Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

Get ready to bake up some happiness with these nostalgic Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies! These classic cookies satisfy every craving, with their rustic peanut butter flavor and buttery soft crumb that melts in your mouth.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Second Batch 12

Total Time 34

Servings cookies

Calories 171kcal

Author Melissa Huggins

Equipment

2 Cookie Sheets
Stand or Hand Mixer
Parchment Paper or a silicone baking mat

Ingredients

¾ cup (192g) creamy peanut butter (see note)
½ cup (113g) vegan stick butter , softened at room temperature (about 30 minutes)
½ cup (107g) light brown sugar
¼ cup (50g) sugar
3 tablespoons (45ml) non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups (188g) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177 °C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Combine peanut butter and vegan butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium for 1-2 minutes until fluffy and lighter in color.
Add the milk and vanilla and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Now add to the wet ingredients and mix on the lowest speed until the flour is just incorporated, scraping down sides as needed (if using a hand mixer, you may need to finish this part by hand with a sturdy spatula). Don't overmix. The dough should be stiff and slightly sticky and easily stick together when rolling. If it seems crumbly when forming the ball, add a splash or two of milk and combine. If the dough seems overly soft when forming, place it in the fridge for 1 hour (*see note).
Scoop out 1.5 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll into a smooth ball (A medium-sized cookie scoop works well for this). Place the dough balls on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
Use a fork to gently press down the cookies, about ½ inch in thickness, making a criss-cross pattern. Place one baking sheet in the oven and set the other aside.
Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are lightly golden (they will look very soft and undercooked in the middle). For soft cookies bake them for 12 minutes, for a crispier cookie surface, let them bake for the full 14 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to completely cool. Place the second batch in the oven and repeat.

Notes

Peanut Butter: I prefer a creamy no-stir variety for this but you can use a natural one that you have to stir. Just add one additional tablespoon of milk to the recipe and note that the cookies will be slightly crumblier but still delicious!
Cookie Sheet: If you only have one cookie sheet, wrap up half of the cookie dough in cling wrap and place it in the fridge. When the first batch is done, let the cookie sheet completely cool before baking the second batch.
Measuring Ingredients: It's best to use a scale to weigh your ingredients for successful results. If you don't have a scale, measure them as accurately as possible using measuring cups and spoons. To measure the flour, use the 'spoon and level method' - aerate the flour first by fluffing it up with a fork, then use a spoon to scoop the flour out of the container and into the measuring cup until it's a heaped amount. Do not pack or tap the cup. Once filled, use a butter knife to carefully level off the top and remove any excess flour.
Dough Consistency - Many things can affect the consistency of the dough such as the brand of peanut butter, vegan butter, or even the brown sugar and flour. It's ok if the dough is soft, the cookies will just spread a little more while baking. If you want to reduce that, place it in the fridge to chill for an hour.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze for 2-3 months.
See the post above for step-by-step photos, extra tips, and FAQs

Nutrition