Given my choice of hypothetical super powers, I am bypassing both invisibility and flying in favor of the magic that is this GIANT, flourless, Healthy Peanut Butter Cookie.
Take a bite of this peanut butter skillet cookie, and you will taste:
- A molten, ooey-gooey middle.
- An unapologetic onslaught of peanut butter.
- Melty chocolate chip nirvana.
- Lightly crispy edges begging to be smothered in vanilla ice cream.
- Total, indisputable decadence.
You’ll dance around your kitchen.
You’ll utter loud (perhaps semi-inappropriate) moans of delight.
You’ll go back for seconds and thirds, and you won’t feel the tiniest bit of guilt about it.
Why? Because this peanut butter skillet cookie has super powers. It contains NO butter, NO sugar, NO oil, it’s vegan and gluten free, but it tastes rich and indulgent.
Sorry Superman. This healthy peanut butter cookie has you beat, no cape or uncomfortable spandex suit required.
The secret to this healthy peanut butter cookie’s addictive texture and flavor lies in one surprise ingredient, and I bet you have it—and everything else you need to make this ooey gooey recipe—sitting in your pantry right now.
So what’s the secret ingredient that makes this healthy peanut butter cookie taste so decadent, when it’s actually good for you? Watch the video in this post (if you haven’t already) to find out!
I’ll pause for you to watch….
…and, we’re back. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
That’s right—this skillet of molten healthy peanut butter cookie love is made with chickpeas. Just like in my healthy Chickpea Blondies, you’d never even know.
Were you surprised? I cross my heart, hope to die that this recipe DOES NOT taste like chickpeas. It tastes like chocolate chip peanut butter cookie dough.
In addition to its fab flavor and texture, I also love this healthy peanut butter cookie recipe because it is so diet-friendly. It’s 100% gluten free, vegan, and naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup.
The Key to a Gluten-Free Healthy Peanut Butter Cookie
To keep the recipe gluten free, I replaced wheat flour with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats. As I’ve learned from friends and concerned readers, not all oats are created equal. In order to be safe for those who cannot have gluten, the oats need to be produced in a certified gluten free facility, like the one at Bob’s Red Mill. I actually saw the factory in action last fall (check out the photos here) and was so impressed by the process. I love the taste and quality of Bob’s Red Mill oatmeal regardless, and knowing that they are certified gluten free means that more people can enjoy them (and this peanut butter cookie!)
Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, making this healthy peanut butter cookie could not be more simple. Pile them all into a food processor, blend, then bake. The oats are processed into oat flour, the chickpeas and maple syrup blend together into a cookie dough-like texture, and the scent of the peanut butter and cinnamon will perfume your whole kitchen.
I also highly encourage sprinkling extra chocolate chips on top.
More Tasty Peanut Butter Recipes
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
- Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Recommended Tools to Make This Healthy Cookie
Superman can keep his cape—I’ll take this Healthy Peanut Butter Cookie, a spoon, and an extra scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Healthy Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie
Ingredients
- 1 can low-sodium chickpeas (15 ounces) , rinsed and drained (or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas)
- ¾ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats OK to substitute quick-cooking oats
- 2/3 cup natural peanut butter or substitute any other nut butter—you can use creamy or crunchy
- ½ cup pure maple syrup OK to substitute honey or light agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder I prefer aluminum free
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup milk any kind you like—use almond milk or other nut milk to keep the recipe vegan
- ⅓ cup semisweet chocolate chips plus additional 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top (use dairy free if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet or 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, place the chickpeas, oats, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and milk. Blend until mostly smooth. Remove the lid and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then blend for an additional 2 minutes until very well combined and smooth. The batter will be very sticky and thick. Fold in ⅓ cup chocolate chips.
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared skillet and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate chips over the top. If using a skillet, bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it. If using an 8×8-inch pan, begin checking for doneness at 20 minutes. Do not overbake or the cookie will taste dry. Place on a wire rack to cool. Slice and serve.
Nutrition
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My boyfriend approached this with great skepticism but he LOVED it! I’d hope to bring leftovers to work, but we decided to keep them all to ourselves. Great recipe!
Greta, that has definitely happened to me with this recipe too! So glad you loved it!
Brought this to book club tonight and it was a hit! Thank you :)
Fabulous Allie! I am so glad to hear it. Thanks for sharing!
This is so super delicious.. where has it been all my life!! I just made this in a glass baking dish and it came out just as you said. I cannot believe there are chickpeas in it .. it blows my mind! My toddler gobbled it up too? Thank you so much for this recipe .. it’s going to be a staple in our house!! Xoxo ?
HOORAY! I’m so glad it was a hit, Amanda. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
Delicious! A great healthier dessert skillet with a nice light peanut butter flavor. Even better if you use chocolate chunks :)
YAY Chelsea! So glad you enjoyed this!
This looks good and decadent. I love peanut butter and chocolate!
Me too, Laura! I hope you love it if you give it a try.
I refuse to give this a bad review because I think it not being good was human error( that human being me:/:)) . I think I might have overlooked it even though I only did twenty minutes. I also think my soy milk was a teensy but expired and I added two table spoons less of maple syrup. It still wasn’t that bad after all of that but just not up to my expectations.
Hi Elly! I’m sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as you were hoping. I would suggest trying this again with a new soy milk and the full amount of maple syrup. I hope you love the recipe if you decide to try it again!
Hi Erin, I love all of your recipes. We’ve made plenty of them here at my house. Can I substitute honey for maple syrup? I absolutely despise the taste of MS.
Hi Liz! Thank you so much for your kind words! Yes, you can certainly swap the syrup for honey in this recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Erin! If I don’t want a nut butter taste, can I sub something else? To make it more of a chocolate chip skillet cookie? Thanks!
Hi Elisabeth! To be honest, this would be a pretty big change, and I’m worried about how it would turn out. I know that’s not the answer you were hoping for, but I really want this recipe to come out for you! If you’re looking for chocolate chip cookie flavor, I recommend trying my Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake or these Chocolate Chip Coconut Oil Cookies.
Hi Erin! Thanks so much for personally replying to my question! And also for your recommendations. I will make this recipe as is and try the other recipes too! Thanks for the great recipes! :)
Thanks, Elisabeth! I hope you love the recipes you try! :)
Haha, that picture of the cookie in the skillet with a scoop of ice cream on top is too dangerous :P. I’ll end up eating the whole thing myself XD. This looks super delicious, though! I have all of the ingredients at home, too. Hmmmmm :P.
I hope you love the recipe if you try it, Sera!
Recipe looks yummy! My daughter wants this in place of cake for her 15th birthday tomorrow. Is there a way to mix up the ingredients early and then bake the cookie during dinner so we can have a warm, gooey dessert right after dinner?
Hi Lori! I haven’t tried this myself, but you could experiment with it. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!