I really enjoy experimenting with my air fryer these days. It’s an incredibly useful kitchen gadget for everything from keto chicken wings to crispy Brussels sprouts. And it’s great for making smaller recipes that suit one to two people – because that’s where I am in my life now, sadly.
It’s also great for baking small batch keto desserts. With the great success of my Keto Air Fryer Cookies, it was time to play around with other flavors. And what could be more enticing than some tender Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies?
This time, I experimented with making a larger batch and refrigerating some of the dough, and it worked perfectly. Now I can make keto peanut butter cookies on demand!
Why you will love this recipe
- Easy to make: These small batch cookies take simple ingredients and only 15 minutes to make!
- Perfect texture: Soft, tender, and a little chewy.
- Rich flavor: Classic peanut butter flavor in a sugar-free cookie!
- Make ahead recipe: This recipe makes 8 servings, so you can refrigerate or freeze the extra dough for whenever keto cookie cravings strike.
- Family friendly: Everyone loves them, from kids to adults.
- Customizable: Add chocolate chips to the dough or skip them for a classic cookie.
- Keto-friendly: With only 3.8 grams net carbs per serving, you can feel good about this treat!
Ingredient Notes
- Peanut butter: I recommend using a thick but creamy natural peanut butter for these cookies. If you only have thin, drippy peanut butter, check out the Tips section for how to adjust.
- Butter: This gives the cookies richness and tenderness.
- Brown sugar substitute: I recommend an erythritol-based sweetener so the cookies don’t get overly dark in the air fryer.
- Almond flour: Choose a finely ground almond flour for best results.
- Collagen: Collagen protein powder (aka collagen peptides) gives the cookies a great chewy texture. If you choose not to use it, you can try adding 2 more tablespoons of almond flour.
- Chocolate chips (optional): You can make them with or without, it’s up to you!
- Pantry staples: Egg, vanilla, baking soda.
How to Make These Air Fryer Cookies
- Combine the wet ingredients: Beat the peanut butter and butter with the sweetener, then beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the almond flour, collagen, baking soda, and salt and beat until well combined.
- Optional step: If you wish to add chocolate chips, add them in at this point.
- Form the cookies: Divide the dough in half and divide each half into 4 even balls. Press down to half an inch thick.
- Air fry: Bake the cookies in the air fryer at 310ºF for 8 to 10 minutes, or until firm and golden brown.
- Let cool: Allow the cookies to cool completely before enjoying.
Tips for Success
If the peanut butter you use is very thin and drippy, you may want to skip the butter OR add extra almond flour. The dough should feel like regular peanut butter cookie dough, so if yours is goopy, add more flour.
If the collagen you use is sweetened, I recommend cutting the additional sweetener back to 1/4 cup. I love the Perfect Keto Salted Caramel Collagen in this recipe but it can make it overly sweet if you use the full amount of sweetener.
If you would prefer to skip the collagen, you will need to add another two tablespoons of almond flour.
No air fryer? You can place the cookie on the parchment on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 325ºF. It will probably take 12 to 15 minutes.
Sweetener Options: I recommend an erythritol based sweetener for this recipe, as allulose will cause it to brown very quickly. You can certainly use what you like best but you need to know that your results will differ.
More Keto Cookie Recipes to Love
Air Fryer Keto Peanut Butter Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (172 g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp (28.4 g) butter, softened
- 1/3 cup (66.67 g) brown sugar replacement
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2/3 cup (74.67 g) almond flour
- 3 tbsp collagen powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- Pinch salt
- 1/4 cup (45 g) keto chocolate chips, (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 310ºF.
- In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, butter, and sweetener. Beat until well combined and smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
- Add the almond flour, collagen powder, baking soda, and salt, and beat until well combined.
- If using chocolate chips, stir them in at this point.
- Divide the dough into two even portions, then roll each portion into 4 balls. Place 4 of the balls onto a piece of parchment (or a parchment air fryer liner) and press down to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a fork to create a cross hatch pattern on the cookies, if desired.
- Set the air fryer to Bake and set the parchment paper on the air fryer crisper rack. Cook at 310ºF for 8 to 10 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Remove and let cool completely.
- Repeat with the remaining cookie dough, or wrap it tightly in plastic and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
You should use a piece of parchment or a parchment paper liner when air-frying cookies. It will help keep them from sticking, falling apart, or getting too brown on the bottom. It also makes it easier to get them in and out before and after baking.
If your air fryer has a Bake function, which most do, I recommend using it. It blows the heat more gently than the regular air fry setting, which keeps the cookies from getting too brown. Keep the heat low regardless. I found that 310ºF works well for keto cookies.
This recipe has 5g of carbs and 1.2g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.8g net carbs per cookie.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I keep trying keto cookie recipes. And I end up with tasteless cookies. I therefore have to spread peanut butter on the cookies to give it some taste. I think these are the first, well maybe the second cookie that I don’t need to add peanut butter on top to give it some flavor. These are great without it. They’re a little bit crispy on the outside. They’re a little bit chewy on the inside. And I can taste the peanut butter. So I’m glad that I have tried this recipe of yours. I have liked every recipe I’ve ever tried of yours. Your chocolate chip cookie is also pretty good. That was the other one that I didn’t need to put peanut butter on to make it more enjoyable. Thanks so much for all your hard work. I’m so sorry that your life has taken the turn it has. But I am thankful that you’re still doing recipes for those of us who look forward to your next great recipe.
Great to hear!
My hubby loved these, but alas, I can’t try them because I’m vegetarian. Quite a few of the cookie recipes here use gelatin/collagen for added chewiness — a genius hack to counteract the tendency of keto baked goods to have a dry mouthfeel. Is there a vegetarian sub for collagen/gelatin? Just adding more almond flour doesn’t give that desirable texture. Would whey protein work? Vegan gelatin, like Druid’s Grove? Pectin? Guar gum?
I can’t say, so I think perhaps you need to experiment.
will whey protien work the same way?
Absolutely LOVE these cookies! This is by far my favorite go to site for any & all keto recipes!!
These cookies are dangerous! (Dangerously Good!) This recipe and the giant air fryer chocolate chip cookie recipe are the absolute best!
I can’t wait to try these! It will be nice to have just a couple of hot fresh cookies instead of having to cook them all at once. And the speediness of the air fryer is perfect for when sweet cravings hit. Thanks Carolyn!!
Oh my goodness, I’ve been making your fantastic recipes for over a year now! At the same time, I’ve been trying to find good keto recipes for the air fryer, but 99% of the time they aren’t keto, and converting them isn’t always straightforward. Just like you, I lost my great love six months ago, and I really feel like the air fryer could become my best friend. I’ve been doing a lot of trial and error for the past year, but I believe in its ease of use, the simplicity of its creative possibilities, and how much time it saves. I look forward to trying your cookies, and thank you for your generosity, Mimi.
Hi Mimi… I am so sorry for your loss too. My heart is with you.
I tried these immediately after I initially saw the recipe posted on Facebook and they did not dissapoint! The taste and texture is spot on. I love that it’s a smaller recipe that I can just whip up quickly when I have a craving for a sweet treat and I don’t have to worry about a lot of leftovers laying around. Thanks for another great recipe!
I am delighted to hear it!
I’m so happy you have developed a new air fryer cookie. I too have lost my husband this year and am cooking for one. Thank you!
These were really tasty! Made half, hey we’re a little crumbly, next time I will use the whole egg hoping it stays together a little better. Thanks for sharing!
I finally purchased Perfect Keto collagen as I have found many of your recipes that call for collagen and I’ve been dying to try it. This cookie will be a good start because, frankly, peanut butter is life. Along with coffee and chocolate. I’m sure it will be a winner!
Love these! Fast and easy.