Small Batch Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
Get ready to adore these small batch gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies!
- Prep
- 20 mins
- Cook
- 12 mins
- Chill Time
- 45 mins
- Total
- 1 hr 17 mins
- Makes
- 14 cookies
Get ready to adore these Small Batch Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies! They are wonderfully soft, with crisp edges and tender, chewy centers packed with peanut butter flavor and bits of dark chocolate. Add a sprinkle of sea salt flakes too, if you like! Enjoy them fresh, or freeze the dough for a chocolate-peanut butter treat whenever you want one.
Reasons to Love These Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- They have a very soft texture with slightly crisp edges and a tender, chewy middle, thanks to a bit of added cornstarch!
- An easy, straightforward cookie recipe.
- You only need to chill the dough for 45 minutes. It can also go in the freezer for those nights when a chocolate-peanut butter cookie craving hits!
- They are gluten-free! They can also be adapted to be dairy-free, or made as classic peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies.
- Ready in 15 minutes or less of prep time.
- Packed with dark chocolate chunks and rich peanut butter flavor!
- This small batch recipe yields either 14 little chocolate chunk cookies or 6 big ones.
- A great sweet treat for the chocolate and peanut butter fan in your life!
What You Will Need
To bake these wonderful small batch gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies, gather the following:
- Unsalted Butter. You need just 1/4 cup, softened to room temperature.
- Peanut Butter. Measure out 2 tablespoons. A creamy style that doesn't need stirring works best.
- Sugars. Use 1/4 cup light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar or pure cane sugar.
- An Egg. One is all this recipe calls for. Let it come to room temperature first.
- Vanilla Extract. For a deep, full flavor, we're adding 2 teaspoons!
- 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour. You'll need 1 cup plus 1 tbsp. I went with Krusteaz, though King Arthur Flour or Bob's Red Mill works well too.
- Cornstarch. This is what gives the cookies their soft, tender bite!
- Baking Soda. Add 1 teaspoon.
- Dark Chocolate. Measure out 1/3 cup. Pick a quality bar; my go-to is Lindt's 70% cocoa bar.
- Sea Salt Flakes. Entirely optional, but they really make these cookies pop!
Swaps and Variations
Plant-Based Butter and Dairy-Free Chocolate. To make these dairy-free, use a plant-based butter and dairy-free chocolate. My picks are Country Crock's plant-based butter and Taza Chocolate.
All-Purpose Flour. Want classic chocolate chunk cookies instead? Swap the gluten-free flour for regular all-purpose flour.
Chocolate Chips. You can use semi-sweet chocolate chips in place of the chunks, in the same amount (1/3 cup).
I did not use any egg replacer in this recipe.
Here's the Method!
- Whisk together the gluten-free all-purpose 1:1 flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Beat the unsalted butter, peanut butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy, using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Tip: for a batch this small, a hand mixer is much simpler!
- Stir in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Add the whisked dry ingredients. Begin on low speed so the flour doesn't go flying everywhere.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chunks. I used a spatula, and a sharp knife on a cutting board to chop my chocolate. Chocolate chips work in place of chunks.
- Refrigerate the dough for 45 minutes, then scoop it onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350ºF.
The dough also keeps well in the freezer. I suggest scooping it into balls on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper.
Freeze the dough balls until firm, then move them to a tightly sealed freezer bag or container. Vacuum-sealed containers are also excellent for this!
Must-Have Cookie Baking Tools
Small Batch Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies FAQs
What size cookie scoop do I use for these small batch gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies?For smaller cookies, scoop with a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop. For bigger ones, use a 3-tablespoon scoop. The larger cookies may need 1-2 extra minutes in the oven.
Do I need to chill my cookie dough?Yes. Chill for at least 45 minutes. Chilling longer or overnight is fine too.
Are my cookies supposed to spread?They will spread a little, which is fine. Chocolate chips tend to mean less spreading.
Can I freeze this cookie dough?Definitely! Scoop the dough onto a parchment or wax paper-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Move each dough ball into a tightly sealed freezer bag, vacuum-sealed bag, or container, and keep frozen until you're ready to bake. There's no need to thaw them. Just add 1-2 minutes to the bake time, and keep the oven temperature the same.
My cookies are not all the same size and are not round. How can I get them to be the same size?A cookie scoop helps, but a round cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass or coffee mug works too. Use it right after the cookies come out of the oven to round out each one. For details, check out my Salted Brownie Cookies recipe!
More Cookies You Are Going to Adore!
Small Batch Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
You are going to love these new small batch gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies! They are wonderfully soft, with slightly crisp edges and a tender, chewy center, full of peanut butter flavor and dark chocolate chunks. Add a little sea salt flakes too, if you like! Eat them right away or freeze the dough for a chocolate-peanut butter treat later. Makes 12-14 small cookies or 6 large.
- Prep
- 20 mins
- Cook
- 12 mins
- Chill Time
- 45 mins
- Total
- 1 hr 17 mins
- Makes
- 14 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp Gluten Free Flour
- 1 tsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 2 tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter
- 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 cup Dark Chocolate, chopped or Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips can be used, plus any extra for topping (if desired)
- Sea Salt Flakes, optional topping
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk together the gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter, peanut butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Drop the mixer to low speed, add the dry mixture, and mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks with a spatula. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, if using.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes.
- Place the oven rack on the 2nd level, just above center, and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Use a cookie scoop to place dough balls on the sheet, leaving 1 1/2 – 2 inches between them. Add a light sprinkle of sea salt flakes if you like.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350ºF. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool fully. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Baker’s notes
- Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop for smaller cookies. For large ones, use a 3 tablespoon scoop.
- For cookies that are uniform in size and round, press a round cookie cutter around them while they are still warm. See my Salted Brownie Cookies recipe for the method. It's simple, I promise!
- To freeze the dough, scoop it onto a sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and freeze until hard. Put each dough ball into a tightly sealed freezer bag, vacuum-sealed bag, or container, and keep it frozen until baking. No need to bring it to room temperature. Just add 1-2 minutes to the bake time, with the oven temperature unchanged.
