Our gluten-free peanut butter blossoms will be the hit of the holiday party. Made with lots of peanut butter, shortening rather than butter (making them dairy-free!), and Hershey Kisses (leave off for dairy-free), no one will ever know these are made with gluten-free flour.
As you kick off your holiday baking, be sure to add these peanut butter thumbprint cookies to the list. They have to make an appearance at your next cookie exchange or plated up for Santa this year!
Creating delicious gluten-free recipes without compromising on flavor is what we do best. Looking for more recipes that are gluten-free to surprise your friends and family? Our Gluten-Free Apple Cake, Gluten-Free Pecan Pie, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll and Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars have guests asking, “Is this really gluten-free?” every time!
Prepped and ready to bake in 30 minutes, the cookies only require a 10 minute baking time. Making up to 28 cookies, easily make a double batch if baking for a crowd. We do have a warning…you always need more than you think when it comes to these pb blossoms.
To get started, gather the equipment and ingredients then follow the step by step instructions or print the recipe card below.
Equipment
- stand mixer with whisk attachment
- spatula
- measuring cups and spoons
- plastic wrap
- 2 baking sheets
- parchment paper
- small bowl
- Small cookie scoop
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon almond milk (or regular milk if desired)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ✅
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda ✅
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 28 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
*Tested successfully with Bobs Red Mill Gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour
How To Make
Preheat the oven to 375°F and prep the baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix the wet ingredients
To the bowl of the stand mixer, cream 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, brown sugar and shortening for about 2 minutes on high. Add the peanut butter, egg, almond (or regular) milk, and vanilla. Mix until well blended, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the dry ingredients
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix well.
Place the dough into the freezer
Cover the bowl of dough and place into the freezer for 15 minutes or the refrigerator for 30 min to 1 hour. Chilling the dough will help to easily roll the dough into balls to coat with sugar before baking.
Roll the dough into balls
Place the extra 1/4 cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Once the dough is chilled, use the cookie scoop to portion the dough and roll into balls. Roll the balls in the sugar and place onto the prepared baking sheet – do not press down.
Swap the granulated sugar for sprinkles or colored sugar if desired. This is especially fun to do around the holidays using festive colors.
Bake
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until starting to crisp on the outside but still soft on the inside.
While the cookies are baking, unwrap the Hershey Kisses. This is a great job for kids running around looking for something to do!
Remove from oven and press a Hershey’s Kiss gently into the center of the cookie. The edges of the cookie will crack, giving the desired look of the cookie.
Frequently Asked Questions
Creamy or crunchy peanut butter will work for these gluten free peanut butter cookies. It is completely up to your preference! As with any ingredient, use a certified gluten-free brand of peanut butter. You could also swap the peanut butter with sunflower butter for a nut-free version if needed.
Yes, the dough can be frozen and is the best way to freeze these cookies. When ready to bake, thaw the dough, roll out then bake. You could also freeze these cookies once baked; however, the Hersey kiss top is more likely to break. Sometimes we will press a chunk of chocolate in the middle instead of the kiss if planning to freeze then thaw and serve. If freezing, keep in an air tight container for up to 3 months.
The Hersey kiss should only be pressed into the cookies when they are completely done baking. Do not press into the cookie prior to baking. The bottom of the kiss will slightly melt once pressed, which is normal.
This cookie dough should be pliable to easily roll into balls. To prevent crumbly dough, use the spoon and sweep method to get accurate amounts when measuring the flour.
More Gluten Free Baking Ideas
- Gluten-Free Apple Cider Donuts
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Balls
- Dairy Free Frosting
- Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake Recipe
- Mini Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Desserts
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes
- Air Fryer Baked Apples (Gluten-Free)
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
- Gluten Free Monster Cookies
- Christmas Wreath Bundt Cake (Gluten-Free)
- Oatmeal Cookie Dough Bites
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- When a recipe states to “cream” ingredients, it means to blend until combined. Typically, the recipe is referring to butter and sugar.
- Skim, 2%, whole, almond, oat or soy milk can be used successfully in this recipe.
- Chilling cookie dough before baking helps the cooking maintain their shape and not spread out on the cookie sheet.
- Gently press the Hersey Kiss into the cookies while they are still warm. Pick a flavored Hersey Kiss such as peppermint around the holidays to be festive.
Gluten Free Living
Whether you are a newbie or have mastered the gluten-free diet, we are sharing our gluten-free guides to help you navigate the world of gluten-free living.
For questions related to gluten-free foods, check out our Is This Gluten-Free? resource. For questions related to spices, extracts and seasoning blends, the Gluten Free Spices guide is for you. For more tasty gluten-free recipes to create all year round, check out our Gluten Free Recipes For Kids and Gluten-Free Instant Pot Recipes collections!
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms
Equipment
- stand mixer with whisk attachment
- 2 baking sheets
- Small cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon almond milk (or regular milk if desired)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ✅
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour tested with Bobs Red Mill Gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda ✅
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 28 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prep the baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 375°F and prep the baking sheets with parchment paper.
- ⭐️Mix the wet ingredients. To the bowl of the stand mixer, cream 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, brown sugar and shortening – about 2 minutes on high. Add the peanut butter, egg, almond (or regular) milk, and vanilla. Mix until well blended, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.1 cup shortening, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup peanut butter, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon almond milk (or regular milk if desired)
- ⭐️Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix well.1 1/2 cups gluten free flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Place the dough into the freezer. Cover the bowl of dough and place into the freezer for 15 minutes or the refrigerator for 30 min – 1 hour.
- Roll the dough into balls. Place the extra 1/4 cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Once chilled, use the cookie scoop to portion the dough and roll into balls. Roll the balls in the sugar and place onto the prepared baking sheet – do not press down. Repeat.
- ⭐️Bake. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until starting to crisp on the outside but still soft on the inside. Remove from oven and press a Hersheys Kiss gently into the center of the cookie. The edges of the cookie will crack, giving the desired look of the cookie.28 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
Notes
Tips
- If using a different brand of gluten-free flour, select a blend that contains xanthan gum or add according to the package.
- When scooping gluten free flour in baking, use the spoon and sweep method to get accurate amounts.
- Roll the dough balls in granulate sugar, colored sugar or sprinkles.
Gluten-Free Guide
If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming figuring out which foods contain/ may contain gluten and which one’s don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.Nutrition
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