These simple and easy Spicy 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are soft and chewy like the classic but with an updated twist. They're perfect for the holidays!
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These Spicy 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are melt-in-your-mouth good.
They are a sweet treat with a soft texture and strong peanut butter flavor, making them perfect for peanut butter lovers like me.
Made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand, these flourless cookies are an easy simple recipe.
You don't need a stand mixer or hand mixer, and they are made in one bowl. Make a second batch to freeze. You can freeze the baked cookies or the dough.
Other simple cookies to try are my Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vegan Gingersnap Cookies, and Trail Mix Cookies recipe.
Serve them with some Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate, Vegan Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate, or Vegan Nog.
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❤️ Why You'll Love Them
- They have the perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors.
- They're made with only 4 ingredients you probably already have on hand, and they are made in one bowl.
- They are a fun twist on a classic cookie, and probably the easiest peanut butter cookies you could make.
🧾 Ingredients
- Creamy peanut butter: You're going to want all-natural peanut butter for this recipe. Another spicy peanut butter recipe is my Tofu Peanut Noodles recipe.
- Maple syrup: Adds sweetness. You could also use agave syrup, but I like the deep rich flavor that maple syrup adds.
- Cayenne pepper: Adds spicy flavor. Adjust it to your liking. You could leave it out altogether if you want.
- Salt: Enhances sweetness. I like to use sea salt. Even if you use peanut butter with salt, you'll need a pinch of salt.
To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
📖 Variations / Additions
- Chocolate chips
- Vanilla extract
- Roasted and salted peanuts
- Turbinado sugar or coconut sugar to sprinkle on top of the cookie
- Other nut butters: almond butter, which I used in my Vegan Almond Cookies or cashew butter
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🔪 Instructions
Step 1: In a large bowl add peanut butter, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and salt.
Step 2: Mix well. Chill mixture in the freezer for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 1-2 hours so the dough is easier to work with.
Step 3: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop out the cookie dough and roll it into 1 ½-inch balls. Place them on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet.
Step 4: Dip a fork in water and press down into each cookie, then in the opposite direction to make a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top if desired.
Step 5: Bake for 10-14 minutes. Let cool for a couple of minutes on the sheet pan, then let completely cool on a wire rack before transferring them to an airtight container.
💭 Tips
- Taste the dough before baking the cookies. You may want more spice. If you can't handle the heat, start with less cayenne pepper, or leave it out altogether.
- To make the dough easier to form into balls, freeze it for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour.
- To make the criss-cross marks, wet a fork in water after each cookie.
- Let cool completely on a cookie rack before transferring to an airtight container.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Dip a fork in water and press the fork onto each cookie, then press in the other direction to make the criss-cross marks. A large fork with long tines works best.
These flourless peanut butter cookies will last 4-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature in the pantry and up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Other Vegan Desserts
These easy soft and chewy peanut butter cookies are the cookies you are going to want for the holidays every year!
If you tried this Spicy 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and let me know how you like it in the 💬 comments below. I love hearing from you!
I originally posted this recipe on Nov. 17, 2018. I added new photos and text when I republished it.
📋 Recipe
Spicy 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper + more for sprinkling on top
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Freeze for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour for easier scooping.
- Scoop onto a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Dip a fork in water and make criss-cross marks on each cookie, rewetting fork as necessary. Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top.
- Bake at 350°F for 10-14 minutes. Let cool for a couple of minutes on the sheet pan, then let completely cool on a wire rack before transferring them to an airtight container.
Notes
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Nutrition
*Note: Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only. Different nutrition calculators give you different results.
Cindy says
Is one cookie considered a serving?
Willow Moon says
Yes, one cookie is a serving.