Nothing beats the classic pairing of chocolate and peanut butter. If you enjoy that combination, as I do (you’ll see several chocolate and peanut butter recipes on this site), these gluten-free chocolate peanut butter swirl cookies are a must-try. They combine deep chocolate flavor with ribbons of peanut butter for a rich, chewy cookie that’s hard to resist.
For best results, use good-quality cocoa and chocolate — the chocolate flavor is pronounced in these cookies. The frozen dollops of peanut butter create lovely streaks and pockets of peanut flavor throughout the dough. Fresh from the oven the cookies are fudgy and gooey; once cooled they set up into a sturdier, still-chewy treat that holds together well.
The version I adapted here was inspired by a recipe from Picky Palate. Although that blog isn’t gluten-free, it’s a great source of inspiration; I adapted the original to work with gluten-free flour and share tips for a gluten-free household.
This recipe takes a bit more time than a typical cookie recipe because the peanut butter needs to be chilled in the freezer for about 30 minutes before being mixed into the batter. Plan ahead so you don’t feel rushed. I often bake a batch and freeze half — to reheat, microwave a frozen cookie at 80% power for 12–15 seconds (times vary by microwave) and enjoy warm and soft.
Gluten-free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe:
Gluten-free Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies
If you love chocolate and peanut butter together, you’ll love these gluten-free cookies. They require a little extra time, but the payoff is a rich, fudgy cookie with swirls of peanut butter throughout.
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (I use Jif Natural)
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 16 Tbsp.) salted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp. xanthan gum *see note
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups chocolate chunks or chips
Instructions
- Scoop 1 cup of creamy peanut butter into a small bowl and place it in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes. This helps create the peanut butter ribbons in the cookie dough.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a stand mixer (or with an electric mixer), beat the butter and both sugars until well combined and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder until evenly blended.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir in the chocolate chunks or chips. Mix slowly until just combined; avoid overmixing.
- Drop small frozen spoonfuls of peanut butter into the dough and turn the mixer on for just a few quick pulses to create swirls of peanut butter throughout the dough.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, place dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1″ between cookies to allow for spreading.
- Bake at 350°F for 14–16 minutes, until the cookies are set but still slightly soft in the center.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Notes
*If your gluten-free flour blend already contains xanthan gum or guar gum, omit the additional xanthan gum called for in this recipe. Adjustments to liquid or baking time may be needed based on your specific flour blend.