Recipe: Easiest Ever Peanut Butter Cookies (Keto)

I’ve mentioned this several times, but it never stops being true: I am a huge fan of efficient convenience. When you’re able to attempt something with very limited resources and have it result in success, it feels good, and I like that feeling. 😛

My favorite examples of efficient convenience – especially since switching to my keto diet – are things that are quick and easy to make, almost mess-free to eat, and help me hit my daily macros. I have a hard time eating the amount of fat I should, which is a huge part of the diet, so having things that offer it in delicious handheld ways is great for me. With 8g of fat and 1g of carbs per tablespoon, it’s an amazing addition to a lot of my meals and snacks. Some people choose not to have peanut butter while eating keto, but I am not one of them. 😉

Enter these amazing little cookies! They’re filling and delicious, and only require 4 ingredients — 3 if you don’t really track or mind how much of a nutritional punch these pack!

What You’ll Need:

:: 1 cup of peanut butter (I use the natural kind that only listes “peanuts” as the ingredient – no sugar or anything else added!)

:: 1/2 cup of sugar substitute, powdered (I use monkfruit and powder it myself, but you can try things like Stevia, erythritol, Swerve, etc — or even regular sugar if you’re not keto!)

:: 1 large egg

:: 1 tbsp ground flax seed (OPTIONAL!! You don’t have to do this, especially if it forces you to make a grocery trip! 😛 )

What You’ll Do:

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Prep a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper – no spray necessary!
In a medium sized bowl, combine the ingredients until completely incorporated.
Using a spoon, scoop out small portions of the dough and roll it into balls.
Placing them at least 1 inch apart, place your peanut butter balls in rows on your baking sheet.
Using your spoon (or hand, whatever!), flatten each ball a bit. Then, with a fork, make little criss-cross imprints on each one. I’m not sure how to properly explain this, but my mom used to let me help her with this part when I was a kid and it was my favorite! Look at the pictures for examples of what I mean. 🙂
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes — ovens are different and some run hotter or colder than others. Keep watch and make sure to take them out when they start to darken and firm up a bit (I poked at mine and ultimately cooked them for 19 minutes).
Remove from the oven and allow them to cool. Honestly, I found these to be a lot better after being chilled for a bit, so stick them in the freezer or fridge if you want!
You can store them for up to a week in the fridge (in a tupperware container w/ lid).
I used Lily’s Dark Chocolate Chips to melt and dip my cookies in for a base coating, and NO REGRETS – if you have some chocolate to melt on hand, try it! You can also drizzle it on top of you want, yum.
Customize as you see fit & enjoy! More or less sugar? Go for it. Want to add nuts, or even some chocolate chips in addition to the drizzle/base coat? Doooo it! I’d love to see your ideas.