These sugar free peanut butter cookies are one of my favorite easy low carb treats when I want something sweet without making a full dessert. They're made with just 3 ingredients ~ peanut butter, egg, and a granulated monk fruit sweetener, with no flour needed.
I've been making this style of low carb peanut butter cookie for years, and the simple 3-ingredient dough gives you soft, chewy centers with those classic criss-cross edges. They're naturally gluten-free, low carb, and keto-friendly too.
We've been creating low carb treats since 2018. Some of our favorite low carb cookies and candy include sugar free blondies, peanut butter fudge, and chocolate covered almonds (sugar free).
Things to Know About Our Easy Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cookies
- These won't taste exactly like a traditional peanut butter cookie since they're made with just three ingredients. Think of them as a quick, easy, lighter alternative when you want something sweet without making a full batch of classic cookies.
- There's no flour in the recipe, including almond flour or coconut flour.
- You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter depending on the texture you prefer. This is our favorite sugar free peanut butter, it's a game changer!
- They freeze well, which makes them an easy low carb sweet treat to keep on hand.
Ingredients You'll Need
You only need a few simple ingredients. See the recipe card for exact quantities.
- Natural peanut butter - Creamy or crunchy sugar free peanut butter both work. We've made these with both, so use whichever texture you prefer.
- Granulated sugar free sweetener - Use a granulated monk fruit sweetener designed to replace sugar 1:1. Allulose or a 1:1 stevia blend are also good options.
- Egg - One large egg is all you need to help hold the flourless cookie dough together.
- Vanilla extract - Optional, but ½ to 1 teaspoon adds a little extra flavor.
How to Make 3 Ingredient Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Step 1: Make the dough
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the peanut butter, monk fruit sweetener, egg, and optional vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir just until the dough is evenly mixed.
Step 2: Shape the cookies
Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch wide and place them on the prepared baking sheet. You should get about 16 cookies.
Use a fork to gently flatten each cookie, pressing in one direction and then the other to make the traditional criss-cross pattern.
Step 3: Bake
Bake the cookies for about 8-9 minutes.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before moving them. Flourless peanut butter cookies are quite soft while warm and firm up as they cool.
Recipe Tips
- Let them cool before moving - This is probably the most important tip. The cookies are delicate straight from the oven but firm up as they cool.
- Don't overbake them - Pull them from the oven once they look set. Overbaking can make flourless peanut butter cookies dry.
- Keep the cookies similar in size - About 1-inch dough balls will bake evenly in the short 8-9 minute bake time.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use another nut butter - Almond butter or sunflower seed butter can be substituted for the peanut butter. The texture may vary slightly depending on how runny the nut butter is.
- Add sugar-free chocolate chips - Stir a small handful into the dough for chocolate peanut butter cookies.
- Dip them in chocolate - Once cooled, dip half of each cookie in melted sugar-free chocolate for an easy candy-style variation.
- Add a chocolate center - Instead of making the criss-cross pattern, leave the dough in balls and press a sugar-free chocolate candy into the center after baking for a peanut butter blossom-style cookie.
Meal Prep and Storage
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
For longer storage, refrigerate them or freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment between the layers. Let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature before serving.
You can also make the cookies ahead since the texture holds up well after storing.
Nutrition & Macros
Per cookie:
- Calories: 100
- Protein: 4g
- Total carbs: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar alcohols: about 6-7g
- Net carbs: about 2-3g
- Fat: 9g
The total carb count includes sugar alcohols from the monk fruit sweetener. To estimate net carbs, subtract the fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbs.
FAQs for Peanut Butter Cookies (Sugar Free)
Can you make peanut butter cookies without sugar?
Yes. Peanut butter cookies can be made with a granulated sugar substitute such as monk fruit instead of regular sugar. For this recipe, use a sweetener designed to replace granulated sugar 1:1 like monkfruit, allulose, or a 1:1 stevia blend.
Are these peanut butter cookies really flourless?
Yes. These sugar free peanut butter cookies are made without regular flour, almond flour, or coconut flour. Peanut butter and egg give the cookies enough structure to hold together once baked and cooled.
Are sugar free peanut butter cookies low carb?
They can be. Using unsweetened peanut butter and a low carb sugar substitute instead of regular sugar keeps the carbohydrate count much lower than traditional peanut butter cookies.
Why are my flourless peanut butter cookies falling apart?
They may simply need more cooling time. These cookies are very soft when they first come out of the oven, so leave them on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring them.
Low Carb Cookies & Candy
Looking for more low carb sugar free cookies or candy recipes? We have many recipes for everyday treats or for Christmas.
- Chocolate covered strawberries (no sugar)
- Keto rum balls
- Sugar free chocolate mint buttons
- Low carb sugar free candy to buy
If you loved our recipe, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and leave us a comment too! Connect with us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube!
Recipe
Easy Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cookies (3 Ingredient | Low Carb)
Equipment
- 1 cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- ½ cup powdered monk fruit
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and make sure the oven rack is in the center position.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the peanut butter, egg, and powdered monk fruit. If you have vanilla, adding ½-1 teaspoon is a nice addition, but it's totally optional.
- Mix the ingredients together until just blended.
- Form the peanut butter cookie dough into small balls and put them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Gently flatten the cookie dough balls with a fork to make criss-cross lines.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes until the cookies are baked through.
- Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet. Enjoy!
Notes
- Per cookie: about 100 calories, 4g protein, 9g fat, 10g total carbs, 1g fiber, and about 2-3g net carbs after subtracting the fiber and sugar alcohols from the monk fruit sweetener. Sugar alcohols are typically subtracted when calculating net carbs because they have little to no impact on blood sugar compared with regular sugar.
- Try different nut butters - Use chunky peanut butter for more texture, or swap in almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or a mixed nut butter. The texture can vary slightly depending on the brand.
- Use powdered monk fruit or allulose for the best texture - Powdered sweetener blends into the dough more smoothly. If you only have granulated monk fruit or allulose, pulse it in a high-powered blender until finely powdered before using.
Nutrition
Bruce kerr says
I used organic peanut butter and with the egg, it was so sloppy that it could not be formed into balls. I also added about 2 tbsp of vanilla (love that stuff) which did not help. So I added some almond flour to make the dough more manageable. I added 2 tbsp of almond flour and that small amount sure did the trick. It was actually a little too much, so while that is a possible solution if you have the same issue, be careful and add a little at a time. It does not take much. I also left out the erythritol, as I no longer trust these artificial sugars. The result was a cookie that was a little on the dry side, but I suspect that was due to using too much almond flour. I got 14 cookies and according to Chronometer for each cookie it was 2.7 net carbs, 10.4 grams of fat, 5.7 grams of protein and 136.5 kcal.
Kitty says
Absolutely the easiest and best keto peanut butter cookies. I have a small electric grinder that I use to make my powdered sweetener in. I can't say enough good things about this recipe. Thank you.
WholeLottaYum says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the cookies!
Cathy says
The dough tasted really good so I was excited to bake them. Sorry, but the end result was inedible and I tossed them. I used powdered Swerve. Is there a better sweetener to use? I was so disappointed!
Deanne Wenger says
Thank you for the great recipes.
On this p.b. cookie recipe - is there an exact carb count?
I need to know for my Son's low carb diet for health reasons.
Thank you, Deanne Wenger
Greg says
Was wondering as many others may be also, where is the nutritional information. I just feel that if anyone is posting recipes that they should provide the information.
Thanks,
Greg
Alisha says
How many carbs per cookie? Thank you!!! & I have low carb almond butter, would that work?
Julie Anne Villanueva says
What is the carb count for these delicious looking cookies? I don't think it is listed, unless I am missing it. Thanks!!!
Jane says
How many carbs per cookie? I have been up and down this entire post and do not see the carb count or nutrition info. That would be extremely helpful. Sorry if I missed this info. Thanks. They are super delicious!
Traci says
Can I use Monk Fruit with erythritol that is not powdered?
WholeLottaYum says
Yes, it can! The only difference is that when you use the sweetener that isn't powdered, it tastes sweeter. I'd recommend cutting the sweetener back a little if you aren't using powdered, OR you can try to powder the sugar yourself in a blender ( I have NOT personally tried to do that but have read of others making their own keto powdered sweetener in that way 🙂
Linda Hix says
Tried these today they are so easy to make, they are delicious a little sweeter then non keto but definitely worth making. I made with crunchy peanut butter.
WholeLottaYum says
Yes, they are a little sweeter than non keto peanut butter cookies, crunchy is my favorite version too!
Veronica says
Did not come out crunchy like a cookie. I used stevia sweetener for baking. Could that have been it? Good flavor but more like a Reese cup. I tried baking a bit longer, 12 min. Didn’t help.
WholeLottaYum says
Stevia is not a 1:1 substitute for monk fruit or erythritol, it's MUCH stronger and more potent.I'm glad it still had great flavor!