Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (2024)

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by Lindsay Cotter

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Amazingly soft and made with a dark chocolate center, this Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe is a gluten free take on a classic cookie recipe perfect for every occasion! Vegan Option and Nut Free Option.

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (2)

Why You’ll Love this Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe

Who doesn’t love a good peanut butter recipe? Whether it’s Peanut Butter Protein Buckeyes or Flourless Peanut Butter Waffles, they never disappoint. Heck, even the dogs love them with recipes like Easy Homemade Frozen Dog Treats! Of course, not everyone can consume peanut butter, so I always do my best to provide allergy-friendly alternatives. However, no matter what form it’s in, I can never say no to a recipe with any kind of nut or seed butter. So, with the holiday season in full effect, I knew I had to try my hand at classic peanut butter blossom cookies!

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However, in typical Cotter Crunch fashion, I made a few tweaks to the original recipe, making it not only gluten free but vegan-friendly, too! Don’t worry, though. These blossom cookies are bite-sized, super soft, and super kid-friendly just like you remember. Keep reading to find everything you need to know so you can get baking!

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (4)

Note: This recipe is actually an adaptation from my Sugar Cookie Mix recipe, using the same base with the addition of maple syrup and peanut butter!

Why Are They Called Peanut Butter Blossoms?

A hugely popular cookie, the creation of peanut butter blossoms was actually an accident! As the story goes, they were created by an Ohio resident, Freda Smith. As the story goes, Ms. Smith intended to create a batch of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies only to discover that she was out of chocolate chips. Instead of tossing out her cookie dough, she utilized a bag of Hershey’s kisses she found in her pantry by placing them on top of the cookies instead, and, as you know, the rest is history!

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (5)

Fun Fact: Ms. Smith’s cookies won 2nd place in the 1957 Pillsbury Bake-Off competition! (Source)

How to Make Blossom Cookies

The process to make this peanut butter blossom cookie recipe is super easy as long as you follow the directions!

  1. Make the Batter. Combine the ingredients (except the chocolate and sparkling cane sugar) to create the dough, and let it sit in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.
  2. Form the Blossoms. Once chilled, shape the cookies into 1-inch balls, and roll them in sparkling cane sugar until they are well-coated. Then, using your thumbs, press down the center of your cookies to form a space for the kisses to sit.
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Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (7)

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Baking Tip: To create evenly-sized cookies, use a cookie scoop to pull the dough, and create an indent with the backside of a teaspoon!

  1. Bake. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, and place a chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie immediately after removing them from the oven. Once all of the kisses have been added, place the cookies back in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the chocolate has set in the center.
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Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (10)

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Note: Don’t worry if your cookies crack while adding the chocolate kisses, they’re supposed to!

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Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (13)

Baking Tips

For this recipe, we kept things super simple. Yep, an easy gluten free and vegan cookie recipe for the holidays! Can you believe it? To help you out even more, I’m sharing a few of my favorite cookie-making tips to help you out!

  • Refrigerate the Chocolate. To prevent the kisses from melting when pressed into hot cookies, store them in the fridge while your blossom cookies bake!
  • Watch for Cracks. Unlike other cookie recipes, you want these peanut butter blossoms to crack. You’ll know they’re done baking when the edges turn golden brown and the tops begin to crack.

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Note: If you pull your cookies out of the oven before they crack, they will be undercooked in the center!

  • Chill the Dough. Chilling the dough before baking helps create thick cookies and prevents them from spreading out too far as they bake.

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Foodie Swap:

Looking for substitutes? We’ve got you covered with these allergy-friendly options:

  • Nuts: Swap out peanut butter for any nut or seed butter you prefer.
  • Dairy: Use dairy-free chocolate kisses or make your own using a candy mold.
  • Add More Wet Ingredients. If your blossom cookies are crumbly, it’s likely due to the presence of too much flour. Try adding another tablespoon or 2 of maple syrup or nut butter!

Storage Tips

If kept in an airtight container at room temperature, these peanut blossom cookies will stay fresh for 5-7 days. Or, store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Baking Tip: Store the uncooked dough from this peanut blossom recipe in the freezer, and pop the dough in the oven for warm cookies in minutes! Just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

Common Questions

Why are my cookies falling apart?

If your cookies are falling apart, it’s most likely due to the dough being too dry. Try adding more maple syrup or peanut butter!

Do I have to chill the dough?

Yes! Chilling the dough is crucial to prevent your peanut butter blossoms from spreading too far.

Can I make these blossom cookies without using peanut butter?

Sure! Any nut or seed butter such as cashew butter or sunflower seed butter can be used to replace peanut butter. Just keep in mind that the flavor of your cookies will change slightly.

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Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (18)

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Lindsay Cotter
  • Total Time: 33 minutes
  • Yield: 1216 cookies 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

These Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies are gluten-free and can be made vegan-friendly and nut-free for a holiday cookie everyone will love!

Ingredients

Units Scale

  • 150 grams (1 ½ – 1 ⅔ cups gluten free oat flour ) or gluten free quick oats (See notes for making oat flour)
  • 1 cup (112 grams) blanched fine almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup to ¾ cup maple syrup*
  • ½ cup creamy nut butter
  • Sparkling cane sugar
  • 15 dark chocolate kisses or dairy free dark chocolate gems

Instructions

  1. Place the oat flour, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ½ cup maple syrup, and nut butter into a mixing bowl. (See notes on how to make oat flour)
  2. Beat the ingredients with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer for 1 minute. *If the batter is too thick, add ¼ cup to ½ c more maple syrup or agave nectar. Mix again.
  3. Roll the batter into a ball, and cover it with plastic wrap before letting it sit in the fridge for 10-20 minutes.
  4. While the batter chills, line or grease a cookie sheet, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  5. Once the batter has chilled, spoon the dough with a cookie scoop (or spoon), and shape it into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls of cookie dough in sparkling cane sugar, and place them on a cookie sheet about 1-2 inches apart.
  6. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and press chocolate kisses into the center of each cookie ball.*
  7. Place the baking sheet back in the oven, and bake the cookies 2-3 more minutes or until the chocolate has set in the center.
  8. Remove the cookies, and let them cool completely.
  9. Store the cookies in an airtight container.

Notes

Prep Tip– To make your own oat flour, place 2- 2 ½ cups gluten free quick oats or rolled oats in a food processor, and pulse them until a fine flour is formed. See this blog post for more detail.

Substitutes – If you can’t find dairy free chocolate kiss candy, you canmake your own using a candy mold and melting dairy free chocolate morsels

Baking Tip– Don’t worry if the cookies don’t spread while baking! They should crack around the edges once the chocolate is pressed into the center.

  • Prep Time: 22 minutes
  • Cook Time: 11 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 175
  • Sugar: 10.1 g
  • Sodium: 3.3 mg
  • Fat: 6.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 20.8 g
  • Fiber: 2.2 g
  • Protein: 4.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

These cookies are a staple in my house during the holidays, and I hope they become one in your home as well! I love experimenting with different candy pieces and nut butters, too. Are you planning to use traditional chocolate kisses? Or, are you switching it up with something new? Let me know in the comments below!

Cheers,

LC

More recipes you’ll love!

About Lindsay

Hi, y’all, I’m Lindsay Cotter, a Nutrition Specialist with a focus onGluten-Freeeating. I love creating delicious nourishing food that anyone can enjoy.

Have a question? Use ctrl+f or ⌘+f on your computer or the “find on page” function on your phone browser to search existing comments!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Rate & Comment

  1. Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (24)Patricia

    I am so excited to try this recipe! Where do you find your gf df chocolate kisses? What brand do you use? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (25)Lindsay Cotter

      Hi Patricia! So sometimes dark chocolate kisses have a dairy free option. Depends on brand. But I have used hu gems before for vegan option or you can buy these molds https://amzn.to/3NEE7oO and pour dark chocolate inside to create your own DF kisses. They sell them at Micheal’s too! Hope that helps! I’ll email you to make sure you got this.

      Reply

  2. Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (26)wilhelmina

    Love these cookies! You just can’t have Christmas at my house without peanut butter blossoms. They bake up wonderfully and I just love having a delicious cookie recipe that everyone on my list can enjoy!

    Reply

    • Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (27)Lindsay Cotter

      Oh you and me both!

      Reply

  3. Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (28)Gina smith

    We love these cookies so much! J need to make them again soon.

    Reply

    • Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (29)Lindsay Cotter

      I think that’s a great plan. 🙂

      Reply

Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free) (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep gluten-free cookies from falling apart? ›

Use a Binder

Binders like xanthan gum and guar gum provide structure in gluten-free baking to make up for the missing gluten. This prevents cookies from being too crumbly plus it also helps with freshness.

Why are my peanut butter blossoms falling apart? ›

Why Are My Peanut Butter Blossoms Dry and Crumbly? If your cookies turn out too dry and fall apart, you either baked them too long, or added too much flour.

How does gluten free flour affect cookies? ›

—is the result of gluten-free flours that are often high in starches and rice flour, which take longer to absorb moisture than regular “gluten” flour. Letting your cookie dough sit for 60 minutes can make the difference between a cookie with a gritty mouthfeel and one that you would never guess is gluten-free.

Why did my gluten-free cookies not rise? ›

13- Make sure your baking soda and/or baking powder are fresh. These are the leavening agents in your cookie recipe and if they are no longer active, your cookies won't puff up and may spread more. Try a fresh container if they've been open longer than 3 months. 14- Use a tried and true gluten free cookie mix.

Should I add xanthan gum to gluten-free cookies? ›

Using xanthan gum helps provide some of the stickiness that gluten free goods lack, replacing some elasticity. Xanthan gum mimics some of gluten's most essential properties by sticking to flour and its moisture. This helps create moist goods that hold their shape after being baked.

Should you refrigerate gluten free cookie dough before baking? ›

5. And refrigerate the dough if it's too sticky. Gluten-free cookie dough is stickier than standard cookie dough, but chilling it can help. This is because cold dough is less sticky, and it doesn't spread as easily, too.

How to fix crumbly peanut butter cookies? ›

The most obvious and easiest fix is to add more liquid. Very slowly, teaspoon by teaspoon, add a liquid that you've already included to your dough.

What to do if cookies are falling apart? ›

There are a few things you can do to add liquid to your cookie dough if it is too dry and crumbly. One option is to add milk, water, or another liquid until the dough is the right consistency. You can also try adding melted butter or shortening. If your dough is still too dry, you may need to add more flour.

How do you fix peanut butter separation? ›

Turn the unopened jar of separated peanut butter upside down, the idea being that as the oil then flows upwards it will slowly mix itself into the thick peanut butter.

What is the trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

What is the best gluten-free flour for baking cookies? ›

What's the best gluten-free flour for baking? Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking mix is my favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for baking. It has a mild texture and plenty of "stick" thanks to a blend of sweet rice flour, brown rice flour, and sorghum flour, plus some starches and xanthan gum.

What happens when you add yeast to gluten-free flour? ›

In fact, baker's yeast reacts well with gluten-free all-purpose flour and other gluten-free flours like rice flour for baking gluten-free bread recipes and pastries. It's not so much the yeast you have to worry about when sticking to a gluten-free diet.

What holds gluten-free cookies together? ›

As with gluten, this could stop a cookie from spreading too much as it bakes. So I've decided to try adding a hydrocolloid to my gluten-free dough. Some grocery stores sell xanthan gum and guar gum, especially if the stores have a gluten-free aisle. Many gluten-free recipes call for xanthan gum.

Can you overmix gluten free cookie dough? ›

While conventional wisdom has taught us not to overmix our batters, we've found most gluten-free batters simply need to be stirred for longer. If you're worried this will turn your muffins and cakes rubbery, have no fear. Gluten-free recipes need to have more structure.

Why do gluten-free cookies taste weird? ›

Any taste differences also depend on which flour or flours are used and in what proportions. The variety of gluten-free flours is advantageous in that they can be blended to achieve the results that bakers want. Baking with gluten-free flour will produce some slight differences in taste or texture.

How do you make gluten-free baked goods less crumbly? ›

Add xanthan gum to gluten-free flour. It enhances elastic qualities that gluten-free flours lack, making it easier to work with and less likely to crumble. Add plenty of water to the gluten-free flour to prevent the pastry from becoming too dry when rolling out.

Why is gluten-free baking crumbly? ›

Gluten's elasticity allows batters and doughs to trap air released by leavening agents (yeast, baking powder, or baking soda), which is how they're able to rise. Without this protein, gluten-free baked goods have the potential to be grainy, dense, and crumbly, but they don't have to be!

What keeps cookies from crumbling? ›

If you overmix the dough, the cookies will be dry and crumbly. The best way to fix this is to add more liquid to the dough. This can be done by adding milk, water, or even melted butter. You may also need to add more flour to the dough if it is too wet.

How to bind gluten-free cookies? ›

If your blend doesn't have a binder a good rule of thumb is to add ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum for every 1 cup of gluten free flour. This changes depending on the type of recipe you're making so it's simply a guide.

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