Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies [With Filling| Sandwich Cookies]

These homemade vegan peanut butter sandwich cookies (aka healthier vegan nutter butters!) combine soft and chewy oatmeal peanut butter vegan cookies with a creamy peanut butter filling for the ultimate peanut lover’s dream! Also – they’re ready in under 30 minutes!

Soft Chewy Vegan Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Calling all vegan peanut butter fans, we think we’ve discovered your new favorite treat! With chewy soft peanut butter cookies that are crisp on the edges and contain just a sprinkling of oats, sandwiching a creamy peanut butter filling, these peanut butter sandwich cookies are the answer to your nut butter-loving dreams. And, best of all, they’re really easy to make!

In fact, these dairy-free peanut butter cookies require less than 10 simple, inexpensive pantry-friendly ingredients, one bowl, no chilling, just a few simple steps, and they bake in under 15 minutes. The resulting vegan PB cookies are super ‘buttery’ and rich, just sweet enough without being overly so, and have a delicious sweet and salty flavor.

They’re also loaded with heart-healthy fats, protein, and omega-3s, with less sugar than most recipes (and no added sugar to the filling!) – like delicious, softer, healthier nutter butters. Plus, they’re egg-free, dairy-free, optionally gluten-free, and super adaptable (use almond butter, add vegan chocolate chips, change the filling, etc.)! We may or may not sometimes even enjoy them for breakfast.

Love peanut butter as much as us? Check out our recipes for peanut butter pretzel bars, peanut butter stuffed dates, and vegan peanut butter cups!

The Ingredients

Make these easy oatmeal peanut butter vegan cookies with simple, inexpensive, pantry-friendly ingredients, including:

• Peanut butter: Use creamy peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy, rather than natural, drippy peanut butter (basically, avoid peanut butter that separates). Check FAQs for substitutes.
• Flour: Use regular all-purpose flour or a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (like King Arthur’s/Bob’s Red Mill) for vegan, gluten-free peanut butter cookies.
• Brown Sugar: This adds moisture and molasses flavor to the chewy peanut butter cookies recipe. The texture (and flavor) differ if using regular sugar.
• Vanilla extract: Use a natural vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Flax eggs: This vegan peanut butter cookie recipe uses a combination of ground flaxseeds and water to create flax ‘eggs’ to help bind the cookies.
• Baking soda: To provide lift and texture to the egg-free peanut butter cookies.  
• Cinnamon: Just a small amount tastes delicious with peanut butter.
• Salt: Just a pinch enhances the flavors within these vegan nutter butters.
• Rolled oats: For extra chew. Use regular or certified gluten-free oats.

Optional Add-ins & Recipe Variations

• Nuts/seeds: Add a handful of chopped nuts or seeds to the cookie dough for added crunch. I.e., walnuts, pecans, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
• Vegan chocolate: There are several ways you can add vegan chocolate to this recipe
  • Use dairy-free chocolate chips to make vegan peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
  • Vegan chocolate ganache filling (1:1 ratio dairy-free chocolate to coconut cream) to replace the peanut butter
  • Melted vegan chocolate topping, drizzled or ½ dipped
• PB&J Sandwich cookies: Spread the nut butter on one cookie and fruit jelly on another, then press them together. Voila—delicious vegan peanut butter and jelly sandwich cookies.
• Sugar topping: Roll the cookie dough in coarse granulated sugar before baking for added sweetness.
• Flaky salt: To sprinkle over the top if you love sweet and savory flavor combinations.

For alternative filling options, check out the FAQs section below.

How to Make Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies?

With no chilling and straightforward steps, this quick vegan peanut butter sandwich cookies recipe is easy to prepare and will make your kitchen smell amazing as the cookies bake.

• 1) First, preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
• 2) Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ½ cup of peanut butter, and brown sugar and cream it until fluffy using a fork or handheld mixer.

• 3) Then, add vanilla extract, flax meal, and water and mix well to combine.

• 4) Next, add the plant-based milk slowly while mixing the batter. Then, add the salt, baking soda, cinnamon, oats, and flour (sift in to avoid lumps), and mix until well combined.

Be careful not to overwork the gluten in the flour too much, or it can affect the texture and rise of the vegan peanut butter cookies.

• 5) Next, divide the cookie dough into golf ball-sized pieces and spread them evenly on the baking tray with a few inches between each one. Then use the palm of your hand to gently flatten them.

• 6) Bake the vegan peanut butter cookies for 12-15 minutes, until they’re golden on top with lightly crisp edges/bottom.
• 7) Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

At this point, you can enjoy them as is or go on to make delicious vegan peanut butter sandwich cookies.

• 8) Once cool, add about a tablespoon of peanut butter to the bottom of one cookie and spread it with the back of the spoon (or a knife). Then gently attach the second cookie and press gently to adhere. Repeat with the remaining cookies, and enjoy!

Enjoy these vegan peanut butter cookies with filling alone as a snack, or pair them up with a delicious mug of hot chocolate, vegan eggnog, or even a tall glass of your favorite plant-based milk!

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Use creamy peanut butter: Natural peanut butter separates and has a different consistency which can cause problems with the cookie dough and is too soft for the filling.
• For even-sized cookies: Use a cookie scoop rather than eyeballing them.
• Adjust the size: For flatter cookies, press down on them more before baking. For smaller cookies entirely, use less dough per cookie.
• Soft and chewy vs. crisper: Note that the more you flatten them, the longer they bake, the crispier the cookies will be vs. softer and chewier. We prefer to slightly underbake them, so they’re softer.
• For cookies that spread more: Use 50/50 brown and white sugar.
• Measure the flour correctly: Fluff it up in the flour bag, then spoon it into the measuring cup, using the back of a knife to level it.
• Enjoy with or without a filling: These vegan peanut butter cookies don’t need the filling to be absolutely delicious.
• For a firmer filling: Transfer the vegan peanut butter sandwich cookies to the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes after assembling them.

Storage Instructions

If you live in a warm climate, it’s best to store these vegan peanut butter cookies in the refrigerator (for 5-7 days). Otherwise, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

You can also flash-freeze the cookies and store them in a Ziplock/Stasher bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Pop one out at room temperature to thaw (20-30 minutes) as needed.

More Vegan Cookie Recipe

• Skillet chocolate chip cookie
• Triple ginger vegan cookies (gingersnaps)
• Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies
• Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
• Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Raspberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies
• California Cookies

Photos by Alfonso Revilla