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 recipe did a wonderful job of helping me turn things I usually keep around into an easy, tasty treat. I will say that the 2 cups of chocolate chips was really excessive for me. I used a bag of chocolate chips that only amounted to about 1 2/3, and even still, the chocolate by no means fit into the dough, chips were just spilling out, and I resorted to pressing the dough into a bar cookies form to try to mitigate the chocolate chip overload. I would definitely suggest reducing the chocolate chips amount!
Wonderful, Natasha! I’m sorry the chocolate chips seemed too much. Were they on the larger side?
Full batch of these cookies only lasted two days between me and the hubby. Making them again now. This one’s a keeper!
These are so “comfort food-y”!!! They are delicious and you can’t eat just one but after two (ok, maybe 3) you are totally satisfied as they are so deliciously dense. Gluten free, white sugar free and so yummy, what more could you ask for in a cookie?
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe! ❤️
I made these exactly as your recipe but they did need an extra 3 minutes to bake. THEY WERE DELICIOUS! I love that they didn’t require wheat flour. And no refined granulated sugar. My teenagers loved them. I loved them. Definitely making these again.
Made these cookies 3 times already. These have been a hit at our house!
I love it! Thank you for sharing, Lauren.
They are in the oven now. 2 cups of chocolate chips is definitely way too much in my opinion. I did not realize that until I was mixing them into the batter. Also,’Bake Believe’ brand has delicious NO SUGAR added dark chocolate chips. I prefer their dark chocolate chips to their semi-sweet. You can buy them at Walmart for around $4 for 9 oz. They are much cheaper than Lily’s stevia sweetened chocolate chips.
These are amazing! I have gestational diabetes and was able to eat one with dinner and my blood sugar was still within range. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Another recipe I am reviewing and loving! Thanks so much. I use raisins as an alternative to chocolate even though I’m missing the chocolate . I noticed this last batch seemed to be crumbly. Any insight into why? I wonder if I left them in too long? They weren’t totally browning by 12 mins so I probably left them for 14. Anyway I will continue making these as an alternative to sugary cookies! Thank you!
Hi Chelsea! Glad you’re enjoying these cookies! I’m really not sure why your latest batch is crumbly, but it could be because they were in the oven a little longer. Or it could possible be due to a slight variance in the measurement of the oats (more oats – more crumbly).
These are delicious! A neighbor made them and shared a few. I had to make my own batch the next day! I used a combo of peanut, almond and sunflower seed butters as I didn’t have 2/3 cup of pb and they turned l out great.
So good you have to make it for yourself, I love it! Thank you for taking the time to review, JT.
Hi kate, can I use instant oats instead of rolled oats?
Thanks so much – really love your recipes!
Angela
Hi Angela! I think that would be fine (the oats will sort of disappear into the cookies, so the texture will be a bit different).
Hi Kate,
Thank you for the recipe . I tried it, replaced maple syrup with honey. I weighed everything & also added 1/4 cup Raw Cocoa powder instead of 1.25 cups of ground Oats (1 cup) . The resulting dough was quite sticky and not as firm.
I baked one batch for 14 mins, although they taste amazing, their centers were stuck to the silicone mat & they were very soft.
What do you think might have gone wrong? You think I should reduce the amount of honey to be used next time?
Hi Amishi, it may have been the substitution you made omitting the oats. Baking can be quite precise to get just right.
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!
I replaced the quarter cup of rolled oats which had to be ground, with Cocoa powder, not all of it. I still used 1 cup of oats. I understand baking is precise as I have been baking for some time now. I just wasn’t sure why this cookie dough was almost between a bread & cookie dough.
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
Hi
I really love your recipes ! Have tried so many dishes from your recipes and have never been disappointed :)
Thank you so much
Is it possible to substitute the chocolate chips for some nuts in this recipe and in the peanut butter banana honey & oat chocolate chip cookies as well ?
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but let me know if you do. I suggest chopping them prior to adding them in.
I used sunbutter in my cookies and was shocked to see that the cookies had turned green in the morning. It took quite a bit of googling to figure out why. ha! Just a heads up for anyone who is wanting these to be nut tree.
Thank you for sharing, Jody!
Love these cookies. They are now my husband’s favourite!
Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good.
These are wonderful! I was skeptical about a cookie with no granular sugar (I usually use coconut) but these are perfect. They are slightly fluffy and perfectly – but not too – sweet. Mine spread a little more than the ones in the picture but that’s fine with me since my boyfriend prefers a crispier cookie. I made these in no time at all while on the clock working from home. Thanks!
I’m glad you loved them, Kat! Thank you for sharing.
These were delicious, my entire family (kids included) approved! I used Ghee as I didn’t have enough coconut oil and they were delicious. I was a little worried I did something wrong because the batter seemed too liquid-y, but they puffed right up in the oven!
I used almond butter and oat flour instead of ground oats – these cookies are SO good. Thank you Kate! Your recipes are so reliably wonderful :)
You’re welcome, Alyssa! Happy you enjoyed them.
These are almost identical to a cookie I created in my restaurant 15 years ago
These are delicious. I replaced about 1/3 cup chocolate chips with walnuts and cut maple down to 1/3 cup and they were awesome!
If I want to only use oat flour for this recipe, how many cups should I use – 2 3/4 cups?
Also, how much does the maple come through in this recipe?
Hi Meredith! Oat flour itself won’t likely work here as you need the oats for structure. Follow the instructions and you will make a coarse oat flour as part of the steps. I hope that helps!
These are SO good!!! When my colitis flares up and I can’t eat regular sugar, but want something sweet, natural sweeteners like maple syrup do the trick. I would eat these even when I can have sugar though.. they are that good!
Sorry but personally, there were too many chocolate chips in there.
Additionally it tastes much better with Mayo on top
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one. I appreciate the feedback!
No I thought it was fine but just a little less chocolate
I have tried so many gluten free cookie recipes and this is by far my favorite! Thanks for sharing:)
I’m glad you loved it, Jess!
Absolutely perfect whole family approved healthy cookie recipe! Lightly crisp edges, perfectly tender, not too sweet, super chocolatey – delicious!
Opted for 1 cup each of the oat flour and oats, and lessened the maple syrup & chocolate chips. Also made 12-13 bigger cookies and they came out perfect! A nice crisp on the outside, but soft and a bit chewy inside. Will definitely be experimenting more with this recipe in the future. I see this being great with raisins or dates and some seeds. Thanks Kate!
My absolute go-to, guilt free comfort cookie. This recipe is foolproof. I’ve replaced with all kinds of oats, crunchy peanut butter, oil only, barely measured and they always turn out great. Thanks!
These cookies are AMAZING – almost TOO GOOD! Working on my second batch now :) The first batch I made per the recipe, but the second batch I cut the chocolate chips by 1/2 and am adding ~1/4 cup of walnuts
I made these cookies yesterday. I reduced the chocolate chips to 1 cup which seemed to work fine. They are so easy to prepare and very delicious. I will definitely make them again. Thanks for the recipe! :)
Hello. How many cookies are in a serving? one?
Hi Robin! Serving information can be found in the nutritional section.
Hi, I want to make these for a friend but have no food processor with which to make oat flour. However, I do have almond flour. Would that work?
Hi! Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t find almond flour works well as a 1:1 substitute.
Kate, I don’t know how you do it, but everything I’ve tried from your site turns out fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing your creativity with us! This recipe is delicious!
I also love your focus on whole food and making healthier versions of all the classics!
Thank you :)
Natalie
Aw, thank you! I’m glad you are enjoying my recipes, Natalie.
I am so happy to have found these! Even with one-third of the chocolate chips these were sweet and lovely.
I have been searching for cookies (I love sweets) without added sugar (due to arthritis, I’m trying to have less sugar). I am scanning your other dessert offerings to see whether you have other recipes without added sugar. Any suggestions?
Hi Rachel, sorry to disappoint that you are having a hard time finding recipes. No-Bake Greek Yogurt Tart may be a good option!
This is the BEST cookie recipe EVER!! I found it back in 1/2017 and have been using it since. It’s a little too sweet for me so I just reduce the syrup or molasses depending on who I am making them for. Not having to have GF flour here for my is perfect also. I would love to email to a friend in TN….not sure how to do that but I’ll figure it out!! Thank you so much for this KEEPER!! God bless you and yours!! Here’s to health!
I love that you have been making these since 2017! Thank you for taking the time to comment and review, Ann.
Love this recipe! I substituted the 1 1/4 ground rolled oats with designated coconut due to running out of oats and it turned out delicious!
Anyone know how to adapt this DELICIOUS recipe for baking at high altitude (8000 feet)? Thank you.
Sure, it may just be lacking some flavor.
This recipe is delicious! I’ve been making these for the past year as “lactation cookies” and my milk supply has been great; I just add some brewers yeast. My one year old son says thank you as well:). Absolutely amazing.
Great recipe! Never been able to find a ‘healthier’ cookie recipe with a nice texture like these.
However, I do find them a little too sweet.
Xx
Can I use quick rolled oats instead of old fashioned ones? Thanks!
I know someone else enjoyed quick oats and it worked. . I haven’t tried so I can’t say fo sure.
Love these!! I had them at a friend’s house and she passed me the recipe. I doubled it, but did NOT double the chocolate chips (left them at 2 cups) or the maple syrup (just increased it from 2/3 cups to 1 cup). I also threw a random handful of dried cranberries in there to get them out of the cupboard. I am super lazy – so instead of spooning them into cookie form, I greased a 9×13 baking pan and pressed it in evenly to make bars! Yes there were some crumbs from cutting it after baking, but you just scoop those up and put them on top of plain Greek yogurt. My kids gobble these up and I don’t feel bad letting them have one with their breakfast or after school.
Made, delicious, but next morning they looked “green!” Left out, covered, but why discolored?
I’m sorry to hear that! I really don’t know why that would happen. Please use your best judgement if they are safe to eat.
Hi Kate! I was wondering if I can use the same ratio of oat flour instead of using oats in a food processor?
Hi Kathryne, you don’t want quite oat flour consistency as you want more texture. I hope you try them and let me know what you think!
So is it 12 minutes total baking time, 6 min before swap or 12min on ea h rack = 24 min total?
Hi, Yes it’s 12 min total baking time so change the pans at 6 min. I hope you enjoy them!
Could you use almond butter instead of peanut butter?
That should work too. Let me know what you think!
Fantastic! Made the cookies with coconut oil and gluten free oats.
THEY were so filling, and tasty! I loved that they retained their shape during cooking :)
I’m glad you liked these cookies, Mandy!
I originally chose this recipe because I wanted a healthier cookie without having to buy alternative flours or sweeteners. I happen to always have oats and maple syrup. I loved the cookies! I have also adapted this recipe to make oatmeal, walnut, raisin and spiced molasses. For those I use almond butter for a more neutral flavor. Such a good base recipe! The cookies are filling which is nice too.
Looking forward to making these…. I only have regular smooth peanut butter not natural, will that make a difference?
Hi! Be sure that it is smooth. You may need to adjust the salt if it has added salt or it may be too sweet if it has added sugar.
My husband and I crave these cookies on the regular. We follow the recipe to the T (using coconut oil instead of butter gives it that extra yum factor). We also use all types of PB without any problems. Love this!
That’s great, Jace!
These are delicious. I have a peanut allergy, so I subbed for Sunbutter and they worked perfectly. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Lara!
Yum!!!! Every recipe of cookie and Kate that I try is a total home run! When I started placing these cookies on the sheet I wondered if they would become too flat because I measured wrong or something but they turned out perfect! Pretty good for making cookies and I rarely bake.
I’m glad you loved these cookies, Nancy!