Why make these vegan peanut butter cookies?

A good peanut butter cookie has a crackly crisscross top, a soft and chewy middle and enough salt to make the peanut flavor pop. These deliver all three without eggs or dairy. JOI Organic Peanut Base goes straight from the squeeze bottle into the mixing bowl, so measuring is quick and there is no peanut butter stuck in the cup. Because the base is just organic peanuts with no added salt or sugar, you set the sweetness, and a flax egg holds everything together. A short chill keeps the cookies thick instead of spreading. Expect classic fork-pressed cookies with deep roasted peanut flavor in about 30 minutes, plus chilling time.

Why this recipe is so easy

• One bowl, no mixer.

• Pantry ingredients and a flax egg.

• Dough freezes well for fresh cookies any time.

Recipe card

• Servings: about 18 cookies

• Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling

• Cook time: 10 to 12 minutes per batch

• Total time: about 1 hour

• Category: Baking, Dessert, Snack

• Dietary: vegan and dairy-free by ingredients

• Equipment: large bowl, whisk, spatula, 2 baking sheets, parchment, fork, cooling rack

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed plus 3 tbsp water (flax egg)

• 1/2 cup JOI Organic Peanut Base, used directly (shake well first)

• 1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled, or melted vegan butter

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tbsp for rolling

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Directions

1. Stir the ground flax and water together in a small cup. Let sit 5 minutes until gel-like.

2. In a large bowl, squeeze in 1/2 cup Organic Peanut Base. Add the melted coconut oil, brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, vanilla and the flax egg. Whisk 1 minute until glossy and smooth.

3. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. The dough should be soft but scoopable; if it feels greasy, chill it now.

4. Cover and chill 30 minutes. This keeps the cookies from spreading.

5. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.

6. Scoop 1 1/2 tbsp portions, roll into balls and roll in the remaining 2 tbsp sugar. Place 2 inches apart. Press each twice with a fork to make a crisscross, flattening to about 1/2 inch thick.

7. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look soft.

8. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then move to a rack. They firm up as they cool.

Why the JOI squeeze bottle works here

Peanut butter is the stickiest ingredient in baking. Squeezing it straight into the bowl means an accurate 1/2 cup with no scraping, and natural separation is fixed with a quick shake rather than stirring a jar.

Customizations and substitutions

• Chocolate chip: fold in 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips.

• Sandwich cookies: fill two cookies with a squeeze of peanut base and jam.

• Gluten-free: use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend (kitchen-test; texture may change).

• Almond version: use JOI Almond Base for a milder cookie, similar to our almond molasses crinkle cookies.

• More cookies: raspberry and apricot jam almond thumbprint cookies and healthy pumpkin cookies.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the chill: peanut bases are softer than commercial peanut butter, so warm dough spreads thin.

• Overbaking: pull them while the centers still look soft.

• Tasting raw dough: raw flour is not ready to eat (FDA flour safety). For a safe dough snack, make our vegan edible cookie dough.

Storage

• JOI base: pantry, cool and dark.

• Cookies: store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months (quality guideline; verify in testing).

• Dough: freeze scooped, sugar-rolled balls. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

1. What can I use instead of eggs in peanut butter cookies? A flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax plus 3 tbsp water) binds the dough well.

2. Why did my vegan peanut butter cookies spread? The dough was too warm or the base was not shaken. Chill 30 minutes before baking.

3. Can I use natural peanut butter? Yes. Runny natural peanut butters behave like the base; chill the dough.

4. Can I make them without coconut oil? Use melted vegan butter. Add a pinch less salt if it is salted.

Make JOI part of your kitchen

A bottle of JOI Organic Peanut Base covers baking, sauces and peanut milk. Browse all four bases on the squeeze bottle page.