Bursting with peanut butter, chocolate chips, and a decadent peanut butter chocolate-swirled frosting, these flourless peanut butter chocolate chip sandwich cookies are impossible to resist.
I love a good flourless cookie. The density alone makes them nearly impossible to resist, but adding a hearty helping of chocolate and peanut butter flavors in both the cookies and frosting? Well, you’ve got me hook, line, and sinker. These flourless peanut butter chocolate chip sandwich cookies are made with creamy unsweetened peanut butter, granulated sugar, and plenty of semisweet chocolate chips. The frosting is a smooth and creamy peanut butter blended with real ganache. It’s so rich and so flavorful, and naturally gluten-free. Easily made dairy-free as well, this is one recipe that you’re going to want to whip up again and again. Let’s make them.
What you’ll need to make these flourless peanut butter chocolate chip sandwich cookies:
Creamy unsweetened salted peanut butter
Granulated sugar
Pure vanilla extract
Baking soda
Large eggs
Semisweet chocolate chips
Salted butter
Powdered sugar
Heavy cream
The Flourless Cookies
So what are flourless cookies made of? And is flour necessary for cookies? The short answer is no, flour is not essential with the right mix of alternate ingredients. Flourless cookies are generally made of nut butter or oat flour (oats simple ground to resemble flour), and have eggs + baking soda to stabilize and create a cookie that doesn’t spread too much. I have a similar recipe without chips and with alternate fillings in my Flourless Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies if you’d like to check those out.
These cookies use a creamy unsweetened salted peanut butter to create the best peanut butter flavor in a rich, dense cookie. It does not spread, so the cookies are gently pressed down right before or after baking. I have tested it both ways, and it doesn’t affect the texture or density if pressed before or after, so do whatever you prefer. I used semisweet chips for the chocolate, but you can absolutely use milk or dark if you prefer one of those varieties.
Begin by adding all of your ingredients to a medium sized bowl. Mix until a thick dough forms, about 30 seconds. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, roll out 16 balls of dough. Gently toss each dough ball in the additional granulated sugar, and place them on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes. My cookies were perfectly done at 8 minutes, but each oven temperature varies slightly so I always suggest starting low and adding time (became you cannot take time away).
These cookies will be very crumbly and almost a bit raw in the middle when they are hot from the oven. They will set up perfectly done in the middle and hold their shape well when cooled. Gently press each cookie down with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup while the cookies are still hot. Allow them to cool at room temperature on a wire rack until no longer warm, and then transfer the cookies to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to four days.
That Swirled Frosting
This frosting is sweet, light, and so creamy! It boasts a similar frosting to that of my Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting, but altered slightly for these cookies. A perfect ganache is swirled right in creating the perfect peanut butter chocolate filling for these cookies.
Begin by placing all ingredients for the frosting into a medium-sized bowl. With a standing or hand mixer, beat on low just to incorporate the sugar and then on high for thirty seconds. The frosting should be smooth and lump-free.
For the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a small bowl on high for 30-45 seconds in the microwave. Alternatively, you can heat it on medium in a pan on the stovetop until it is starting to steam but not boiling. Place the chocolate chunks in the bowl and let it sit untouched for five minutes. Ensure that all of the chocolate is covered by the cream.
Whisk the ganache until smooth. Place the bowl of ganache in the refrigerator for 5 minutes so it cools to room temperature. Pour the ganache into the bowl of peanut butter frosting. With a spatula or spoon, gently swirl the ganache through the frosting for a few seconds. You should still see obvious separation between the peanut butter and the chocolate with a few parts mixed together.
Spoon the peanut butter chocolate frosting into a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe frosting onto 10 cookies, top each frosted cookie with another cookie. Pop them into the refrigerator for 20 minutes to allow the frosting to harden just a bit. This is purely so it doesn’t all come out the sides when a bite is taken, but even if this happens, it’ll still be wildly delicious!
Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to four days. Makes 20 cookies or 10 sandwich cookies.
The Dietary Substitutions
I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest.
As these cookies are naturally gluten free and dairy free because they contain no flour or butter/milk products, I have two substitutes for peanut butter if that is a problematic nut in your household. I also have two substitutes for the fillings if you choose to make those.
Almond butter can be used as a replacement for the peanut butter if you prefer that nut or flavor. My favorite brand is Good and Gather All Natural Almond Butter. It contains only almonds and is smooth and creamy.
Wow Butter is an exceptional peanut butter substitute if you cannot have peanuts, as it contains no peanuts but retains an amazing PB flavor. Use it as a 1:1 ratio substitute in these cookies.
Miyokos butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio sub, so the recipe measurements will not change.
Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is a great option for the ganache. The chocolate is already dairy free / vegan so only the cream needs to be altered to make this ganache both dairy free and vegan.
If you loved these flourless peanut butter chocolate chip sandwich cookies, I’d be so grateful for you to leave a 5 star rating + review.
Tag @heathershomebakery on Instagram if you upload a pic too, because I want to see your creations.
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XO,
Heather
PS- try my Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossoms too!
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
For the Flourless Cookies:
- 1 ¼ Cup Creamy Unsweetened Peanut Butter (I use Adam’s)
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Large Egg + 1 Large Egg Yolk
- ½ Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
- ½ Cup Salted Butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Creamy Unsweetened Peanut Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
For the Ganache Swirl:
- 2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
- ¼ Cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium size bowl, combine the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, and baking soda. Mix until combined. Add the large egg and egg yolk, and mix until full incorporated, about 20 seconds. Add chips and fold in until evenly incorporated. Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough out balls, roll them in the additional granulated sugar, and place them onto a nonstick baking sheet. Press down with a fork or a potato masher until cookies are around ½-3/4 inch thick. Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting: Place all ingredients into a medium sized bowl. WIth a standing or hand mixer, beat on low just to incorporate the sugar and then on high for thirty seconds. Frosting should be smooth and lump-free.
- For the ganache swirl: Heat the heavy cream in a small bowl on high for 30-45 seconds in the microwave. Alternatively you can heat it on medium in a pan on the stovetop until it is starting to steam but not boiling. Place the chocolate chunks in the bowl and let it sit untouched for five minutes. Ensure all of the chocolate is covered by the cream.
- Whisk the ganache until smooth. Place the bowl of ganache in the refrigerator for 5 minutes so it cools to room temperature. Pour the ganache into the bowl of peanut butter frosting. With a spatula or spoon, gently swirl the ganache through the frosting for a few seconds. You should still see obvious separation between the peanut butter and the chocolate with a few parts mixed together.
- Spoon the peanut butter chocolate mixture into a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe frosting onto 10 cookies, top each frosted cookie with another cookie. Pop them into the refrigerator for 20 minutes to allow the frosting to harden just a bit. This is purely so it doesn’t all come out the sides when a bite is taken, but even if this happens, it’ll still be wildly delicious! Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to four days. Makes 20 cookies or 10 sandwich cookies.
Kelly
Looks yummy!! Can’t wait to make them!
Heather Templeton
I hope you love them!