This recipe was revised and updated on Jan 12, 2023
These Nutter Butters are just like you remember from childhood, but these are made gluten free, vegan and option to make grain free. They are a crunchy peanut butter cookie filled with a peanut butter spread and taste true to the originals. These cookies are always a hit, the whole family will love them!
I LOVE COPYCAT RECIPES! WE NEED MORE HEALTHIER VERSIONS OF OUR FAVORITES
If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know I LOVE making copycat recipes. There is just something so satisfying of creating an old favorite in simple, natural ingredients AND having them taste just like the original! I’m a true 90s kid and ate all of these processed foods and snacks daily. Nutter Butters were my favorite after school snack. When I create my copycat recipes, I test them over and over until they are near perfection. Lots of other copycat recipes I’ve tried have looked like the original, but tasted nothing like it!
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE GLUTEN FREE NUTTER BUTTERS
I made sure these Nutter Butters tasted just like OG Nutter Butters. And these are gluten free, dairy free and vegan! You can also use almond flour and oat flour to make these without rice flour and the binding gums found in GF flour. Can’t have peanuts? Use any other nut butter and they’re still delicious. You can alter this cookie to your dietary needs. These are also safe on a low FODMAP diet. And they’re easy and fun to make.
I have made these for offices and parties and the responses have been “these are so f-ing delicious” and, “my kids LOVE these!”
Why you will love these copycat Nutter Butter cookies:
1. They taste like the originals, but gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free. A healthier version everyone will love!
2. Kid and hubby approved. Office approved.
3. A delicious peanut butter cookie sandwiched with a peanut butter filling. For peanut butter lovers only!
4. Can be replaced with almond butter for those with peanut allergies or intolerances.
INGREDIENTS IN GLUTEN FREE NUTTER BUTTERS:
Gluten Free 1:1 Flour
Natural Peanut Butter (Just Peanuts and Salt as ingredients)
Sea Salt
Coconut Sugar
Refined Coconut Oil
Vanilla Extract
Plant based milk
Flax Egg
Maple Syrup
SUBSTITUTIONS AND SWAPS:
1. Gluten free 1:1 flour can be swapped for a blend of almond flour and oat flour. See notes on recipe card below on how to make this swap.
2. Peanut butter can be swapped for almond butter if you are intolerant to peanuts. These won't taste the same as Nutter Butters but they will still be delicious!
3. Coconut sugar is my preferred sweetener in all my recipes, coconut sugar is low GI and safe on most diets. It comes from the sap of the tree and doesn’t taste like coconut! If you don't have coconut sugar on hand, I think regular cane sugar or granulated maple sugar will work. Just keep in mind the flavor may change a bit.
4. Coconut Oil can be swapped for a dairy-free butter. Both work well, coconut oil gives a better crunch. Be sure it is REFINED, so it has no coconut flavor.
5. Flax egg may be subbed for a chia egg or even a real egg. Add 1 tbsp of ground flax meal to 3 tbsp of water to make 1 egg.
6. I use maple syrup in the filling to add a sweeter flavor to the peanut butter. You can omit this! Or you can substitute for honey.
How to make gluten free Nutter Butters in these easy steps:
(full recipe on recipe card below)
Combine wet ingredients in a saucepan and heat until fully melted and smooth. Add in dry ingredients.
Form into a dough and scoop out 2 tsp of dough. Shape into a long thin oval, and place on baking sheet. Use a fork to create cross hatches, and shape into a peanut.
Bake for 15 minutes until edges are brown. Wait to cool.
Mix the peanut butter filling and spread onto one side of a cookie.
Use another cookie to make a sandwich.
FAQs
What kitchen tools are needed for gluten free nutter butter cookies?
Mixing bowls
Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
A fork to make the cross marks
Self control to not eat them all while you're making them
Can I refrigerate the dough in advance?
Unfortunately in this recipe, the dough has to be worked with when it is warm, or even at room temperature. Refrigerating the dough will result in a very dry crumbly dough and will not be workable.
Notes to make perfect Nutter Butter cookies:
1. A flax egg works perfectly here, but you can substitute for a chia egg, or a real egg. If using a real egg, add in the egg in last AFTER the mixture has been heated on the stove. We don't want scrambled eggs!
2. You can substitute the peanut butter with almond butter if you are intolerant to peanuts, but peanut butter keeps them true to the Nutter Butter! The ingredients must be just peanuts and salt. Processed peanut butters like Jif will not work in this recipe.
3. To substitute the gluten free flour for almond flour and oat flour:
Replace the 3/4 cup of gluten free 1:1 flour with a 1/2 cup of fine almond flour and 1/2 cup of oat flour. In the cookie recipe, you will also reduce the peanut butter to a total of 1/2 cups. And no flax egg will be needed! Reduce baking time to 12-15 minutes.
4. The dough may not be refrigerated in advance, and has to be worked with warm or room temperature. Due to the nature of peanut butter, the dough will dry out when cold.
5. Make sure the cookies are cooled completely before spreading the filling.