Each of these cookies has a chewy consistency and is packed with peanut butter flavors.
Peanut butter (see also: Best Ever, Quick And Easy, High-Protein Peanut Butter Spread)is such a versatile ingredient, as you can use it in so many recipes! Whether you put some in your smoothie, layer it on top of cereal, or even make noodles out of it, the taste of peanut butter is always delicious!
This cookie recipe(see also: 12 Best Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes To Try Today) is so simple to put together, even kitchen novices will find it easy. You won’t need any special ingredients or equipment, just a spoon and a mixing bowl!
You’ll find out how to make scrumptious peanut butter cookies from this post, including more about peanut butter and whether it is vegan or not.
Is Peanut Butter Vegan?
Many people think that peanut butter isn’t plant-based, due to the word ‘butter’ in the name. Regular butter made from milk is, naturally, not vegan.
However, peanut butter isn’t actually butter mixed with peanuts. It, along with other nut butters, like cashew and almond, are solely made from nuts.
Typical peanut butter jars can differ among manufacturers. Higher quality jars tend to be produced with 100% peanuts.
The process involves grinding nuts into a paste, either smooth or chunky depending on the label. Nut butter jars made in this way will be vegan and healthy, like the nuts used to make the product.
Despite this, as is the case with lots of modern food products, peanut butter jars can contain a lot of other ingredients.
These are added for multiple reasons, like increasing the shelf life, making the product cheaper, or making it taste better. Manufacturers often add fat, salt, and sugar to their products to improve their taste.
So, are there any non-vegan ingredients that may make their way into your peanut butter jar?
Additional peanut butter ingredients may include salt, sugar, and oil, though some producers may use E numbers to stabilize the product.
These four are the most common additions you may find in peanut butter, but this isn’t an exhaustive list.
There are lots of peanut butter options available to purchase, so you may find other ingredients listed on the label.
For instance, some peanut butter producers add honey to replace sugar in their recipes. Honey isn’t vegan, so any peanut butter made with this ingredient would be unsuitable for a plant-based diet.
We’ll concentrate on the ingredients that are seen more often in peanut butter jars. Fortunately, salt is vegan. It might not be the best ingredient, health-wise, but it is completely suitable for a vegan diet plan.
Sugar
Sugar is often debated in the vegan community, as some sugars may contain bone char. While this may sound strange, some sugar manufacturers use ground animal bones to whiten and ‘purify’ their sugar.
It’s quite difficult to find out whether the sugar used in a product is vegan or not. If your food is certified or labeled as vegan, it’s safe to assume it’s fine.
If it’s not, you can try contacting the manufacturer and asking whether this true or not.
You can also switch to a different sugar brand that creates organic cane sugar (see also “Is Cane Sugar Paleo?“).
Oil
Different types of oils are used in various peanut butters. Oil is typically used to add bulk to the item, reducing the production cost as a result.
However, manufacturers often claim that they add oil to improve the shelf life or texture of their products.
Rapeseed oil and sunflower oil are common additions to peanut butter, though other brands may use peanut oil to add more peanut flavor to the item.
All three of these oils are suitable for vegans, though those following the diet for health purposes may have an issue with the extra fat in their jar.
A lot of peanut butter producers use the cheapest, readily available oil in their products, which is usually palm oil.
Vegans differ on whether palm oil is plant-based friendly, but we do know that it isn’t ethical or healthy.
It’s best to avoid peanut butter made with palm oil, even when the manufacturer claims it’s sustainably sourced.
E Numbers
A common additive that’s added to peanut butter, as well as other types of nut butter, is E471. This stabilizer is a fatty acid that helps the product cream together.
E471 can be sourced from plant matter, like vegetable oil, but it can also be taken from animal fat.
Food items don’t usually state whether the E471 in a product is suitable for vegans, which makes it hard to tell if the item is plant-based friendly.
Vegans should view this E-number with suspicion and avoid products that are made with it, unless they have the vegan label.
It’s best to treat all E numbers in this manner. A lot of these additives are vegan, but many aren’t, so it’s best to be safe than sorry.
How Do I Know If My Peanut Butter Is Vegan?
The best way to ensure your peanut butter jar is completely vegan is to purchase jars made with 100% peanuts.
You can buy lots of vegan peanut butter options, several of which are organic. You can find these in vegan specialty stores and online.
If you can’t get to a specialty store, grocery stores often stock the brand’s Whole Earth and Meridian. These brands create high-quality, vegan-friendly peanut butter.
The popular brand Sun-Pat also makes peanut butter that contains 94% peanuts. It does contain E471, but it does have the vegan label on it.
Here are some tips that can help you find vegan peanut butter, as well as other nut/seed butter.
Look for 100% nut butter, as this satisfies concerns about ingredients and ensures the product is healthier for you.
Purchase vegan products from specialty stores.
Watch out for additives like E numbers.
Check the label for clear non-vegan ingredients, like honey.
Be wary of certain substances, like sugar and palm oil.
Contact the manufacturer if you aren’t certain.
Why You Should Try These Peanut Butter Cookies?
Now that you know how to find vegan peanut butter, here are some reasons why you should give this cookie recipe a go.
Takes 20 minutes to make. All you need is ten minutes to prepare the cookies, then ten minutes to bake them. These are great to whip up when you need to satisfy a sweet craving, fast!
Vegan, grain-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free. This recipe is suitable for a range of dietary needs, so you can share it with your friends without worrying.
Easy to clean up. Nobody likes cleaning up after baking, but this recipe is made in one bowl, so you won’t have lots of utensils to clean up later.
Ingredients For Peanut Butter Cookies
Here are the ingredients you will need to make these tasty vegan cookies.
Peanut butter: This will give your cookies that classic peanut flavor. Use our tips above to make sure your jar is vegan-friendly. It’s best to use creamy nut butter for this recipe.
Almond flour: This gives the cookies some texture. You can substitute this for oat flour, while those who aren’t gluten-free can use regular all-purpose flour.
Maple syrup: This sweetens the cookies instead of sugar. Agave nectar also works well as a substitute.
Salt: You’ll only need a pinch for this. Peanut butter often contains added salt, so the cookies may turn out a bit salty if you use more than this.
Making Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Here’s what you’ll need to do to make these peanut butter treats.
Step 1: Mixing The Ingredients
Add the almond flour, peanut butter, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl, then beat together until fully combined.
Next, place the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so the mixture becomes firm. This will make it easier to form the cookies.
Step 2: Separating The Cookies
Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to take out even amounts of cookie dough, then roll them into balls using your hands.
Position all of the balls onto a lined baking sheet. Press down on the cookie with a fork, then repeat in the other way. This will form cross lines on each biscuit.
Step 3: Baking
Put the pan in the oven and bake at 350°F for ten minutes. Take the pan out and leave the cookies to cool before serving.
Do You Have To Chill The Cookie Dough?
The chilling step makes it easier to make balls out of the dough. This step will be more difficult if the dough is too soft.
However, if you think the dough is easy to roll without chilling, you don’t need to put it in the fridge! A tip here is to use cooking spray to coat your hands, as this will stop the dough from clinging to your skin as you make the balls.
Storing Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
These treats will keep in an airtight container for a maximum of seven days.
The cookies, along with the cookie dough, can also be frozen to enjoy later.
Simply put the tray lined with uncooked cookies in your freezer. Once they are frozen, transfer all of them into a separate freezer bag. You’ll bake them by letting the frozen, unbaked cookies thaw out on a baking sheet, then bake as usual.
You can also freeze the baked cookies by transferring them to an airtight container, then placing them in the freezer. Let them thaw on your counter before eating.
Preheat your oven at 350°F, then use parchment paper to line your baking sheet.
Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and combine. Place the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so the dough firms up.
Measure out each cookie with a tablespoon, then roll each piece into balls. Position these apart on the lined baking sheet.
Use a fork to press down on each cookie, then repeat in the other direction. This will make a cross shape in each biscuit.
Put the pan in the oven and bake for ten minutes. Remove and leave to cool before serving.
Final Thoughts
Now you know how to make tasty peanut butter cookies!
These aren’t just vegan, they are gluten-free, dairy-free, and grain-free too. This makes them great to whip up when serving others, as they suit a range of different dietary needs.
Just make sure that your peanut butter choice is vegan, as the sugar, oil, and E-numbers might not be plant-based friendly.
Hi, my name is Justin Roberts and I like to live by one major rule in life – health is wealth. And where does all health stem from? The food choices we make.
I grew up in a not-so-wealthy household that often struggled to get food on the table.
The food we did eat was cheap, holding no nutritional value at all. I’m talking frozen foods, carbs, fats, and very little fresh produce.
I am fortunate enough to have made a life for myself where the money for food is no longer an issue, and I have spent the majority of it looking into healthy foods and different diets to try.
The most notable is keto and paleo. I am also interested in only using whole foods wherever possible – call it trauma!
As a professional chef, I now create recipes surrounding these diets every day. My family are my tasters, and I strive to make my recipes as budget-friendly as possible.
I hope that you’ll find some inspiration for healthier meals from my website. I want to create a catalog of recipes that you can come back to time and time again. Enjoy!
