These PB2 cookies are made with powdered peanut butter for a lighter alternative to classic peanut butter cookies. The recipe includes two variations: a chewy banana oatmeal PB2 cookie and a rich and nutty almond flour PB2 cookie! Both recipes are vegan, gluten-free, low in added sugars, and come together quickly in one bowl.
An embarrassingly long time ago 🤦🏻♀️ one of my readers requested a recipe for a low-fat peanut butter cookie using PB2 Pure. She was loving my vegan gluten free peanut butter cookies but also wanted to reduce her fat intake.
I'm not sure what took me so long (for fun, let's blame my husband for devouring the PB2 every time I bought some), but we're here now! And I actually have two PB2 cookie recipes to share with you today.
These easy cookies use powdered peanut butter for big peanut flavor without the heaviness of peanut butter.
- Version 1 is a low-fat, chewy oatmeal PB2 cookie made with banana and a touch of real peanut butter (pictured below).
- Version 2, pictured above, is a richer almond flour peanut butter cookie that feels a little more like a classic peanut butter cookie.
So depending on what you're craving or what you have in the pantry, you can whip up either version of these cookies in no time!
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Why You'll Love PB2 Cookies
- Minimal ingredients - only 6 ingredients for version 1 or 4 ingredients for version 2 (plus salt)
- No mixer, no chilling, and quick one-bowl prep!
- Big peanut butter flavor without feeling heavy
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free - the almond flour version is also grain-free
Related Recipes :
If you love healthy peanut butter desserts, don't miss my vegan peanut butter brownies and silky vegan peanut butter pie!
What Is Powdered Peanut Butter?
Powdered peanut butter is made from roasted peanuts that have been pressed to remove most of the oil, then ground into a fine powder. So you get the concentrated peanut flavor and protein, with less fat and fewer calories than regular peanut butter.
For these cookies, I used PB2 Pure, which doesn't have added sugar or salt. Other powdered peanut butter brands will also work, with small adjustments to the ingredients (details included in the recipe).
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Both versions come together easily in one bowl, but the two doughs are fairly different. So I've included a few process photos here to help you see the consistency and how to shape the cookies.
How to Make PB2 Cookies With Oats (Version 1)
First, preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a mixing bowl, mash the banana with a fork and measure to make sure you have ½ cup. Then whisk in the remaining wet ingredients.
Add the rolled oats, peanut butter powder, and salt, if using. Stir very well until all of the oats are coated. If desired, fold in raisins or mini chocolate chips. If you're using regular chocolate chips, wait until the next step to press them into the tops.
Scoop up 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, and use your hands to form them into shape. Press down until they're between ½-inch thick and 2 ¼ inches in diameter.
Place on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 11-13 minutes or until dry and set and the bottoms are golden.
How to Make PB2 Cookies With Almond Flour (Version 2)
Whisk the almond flour, peanut butter powder, and salt. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and mix with a fork until combined. Use your hands to further mix and knead the dough until uniform.
Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to measure about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough per cookie. Roll each one between your palms place on the cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.
Use a fork to make a criss-cross pattern on each cookie, which also flattens them into shape. Tip! The dough is sticky so you'll need to dip the undersides of the fork tines in granulated sugar to prevent sticking.
Alternatively, cut a small square of parchment paper. Place over the balls of dough to prevent sticking, and use a flat-bottomed cup to press the cookies into shape (as shown above, right). I prefer the criss-cross method because of the texture and they're just cuter!
FAQs
Yes, any peanut butter powder can be used to make cookies, but note whether it's sweetened and contains salt. If so, you can omit the salt in the recipe and slightly reduce the amount of maple syrup added.
The oat-based version of this recipe is soft and chewy. The PB2 cookies made with almond flour are more dense and rich in texture than the others but still slightly chewy with a light crispness at the edges. Neither version of the recipe is very crispy due to the nature of powdered peanut butter and because they are oil-free.
Helpful Tips
- The cookies don't spread much, so be sure to flatten them before baking.
- The dough for Version 1 is very wet due to the banana. The moisture helps soften the oats during baking (some of it evaporates, too). The mixture will seem a bit messy and hard to handle, but just do your best to shape the cookies with your hands, then neaten up the edges after placing them on the baking sheet.
- Also, be sure to use a very ripe banana, one that has plenty of dark spots and mashes easily.
- Just like most cookies, PB2 cookies are soft straight from the oven but will firm up as they cool.
I hope you enjoy these quick and easy PB2 cookies. Let me know if you give either one a try!
Recipe
Peanut Butter Powder Cookies (PB2 Cookies) Two Ways!
Equipment
- parchment paper - or silicone baking mat
Ingredients
Version 1: Chewy Oatmeal PB2 Cookies
- ½ cup mashed ripe banana - about 1 large banana
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup maple syrup - see Notes if using a sweetened peanut powder
- 1½ cups rolled oats
- ¾ cup peanut butter powder, such as PB2 Pure - see Notes
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt - omit if your peanut powder contains salt
- ¼ cup raisins, optional - or 3-4 tablespoon chocolate chips
Version 2: Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
- ¾ cup fine blanched almond flour
- ¾ cup peanut butter powder - see Notes
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt - omit if your peanut butter powder contains salt
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar - to coat the underside of a fork and prevent sticking
Instructions
For Version 1:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a mixing bowl mash the banana with a fork and measure to make sure you have ½ cup. Add the peanut butter and maple syrup, and whisk to combine. Add the oats, peanut butter powder, and salt, if using. Stir until the oats are thoroughly coated.
- If including raisins or mini chocolate chips, fold those in now. For larger chocolate chips, it's best to simply press them into the tops of the cookies once on the baking sheet. Measure 2 tablespoon of dough per cookie, and use your hands to form them into shape-about ½-inch thick and 2¼ inches in diameter. Place on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart (they don't spread).
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until the cookies look dry and set and are lightly golden on the bottoms. Allow to cool on the baking sheet.
For Version 2:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the almond flour, peanut butter powder, and salt, if using. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and mix with a fork until mostly combined. Use your hands to further mix and knead the dough until it looks uniform.
- Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon to measure out a scant 1½ tablespoons dough per cookie. Roll between your palms, and place on the cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.
- Use a fork to make a criss-cross pattern on each cookie, which also flattens them into shape. Note, the dough is sticky so you'll need to dip the underside of the fork tines in sugar.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. The cookies will be soft straight from the oven and will firm up as they cool.
Notes
- Omit the salt listed above (both versions)
- For Version 1, reduce maple syrup by 1 teaspoon (or reduce to ¼ cup if you prefer a less-sweet cookie).
- For Version 2, reduce maple syrup by 1 tsp. The dough should still be moist enough to hold together, but if not, add ½ teaspoon water.
Version 2 has 90 calories, 4 grams fat, 9 grams carbohydrate, and 5 grams protein per cookie.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Gina says
Hello, I was wondering if I could replace the banana with applesauce? Thank you for your time
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi Gina. Applesauce should be okay, but you might want to start with a little less, since applesauce is more runny and doesn't bind quite as well. And adjust the sweetness if you like.
martha says
I just made 2 batches of version 1, and these are delicious! I did not reduce the maple syrup (I didn't read ahead) and they are not too sweet, and I don't like sweet. I couldn't wait for them to cool and they were cake like. The oata was too much for my husband but i love oatmeal so it was fine for me. he's a traditionalist and doesn't like "healthy" I have to sneak it in and hope he doesn't notice. He is also fit as can be without trying, yes, he's one of those lucky ones.
I didn't see what one serving was so am curious about that.
noel thurner says
What fun! So easy, really delicious and makes 12 big cookies! This is for the first version. I grow a really sweet and creamy winter squash so used that in place of banana. Don't need maple syrup for sweetening so used plant milk for the liquid. Folded in the chocolate chips and they did fine. I love PB2 Organic Pure and always looking for great recipes and this one sure fits that category. Thanks. Lori!
Lori Rasmussen says
Oh, I love the squash idea! Thanks for sharing with us, Noel.
Leslie says
Thank you so much Lori! This will give me some good cookies to eat❤️
Lori Rasmussen says
I hope you like them, Leslie!