Maple Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Delicious flourless, maple-sweetened cookies full of peanut butter, chocolate chips and oats! These gluten-free cookies are pretty healthy and easy to make!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 19, 2024
We should talk about these cookies. They are tasty, peanut buttery treats stuffed full of chocolate chips and hearty oats. In fact, oat flour is the only flour involved, so these cookies are gluten free.
They’re also naturally sweetened with maple syrup, which has more redeeming properties than the brown sugar called for in the original recipe. I found the inspiration in King Arthur’s Whole Grain Baking book, which reminded me of my friend Tessa’s new maple-sweetened peanut butter cookies recipe.
After comparing the two, I thought I just might be able to replace the sugar with maple syrup, and what do you know? It actually worked.
These cookies are more like a no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookie than a buttery Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie. They’re soft and fluffy, with a creamy interior that almost seems to stick to the roof of my mouth like a spoonful of peanut butter. I brought my first batch over to my friends’ house on Sunday and my friends loved them.
Maple Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Delicious flourless, maple-sweetened cookies full of peanut butter, chocolate chips and oats! These gluten-free cookies are pretty healthy, as far as cookies go. They’re also very easy to make (no mixer required)!
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup natural peanut butter
- ⅔ cup real maple syrup, preferably grade B
- 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
- 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats, ground for 30 seconds in a food processor or blender
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with two racks in the middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (if you don’t have parchment paper, lightly grease the baking sheets).
- Measure out the peanut butter and maple syrup—I found this easiest to do in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Add peanut butter to the ⅔ cup line, then pour in maple syrup until you reach the 1 ⅓ cup total liquid line.
- Pour the peanut butter and maple syrup mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and whisk until the mixture is well blended. Use your whisk to beat in the egg, scraping down the side of the bowl once it’s incorporated, then whisk in the vanilla, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Switch to a big spoon and stir in the ground oats, rolled oats and chocolate chips until they are evenly combined. Drop the dough by the tablespoon onto your prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies, reversing the pans midway through (swap the cookies on the top rack with the cookies on the lower rack) until they’re barely set and just beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 12 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the pans.
Notes
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking‘s Nutty for Oats Cookies and Salted Plains’ Peanut Butter Maple Cookies with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt.
Make it gluten free: Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
Make it dairy free: Readers report that coconut oil and olive oil works in place of the butter in this recipe (I haven’t tried). Use dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life brand.
Make it vegan: Substitute a flax egg for the regular egg, coconut oil for the butter, and make sure to use non-dairy chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life brand.
Storage suggestions: These cookies keep well in an air-tight plastic bag for a couple of days. Freeze for longer-term storage.
Change it up: These cookies should be totally adaptable! Use only 1 cup oats, ground, for flatter cookies. Try substituting some chopped pecans or walnuts for some of the chocolate chips, and/or stir in the unsweetened coconut flakes. If you do both, you can call these cookies flourless cowboy cookies!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
P.s. Here’s a banana and honey version of these cookies!
This are the oatmeal cookies that I will bake forever – so good! I used raisins instead of chocolate chips and olive oil and they were great!
Great to hear, Meghan! Thank you for your review.
WOW! I have been looking for this cookie all my life, no processed sugars or refined flours. I used almond butter in replacement and exchanged the egg for a flax egg. So delicious! Struggling to not eat them all in one sitting, and the batter made over 20 cookies :-) Thank you so much!!
Hooray! I’m happy you found it and have so many cookies to enjoy. I appreciate your review, Elsa!
These cookies are so delicious! My adult children said that they are the best peanut butter cookies that I have made!. I used half raisins and half chocolate chips and they came out perfect! I got your cookbook for my birthday and I always cook and bake your recipes! Everything I have made from your book is amazing! Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Rodica! I appreciate your review.
These are super good! I did decrease the amount of chocolate chips by half other than that I kept everything the same. I’ve gotten into the habit of making a half a recipe with of course a quarter of the amount of chocolate chips and then just eating the dough before it bakes. Not all at once of course. One of the reasons I do this is the peanut butter flavor comes through a little better when it’s raw rather than after it’s baked though they were good baked too of course.
This turned out so dry
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that. How long did you bake it for? How id you measure the flour?
In an interesting turn of events, my kids wouldn’t eat more than a bite of these…:but my husband and I Love them and have been eating them with coffee every morning. I substituted 3/4 of the choc chip measurement with raisins and pecans. It’s the perfect healthy breakfast cookie. A great way to eat oats in the AM if regular oatmeal isn’t your thing.
How would the ground oats convert to oat flour? Thanks!
Hi Stephanie! yes, see my How to Make Oat Flour
I have oat flour- what is the amount of oat flour?
Hi! Follow my How to Make Oat Flour for measurement guidance as it isn’t exact 1:1
These cookies are sooo delicious. They are moist, soft in the middle and hold together well. Love the maple flavour with the peanut butter. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
You’re welcome, Marilee!
BEST cookies ever. Anyone tried to make them in bar form, instead of individual cookies? What adaptations are required? So yummy!!
Hi Martha, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. Sorry!
Yes. I spread a layer on a cookie sheet and then broke them into bars after baking. Full disclosure, I was too lazy to use my scoop to make individual cookies.
OMG these are so good! And too easy to make :)
Even though I’m a serious chocoholic, i use only about 1 1/3 cup chocolate chips and it doesnt seem skimpy at all.
I’m wondering if anyone has tried switching brown sugar for part of the maple syrup…just because maple syrup is real expensive here.
Thanks so much for still another great recipe!!
Thank you for sharing! I’m excited to hear you enjoyed them.
These are an amazing healthier option for delicious cookies! I just used quick cooking oats rather than blitzing old fashioned oats in the food processor. I also like to put the batter in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to soften the oats and let flavors meld! I can scale back on the chocolate chips just a bit and there is still plenty of chocolate goodness! My kids devour these! Thank you Kate!
You’re welcome, Lacy! Thanks for sharing how you made them.
Kathryne, these were amazing. I’ve been on the hunt for a vegan chocolate chip cookie, and made your Amazing Chocolate Chip cookies (which were great, but I found the coconut oil flavour a bit much). These were perfect! The oats, peanut butter and chocolate chips blend together so well! This will be my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe. Love the tips you give to make the recipes vegan. Thanks for another great recipe xxx
I have made the these cookies many times now, they are a household Favourite!
I use homemade almond/macadamia butter due to peanut allergies.
I use raisins or both raisins and chocolate which work great!
With the oats, I just do 2 3/4 cups of traditional oats.
I chuck ALL the ingredients (except the raisin/choc) in the THERMOMIX, blend it on speed 5 or 6 for 30-40 seconds then fold through the raisin/choc.
These are a great favorite to have! Thank you for sharing, Amy.
I found this recipe with the intention of making a healthier cookie… Then I realized we were out of peanut butter so I replaced it with half almond butter and half Nutella and oh my goodness they are so delicious!!
I’m glad that worked out, Colby!
OH MY GOODNESS!! These are delicious! I made these for my friend, she has a lot of food allergies so I left out the peanut butter.
So good and simple to make! Love the substitutions to accommodate gluten free & dairy free! This cookie recipe is our go-to!
I love to hear that, Katie! Thank you for your review.
Can I use almond flour as a substitute for ground oats?
I don’t think you will have the same result. Almond flour can be tricky. Sorry!
I love these so much! Thank you for your recipes with clean ingredients that I can eat without issue.
Hi can you share a nutritional breakdown on these? Calories? Protein? Fat?
Thanks!
Hi Lisa, The nutritional information is below the notes section of the blog.
These cookies are so delicious, but beware, extremely addictive! I brought them to a small party last night and they were gone in a flash. Everyone loved them! I used olive oil instead of butter and about 1- 1/3 cups of chocolate chips, which was plenty, even for this chocoholic. But, if you like your sweets super sweet, you might want to include the full 2 cups of chocolate chips as these cookies are sweet, but subtly so. I will definitely be making these again very soon and rotating them as a breakfast treat along with my usual Cookie&Kate go-tos, pumpkin muffins and banana muffins. YUM!! Thank you, Kate, for another amazing and healthy recipe!!
Thank you, Amy! I’m glad you loved it.
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?
I recommend this best as written. You can try the Peanut Butter, Banana, Honey & Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Hello!
I’ve always been a fan of your recipes since I started cooking and baking many years ago. I’ve been on the hunt for a tasty chocolate chip cookie recipe and this is it! The cookies turned out perfectly and were delicious!
I did substitute coconut oil for butter, which made the dough slightly wetter, so I added about 4 tbsp of 1 to 1 Bob’s Red Mill GF flour.
These cookies were delicious!
Thank you!
Holy cow–I don’t leave reviews very often but these are so good! They taste exactly like the unhealthy peanut butter cookies I used to make, but with more wholesome ingredients.
Wonderful to hear, Kate! I appreciate your review.
These cookies are delcious, thank you for sharing the recipe.
I change it up a little. Instead of two cups of chocolate chips, I make up mixed two cups of seeds ( including sunflower, pepita,sesame, hemp), cocoa nibs, dried blueberries ( or whatever dried fruit I have in the cupboard), some shredded coconut and mixed nuts ( whatever I have in the cupboard).
They turn out so tasty with the peanut butter and cocoa nibs and we eat them as breakfast cookies. Everyone that tries them, loves them. Thank you Renee in Newcastle, Australia
I come back to these time and time again. My favorite cookies and I’m not gluten free
That’s great to hear, Amy! Thank you for your review.
These are so hearty and delish! My whole family loves them, especially my teenagers! I love to use mini chocolate chips and find I can easily get away with three cups of chips when I double the recipe.
I love these cookies, I make them every week! Today I added coconut flakes, pecans and 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder and chocolate chips, of course, they are wonderful, so easy and they always turn out perfectly, every time.
So sorry about Cookie:(
We love these. No matter how many times i multiply recipe i use 1 bar chocolate. Whatever oil i have on hand..olive oil etc. Almond butter or tahini..they are so adaptable. Silan instead of maple and i use less of it. Thank u!
These cookies are fantastic! They are so tasty with a consistency which chewy within and crunchy on the sides, a great balance. Instead of chocolate chips, I crushed chocolate bars so there are some chunks. With a convector oven, one needn’t change the racks midway…I am not gluten intolerant but for those who are GF, I love the fact that these cookies do not contain wheat, brilliant that one just blends half of the oats! A real keeper, thank you!
Great to hear, Brynn! I appreciate your review.
Turned out amazing!! Best cookies I ever made so far :) Thank you!
You’re welcome, Clarice!
These are some really great cookies! I think next time I make them I will use 1/2 as many chocolate chips, though. 2 cups made the dough not hold together like maybe it should have and they just seen overrun with chocolate. Probably the first time I have disagreed with any of Kate’s recipes, and, trust me, I’ve made a lot of them!
These were a great dessert for our family. I did use sunflower butter in place of peanut butter due to an allergy. Next time I might pull back on the coconut oil since the sunflower butter is a softer seed butter. But the taste was wonderful, just the right amount of sweetness and flavor. Fun bonus, the sunflower butter turns the cookies a shade of green inside (chemical reaction with the baking soda). This worked out well since I made these on St. Patrick’s Day.
Another great, easy and healthy recipe. Followed instructions as written and these were a big hit for recent dinner party. Thanks for your well written, easy to follow and healthy alternative recipes. I can always turn to you for consistent results. Your website is bookmarked on my computer (I’ve made so many things….especially the deserts). Thank you !!
My whole family LOVES these cookies. I always double the recipe so I can freeze some for later. Also I’ve found if I use mini chocolate chips I can get away with only putting in half the amount.
Hi! I don’t have a food processor so I was wondering if it’s possible to replace oat flour with whole wheat flour or almond flour instead?
Hi Bella, whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour should work, I would need to test other substitutions.
Sooooo good! I mostly stick to a very clean, healthy, g.f. diet. I made these for my little grandsons because they looked like a healthier version …. unbelievably good! This will be my little splurge going forward.
PS I am Canadian and order my maple syrup from Quebec, organic and pure. They offer a “very dark” option for baking, it was brilliant in these cookies. Escuminac