Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Craving something sweet? Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookie Cups are sure to hit the spot with their chewy texture and delicious peanut buttery flavor!

The most delicious gluten free peanut butter cookies

Two of my favorite things in this world are cookies and Reese's. Mix them together, and it's like the flavor jackpot! Something about that delicious and creamy chocolate and peanut butter combo is so addicting.

Combine my search for the perfect new cookie recipe with my craving for peanut butter cups, and you wind up with this recipe: Delicious, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth gluten free peanut butter cookie cups.

These cookies take homemade baked goods to the next level. Rather than baking them on a cookie sheet, we're dropping the dough into muffin tins and then completing them with peanut butter cups as soon as they finish baking.

They're a total treat, and one that you're going to want to try ASAP!

Ingredients in this gluten free cookie recipe

To make these peanut butter cookie cups you will need an assortment of standard baking ingredients like flour, baking soda, and more.

• Peanut butter: First up for these cookies, you will need ⅓ cup of natural peanut butter. I recommend natural in this recipe for three things: the flavor, texture, and nutrients! You can use the drippy kinds from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, or use your personal favorite!
• Coconut oil: Next you will need ¼ cup of melted coconut oil. It needs to be melted to mix properly with the other ingredients. This will contribute to the final texture of your cookies!
• Maple syrup: ⅓ cup of maple syrup works as a delicious and all natural sweetener.
• Vanilla: Add a bit of flavor with 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
• Almond flour: Most cookie recipes require flour, and this one is no different! Use 2 cups of almond flour.
• Baking soda: Use ½ teaspoon of baking soda to help the cookies shape up properly.
• Salt: ¼ teaspoon of salt makes a world of different when it comes to the flavor!
• Reese's: Finally, you will need 24 mini peanut butter cups. You can use Reese's or any other brand!

Tools needed to make this dessert

To make Reese's peanut butter chocolate cookies, you will need a few things. Gather everything before you begin, and don't forget those measuring cups!

• Mini muffin tin
• Nonstick spray
• Small mixing bowl
• Stirring utensil
• Large mixing bowl
• Tablespoon or cookie scoop

For measuring, you will need ¼ tsp, ½ tsp, 1 tsp, ¼ cup, ⅓ cup, and 1 cup.

How to make gluten free peanut butter cookie cups

Reese's cup cookies are prepared just like any other cookie recipe, but we'll be baking them in a muffin tin to get that "cup" effect!

To begin, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a mini muffin tin.

In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla until everything is well combined.

Then, use a separate large mixing bowl to mix the almond flour, baking soda, and salt.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until all of the ingredients are fully mixed.

Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough at a time and roll each tablespoon into a ball.

Place the dough into the greased mini muffin dish and bake for 12 minutes.

Once removed from the oven, immediately add the Reese's cups to the centers of the hot cookies. Let rest for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

This recipe, like many baked goods, comes with a lot of ingredient flexibility. If you find yourself missing an ingredient or two, one of these three substitution options may help you out.

• Peanut butter: First, peanut butter can be replaced with any nut butter. You can go the almond butter route or even try something like cashew or sunflower seed butter.
• Coconut oil: No coconut oil handy? That's okay, because you can use any baking oil in a 1:1 ratio.
• Maple syrup: In this recipe, maple syrup is used as a sweetener. You can also use molasses or honey! I recommend starting with a smaller measurement and adding to taste.

How to make this recipe vegan

This recipe can be made vegan-friendly so easily! Let's take a peek at the ingredients.

Since eggs and butter are not used, we've already skipped two of the most frequently used non-vegan cookie ingredients. After that, the only ingredient left to switch is the peanut butter cups, which typically contain milk.

For a vegan-friendly cookie, simply choose your favorite dairy-free butter cups like Chocolate Sunflower Butter Cups from Free2b, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups from Hive, or Non-Dairy Peanut Butter Cups from Oh!Nuts.

How this recipe is healthier

Making baked goods healthier is one of my favorite things to do. Between the peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, and almond flour, we're really able to give these cookies an upgrade!

Natural peanut butter
Using natural peanut butter is an effortless way to pack your cookies with extra nutrients and remove some of the icky preservatives. Many peanut butters are packed with artificial chemicals and ingredients, making natural options a great choice!

Coconut oil
Next, these cookies skip the vegetable and canola oil in place of coconut oil. This is another simple swap that tastes the same (use refined) and is so easy to include!

Maple syrup
Rather than using granulated sugar, this recipe calls for maple syrup. It's an easy swap that perfectly sweetens the cookies and tastes delicious!

Almond flour
Last but not least, almond flour is the fourth ingredient that makes these cookies a bit healthier. I love to use almond flour in baking because it tastes great and adds a bit of extra nutrients!

If you liked this recipe, you'll want to try these!

Craving some more peanut butter deliciousness? Here are four more recipes sure to brighten your day.

• Peanut Butter and Strawberry Crumble
• Healthy Peanut Butter Brownie Bites
• Peanut Butter Protein Balls
• Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Bars with Pretzels

Photos by Moriah Sawtelle and recipe by Erin Antoniak.