Peanut Butter Blossoms have been keto-fied! Soft low carb peanut butter cookies with a “kiss” of sugar free chocolate in the center. These easy Keto Christmas cookies will help you make it through the holidays.
My low carb peanut butter blossom cookies get a shiny new update with a brand new video! They were first published back in December 2013, but since then I have found ways to make them easier, softer, and even more delicious.
You have no idea how much it pains me to say this but I might be getting a little tired of low carb Christmas cookies.
And if you know ANYTHING about me, you know that this is akin to heresy in my books. Every year, I look forward to the Christmas baking season with all the eagerness of a child awaiting the arrival of St. Nick. I start writing down ideas for all the goodies I will make months in advance, envisioning the pretty boxes of homemade baked goods for friends and family.
I always have to hold myself back from starting too early, lest this very thing should occur…that I should get sick of Christmas cookies before Christmas is actually here.
Fret not, dear readers. I shall recover. By the time Christmas actually rolls around, I will be back in top form, enjoying all the keto Christmas cookies I have made and frozen in advance.
I have tackled a lot of the classic holiday cookies that everybody loves and misses when on a low carb or gluten-free diet. The cookies of our childhoods, the ones we made with our parents and that bring out that nostalgia for Christmas Past.
Of course, we don’t all share the same past and we all have different ideas of what constitutes a classic Christmas cookie. But I have tried to hit the ones that everyone knows. To that end, I created low carb, gluten-free versions of Gingerbread Men, Spritz Cookies, Snowballs and Shortbread.
And one of my all time favourites, which was a huge coup for me, low carb Mincemeat Tarts. That one fell a little flat with my American audience, since mincemeat isn’t as common here as it is in other realms. But I hardly care, I’ve got 20 little tartlets in my freezer waiting to be devoured on Christmas Eve.
How To Make Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Peanut Butter Blossoms were not something I grew up making and eating at Christmas. But once I moved to the US, they seemed to be on everyone’s holiday cooke tray. And seriously, what’s not to love about a big soft peanut butter cookie with a chocolate kiss in the center?
But for a keto version, both the cookie and the kiss needed a little work. Or rather a lot of work.
A combination of low carb flours: For the keto peanut butter cookies, I originally had a recipe that was made mostly with peanut flour. I loved the flavor but the cookies were a bit on the dry side and were stiffer than I’d like.
So I re-worked them last year and found that less peanut flour and more almond flour produced a more tender cookie but still with plenty of peanut flavor. Yes, this recipe takes THREE different flours but it works best. If you want to skip the coconut flour, that’s fine but you need to make it up with a bit more peanut flour.
Low carb sweetener options: I always use granular Swerve Sweetener. But the new Swerve Brown would make for some delectable peanut butter blossoms, and you could try Bocha Sweet as well (although I worry it would make the cookies a bit too soft).
Use your hands: You want to roll these into balls and then press down with the heel of your hand. Or use a glass coved in plastic wrap to press them down. Then use your thumb to create an indentation in the center of the cookie. As they bake, the cookies will puff up a bit so you need indent them again when they come out of the oven. They will be very soft at that point.
If you want to get that same “rolled in sugar” look, I suggest sprinkling the cookies with a little granulated sweetener when they are hot out of the oven.
Easy sugar free chocolate kisses: Once the cookies are cool, you simply make a thick chocolate ganache to put in the center. All you have to do is melt some sugar free dark chocolate, such as Lily’s, with some butter. I do this in a pan over low heat but you could also do it in the microwave. Let it cool for a bit so it thickens before you add it to the cookies. It makes a better chocolate kiss that way.
Big batch baking: Let me just say that this recipe make a LOT of cookies. About 60 of them. It is designed for sharing and gift giving, but feel free to cut it in half if that works best for you.
And the result? These low carb Peanut Butter Blossoms are absolutely delicious and worthy of your keto holiday dessert tray
Although the process is very different than the conventional version, the flavour is spot on. And dare I say that using good sugar free chocolate instead of a Hershey’s kiss results in even better flavor?
Peanut Blossoms - Low Carb and Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 ½ cups peanut flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 tablespoon coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 1 cup Swerve Sweetener
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup Swerve or granulated erythritol or xylitol for sprinkling optional.
Chocolate "Kisses":
- 6 oz sugar free dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and line several large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut flour, almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat together the peanut butter and butter until creamy. Beat in sweetener, and then beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined.
- Beat in peanut flour mixture until dough comes together.
- Form dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Wrap the bottom of a glass in plastic wrap and press each ball into a flat round, about ⅓ inch thick.
- Use your thumb to press an indentation into the center of each cookie.
- Bake about 15 minutes, until puffed and just barely beginning to brown (if you put more than one cookie sheet in the oven at a time, keep an eye on the one on the lower rack to make sure it doesn't brown too quickly).
- Remove from oven. If needed, re-form the well in the center by gently pressing with the end of a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with granulated erythritol or xylitol of desired.
- Let cool on pan 5 to 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
- For the chocolate kisses, melt butter and chocolate together in a small saucepan over low heat. Let cool until thickened enough to "dollop" into the well in each cookie.
- Let set 1 hour.
Amy says
HOLY SCHNIKEYS.
These are sooooo good. I followed the recipe to the letter, but only baked them for 13 minutes. I’m delighted to find a recipe that is substantially lower in carbs and sugars but tases JUST AS GOOD. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Sharon says
I made these for an intense springtime peanut butter chocolate craving. I halved the recipe as suggested for personal consumption, used half brown Swerve/half regular granulated Swerve, reduced the peanut flour to a half cup for the half batch and also reduced the cooking time by a few minutes. Just ridiculously amazing. Crave buster.
Paula says
Can you freeze the raw dough to make later? Since it’s such a big batch? If so for how long will it last and any tips before freezing?
Carolyn says
Yes you totally can! I have. Or you can do a half batch. Wrap it up tightly to freeze and then just thaw to room temp.
Melissa says
I’m so glad that I found your blog. We have absolutely loved many of your recipes and I’m sure we’ll love many more! Thank you for all you do.
That being said, like some other reviewers when I followed this recipe my cookies came out dry- like boxed pecan sandy dry. When I reduced baking time they were still dry and not very peanut buttery. Do you weigh or volume measure? Just trying to figure out what went wrong as your recipes are always great! Maybe that I had a different brand of peanut flour?
For anyone who struggled like me. I made a second batch where I weighed instead of volume measured. I added 3tsp unflavored gelatin a small amount (didn’t measure sorry) of peanut oil (wondering if my peanut butter or peanut flour was dryer) and reduced cooking time to 12 min. I also made the “kiss” gnocche with 3/4 dark Lilly’s and 1/4 milk chocolate Lilly’s. These came out like the peanut butter cookies of my youth and my household quickly became obsessed.
Carolyn says
You know, this recipe actually works as is and I have made it multiple times because my kids love it. Previous reviewers sometimes found it dry so I re-worked the recipe a few years ago and posted that. Since then, yours is the only review that has found them dry. So something is amiss on your end, although it’s very hard to say what. Can I ask what brand of peanut flour you are using?
What really strikes me as strange is that you say they weren’t very peanut buttery, but you used peanut flour, which should make them MORE so, not less. So I am stumped.
Debbie Whitley says
Just finished making these and they taste just like the ones my mom used to make every Christmas. Thank You, Carolyn for another great recipe.
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Kelly says
Im curious about the chocolate… does it set up firm, similar to a Hershey kiss? And stay firm at real I’m temp? I ask, because I purchased large kiss silicone molds to use with this recipe. I could just use straight up Lilly’s chips, but feel like those would almost be too hard.
Carolyn says
It firms up quite a bit but not quite as hard as a Hershey’s kiss. It’s more like a thick chocolate glaze on a cake that firms up. They are fine at room temp unless it’s hot. I’ve given them away to friends and had no issues.
Kelly says
Awesome. Thanks for the response. I’m going to try them in the mold today and let you know how it goes! I’m in the Midwest, so heat is not an issue this time of the year ;). Your site and cook books art my go-to. Consistently reliable recipes, which is not necessarily easy to come by in the keto world. Thank you for your hard work. It is people like you that make this WOE sustainable long term — Game changer. Have a great holiday!
Carolyn says
Thank you! I actually just got those molds to try out but I am going to do my blossoms this way for right now…
Mary says
Peanut flour! I’ve never heard of it before. Will have to do some research. Hopefully, I’ll be able to find it on Amazon since we live in the boonies. My husband will be delighted if we can get it.
Carolyn says
it’s available on Amazon https://amzn.to/2R64OGK
Thelma says
Can I substitute pb2 for peanut flour ?
Carolyn says
I’ve never tried it myself but other readers say you can.
solange tremblay says
can you substitute peanut butter flour for peanut butter powder and what would be the quantity for this recipe ?
thks
Carolyn says
The same amount.
Stacy says
Can you use PB fit as the peanut flour?
Carolyn says
Readers have tried it and said it works well.
Michelle Marcotte says
Hi, Your comment that you freeze your Christmas cookies has me intrigued. I thought that because the cookies don’t have wheat flour they might not freeze well. So, I am doing a baking blitz of several of your cookies on the 23rd to have them ready. But my life would be easier if they did freeze well!. Have you tried freezing Nanaimo bars, Gingerbread cake, pecan toffee bars and butter pecan cookies??
Carolyn says
Wheat flour has nothing to do with whether or not something freezes well. The butter pecan cookies and toffee bars both freeze well. So will the Gingerbread cake except frost it AFTER you thaw it. I worry that the filing of the Nanaimo bars will change in the freezer.
Marisa says
These are best keto recipe I have made so far! Thanks for the recipe.
Carolyn says
So glad you like them!
Maria says
Hi Carolyn,
I am dying to try this recipe but I do not have peanut flour. Can I use more almond flour and also increase the amount of pb? Would this change the recipe too much?
Carolyn says
Almond flour is higher in fat and not as fine. You can try a combo of almond and coconut flour but I just can’t really guide you since I haven’t tried it myself.
Amy says
Do you think I could make my own peanut flour first by processing roasted, salted peanuts in a food processor? I have made peanut butter this way, but maybe the flour would not be fine enough?
Carolyn says
No you can’t, not just because of the fine-ness but because the flour is “defatted” which means about 50% of the fat has been removed. It’s part of what makes it so powdery and dry.
Amy says
Ok thanks!
Becky Hardin says
Peanut Butter Blossoms are the best! A must make at Christmas time.
Anna says
Loving this low-carb version of our favorite cookie! I need to make a new batch soon!
Erin says
Such a classic cookie and has been my favorite for years! Love this low carb version.
Kara says
These are a favorite cookie at my house. Thanks for coming up with a healthier version!
Sommer says
I can’t believe these are low carb… They’re SO delicious!!
Tory says
Omigod, how did I ever miss your Mincemeat Tarts????? Probably because I didn’t find you til maybe 2014? Anyway, mincemeat is one of my favorite things (along with Fig Pudding)… I used to make it from scratch (complete with suet) and eventually developed a favorite with green tomatoes!
Needless to say I’ll be starting on dried cranberries this very week in order to make this a VERY special Christmas.
Thank you, Carolyn!!
Carolyn says
Enjoy!