Healthier Peanut Butter Blossoms made with whole wheat flour taste just as delicious as the original!
Hi hi hello! These cookies are evvverythinggggg.
Buttery and fluffy and soft and peanuty and filled with the most gorg pool of dark chocolate in the middle... I MEAN what more do you need in life?
Let me be honest with you, though. As a total cookie lover and peanut butter fanatic, peanut butter cookies were never my go-to.
Chocolate cookies, sugar cookies, snickerdoodles, cream cheese cookies...get in my belly. But peanut butter cookies? Meh. Where's the chocolate, yo?
But Jeff adores peanut butter cookies. I think he likes them more than he likes me.
I took his true love for peanut butter cookies and my deep dark chocolate obsession (and ok fine, way too many HERSHEY's kisses for my own good) and set out to make those wonderful little peanut butter blossoms I remembered from childhood.
While I didn't grow up making Christmas cookies per se (I'm Jewish!), I've eaten my fair share of them over the years. I used to take cooking classes with the most awesome lady named Betty Buns. I have vivid memories making meatloaf and banana bread and chocolate chip cookies at the ripe age of ten.
The passion started when I was just just a tot! So you can imagine my excitement when I found my beloved Betty Buns cookbook while searching my mom's cookbook cabinet for recipe inspiration.
A healthier spin on the classic!
I took Betty Buns' Peanut Butter Blossoms recipe and worked my magic. The holidays are as a good a time as ever to indulge, but I saw no harm in taking out a bit of the sugar, swapping the white flour for white whole wheat, and using less refined sugars like coconut sugar + organic cane sugar.
Oh, and a wee flax egg!
The good news is that you don't need a big fancy mixer to make these. I don't have a big fancy mixer. Even though Great British Baking show makes me feel like I need one yesterday. If you don't own one of these super affordable hand mixers, get it on your holiday list stat!
You also don't have to chill the dough. I KNOW, it keeps getting better.
Ingredients tips and substitutions
- White whole wheat flour: I love white whole wheat flour because it's less wheaty tasting than regular whole wheat flour. You could also use all purpose flour, or a mix of half and half. I haven't tried it, but I bet this all purpose gluten free baking flour would also work.
- Peanut butter: Use natural salted peanut butter with peanuts and salt as the ingredients.
- Vegan butter: Earth Balance buttery sticks are my go-to, but you can use whatever vegan butter or real butter you fancy. Make sure it's room temperature for foolproof creaming.
- Organic sugar: For sweetness, structure, and moisture! You can use regular granulated sugar, too. I’m not sure how coconut sugar would work here, but I know they’d be darker.
- Coconut sugar: Because the mix of white and brown sugar is fab for flavor and moisture. You can also use brown sugar.
- Flax: Our vegan sub for an egg, which helps the cookies bind together.
- Chocolate kisses: I use HERSHEY's dark chocolate kisses. The key is adding them at the end so they don't melt into a chocolate pool you want to swim in.
I found that the key to getting the chocolate kisses to stick was the bake these bad boys for 8 minutes, quickly dot each cookie with a kiss (so cute), then bake for one minute more.
Tools to make perfect peanut butter blossoms
- Silicone baking mat: reusable and makes for the easiest clean up. I make roasted vegetables, cookies, and more on this!
- Cookie sheet: because everyone needs a few. This extra large one is the best!
- Cookie scoop: for easy cookie portioning. I use the scoop and then roll the dough into balls so they’re smooth.
- Hand mixer: less than $20 and my go-to appliance for mixing since I don’t have a stand mixer.
- Air tight container: my storage solution for just about everything.
More holiday treats to love!
- Healthy Snickerdoodles
- Healthy Monster Cookies
- Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
- Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pomegranate
- Vegan Peppermint Chocolate Skillet Cookie
P.S. I definitely accidentally spilled the milk in these photos and decided it looked cool. Does it look cool or no??
If you make these healthy peanut butter blossoms, please let me know by leaving a comment and star rating. I’m so grateful for your feedback!
Print
Healthier Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 9 mins
- Total Time: 24 mins
- Yield: 23 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This healthier version of the classic Peanut Butter Blossoms made with whole wheat flour taste just as delicious as the original!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water (can sub 1 egg)
- ½ cup natural salted peanut butter*
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened (can sub regular butter)
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup coconut sugar (can sub brown sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour (can sub all-purpose flour)
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 23 chocolate kisses (I love dark chocolate)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line 1 large or 2 regular cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silipat. Make sure you have about 23 unwrapped kisses ready to go.
- Mix together ground flax and water in a small bowl for "flax egg." Set aside to gel.
- In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together peanut butter, butter, and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the flax egg and vanilla and mix to combine. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined. Roll dough into smooth 1-inch balls (I used a cookie scoop) and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. No need to flatten.
- Bake (one cookie sheet at a time) for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Return to the oven and bake for one more minute. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.
Notes
*If using unsalted peanut butter, add ¼ tsp salt to the recipe.
GLUTEN FREE: If you're looking for gluten free cookies, I'd recommend these Peanut Butter Cup Cookies!
Amanda L says
These cookies are incredible!! This is the second year I’ve made them around the holidays and they get raving reviews. I substitute the cane sugar for monkfruit and it tastes delicious. Thank you!!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Amazing, thanks so much Amanda!
Amanda says
These look amazing and I want to make them tomorrow! Just wondering, could I use coconut sugar as the only sugar for this recipe, or would that change the way it turns out too much?
Alexis Joseph says
Thanks Amanda! I've never made them with all brown/coconut sugar--it has more caramely notes. I like doing a portion of regular sugar for more classic flavors. I can't say for sure how they'll be but let me know if you try!
Emily says
OMG. I’ve been looking for healthier cookie recipes to make this Christmas, and just tried this one out. They are so similar to the ones my mom always made, I absolutely love them! Definitely a must try.
Alexis Joseph says
Fabulous, thank you tons Emmily!
Erin Fortkamp says
These are amazing! This is definitely going to be my go-to recipe for my Christmas cookies every year!
Alexis Joseph says
Thank you SO much, Erin!!
Meredith says
A classic and so easy!
Alexis Joseph says
Yayy thank you, Meredith!
Holly says
I’m so glad I made these! They are even better than the original version! I don’t each much processed food or sugar and I often find desserts too sweet. These have more complex flavor because of the whole food ingredients. I used Crazy Richard’s peanut butter and subbed an egg for the flax. Will definitely be making these again...thanks Alexis!!!
Alexis Joseph says
Thank you tons, Holly! These are such a fun treat. So happy you liked them!
Dina says
Love these!!! So delicious and easy to make and my favorite christmas cookies. Thanks for the recipe!!
Alexis Joseph says
Wonderful! Thrilled to hear the positive feedback, Dina.
Haley says
Excuse me but these look almost too good to be true. I wish I could go back in time a few days and make these for Christmas!
Lisa Huff says
Such a fun idea! Love it!
Emily says
Did you make the chocolate chips yourself?
Alexis says
Nope! I usually get them from Trader Joe's.
Kat says
If I wanted to make these gluten free, could I sub in a gluten free flour 1:1?
Thanks!!
Alexis says
I haven’t tried it but I’d suggest something like Bob’s 1 for 1 GF all purpose baking flour ?
Jennifer says
I made the recipe exactly as written , but my cookies came out really flat and crunchy. I was wondering if you have any tips for me on what might be going wrong? My initial thought was the dough was a bit oily which might have made them spread, so maybe I might try these again with regular peanut butter.
Alexis says
Oh no! I haven’t gotten any feedback about them being flat till your comment so I’m trying to think what could’ve caused that...you could try refrigerating the dough before baking? You didn’t melt the butter did you? I used the drippy kind of peanut butter with just peanuts and salt, no added oil. Make sure not to pack the flour either. Hope this helps!
CL says
Hi I was wondering if gluten free flour would work?
Alexis says
I haven’t tried it but I’d suggest something like Bob’s 1 for 1 GF all purpose baking flour 🙂
Kelly @ Eat the Gains says
Yes!! One of my favorite Christmas cookies. Our neighbors used to make them all the time for us growing up. I'm with you on the underdone too and I think the milk looks good haha!
Alexis says
The nostalgia just makes them taste a billion times better!
Tara | Treble in the Kitchen says
I'm in holiday baking mode and these look FANTASTIC!! Seriously!!
Alexis says
I hope you love them as much as I do!! Gotta feed the baking beast.
Karly says
All the peanut butter blossoms, please. These look amazing! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipe!
Alexis says
You're so welcome! Don't you just want to eat these by the plate full?
Kori says
So adorable!! I need to make these sometimes soon. I'm a peanut butter cookie lover, but combining them with chocolate is even better! I do love the spilled milk - supah cute, and I love your photos! Thanks, Alexis!
Alexis says
Eee thanks love!! Isn't chocolate and peanut butter the most heavenly combo?!
Elizabeth says
Have you tried using egg instead of flaxseed "egg"? Wondering what the recipe would call for if I wanted to use a regular egg!
Alexis says
Yes that will work just fine!
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN | It's a Veg World After All says
These look amazing! And yes, the milk spill definitely looks cool :-)! Hahah can't wait to make them!
Alexis says
Haha it definitely made the photoshoot snacking extra delish!! These cookies are going to be on repeat until further notice they're THAT good. Hope you love them!
Alexa says
Yum! I'm going to make these for our work training day this Friday 🙂
Do you have to press the cookies down first? or just leave them as a ball?
Alexis says
Nope! Just roll them into a smooth ball. They’ll flatten while they bake and also when you put the kiss on them. Enjoy!
Jess @choosingchia says
Saw these on Instagram so I had to hop over to see the recipe. They look so delicious and I love that they're vegan too!
Alexis says
Yayyy thanks my love! I’ve been so obsessed with them this week 🙂
Caitlin McGillicuddy says
Alexis, these look incredible. Do you take your own pictures? They're beautiful!
Alexis says
Thanks so much! Yes I do 🙂
Beth says
I'm missing the recipe.
Alexis says
My blog has been kind of wonky with messing recipes up lately—thanks for pointing that out. All fixed!
Alexis says
Thanks my love! Hope they’re the most delish ever.