Move Over Peanut Butter
The peanut butter cookie has a look that you can recognize immediately – the cross hatch marks made with a fork. Well, move over peanut butter because we’re copying your look and making Sunbutter Cookies today! These are easy to make and there are TWO different versions you can follow – a more traditional cookie and a paleo-friendly version for those trying to avoid refined sugars and grains like wheat.
What is Sunbutter?
Sunbutter is a delicious alternative to other butters made from sunflower seeds. Because it’s made of seeds, it is not a nut butter at all. That makes it a great option to those prone to allergies – peanuts and tree nuts being two main allergens. But it also happens to be free of wheat, soy, dairy, eggs and shellfish – which are almost all the top allergens. It’s even safe for dogs to eat! Sunbutter is full of protein and has more minerals and vitamins than nut butters. It’s a good food and makes a mean sunbutter cookie!
Paleo-friendly Cookies
I have offered two different versions to this cookie and it needs to be said that the result is not exactly the same. You can even see that they are different in the photo below. The regular sunbutter cookies are a little more crisp, while the paleo version is more chewy. The traditional recipe uses all the ingredients you would expect to see in a cookie recipe – butter, sugar, flour, baking soda and spices. The paleo version of this recipe calls for a few ingredient changes, however. Instead of flour and sugar, we use coconut flour and coconut sugar, along with a little maple syrup. These are common paleo substitutes that help you avoid grains and refined sugars. Both coconut flour and sugar are used in moderation here and as a result, the cookie dough is quite wet. You’ll notice this when you roll the dough into balls. When the cookie bakes you’ll get a nice chewy result that will make any cookie connoisseur happy.
Meredith, I’m so overjoyed to try this recipe! Thank you for sharing this!! My son has a nut allergy and I am always trying to find fun dessert recipes for him using SunButter! Can I use the creamy SunButter or does it have to be the natural??
You can use either kind of Sun Butter. They will definitely be sweeter if you use a butter that has added sugar.
I’ve never heard of sunbutter. Is it sold in stores or do you make it yourself???
You could make it yourself, but you can find Sunbutter in grocery stores in the peanut butter aisle.
I was told that the inside of the cookie would turn green due to the baking soda. But mine did not disappointingly. Is it because I use the all-natural SunButter? The yellow container not the red one?
Hi Lisa,
This particular recipe doesn’t have enough baking soda to make the sunbutter turn green. If you really want the green color, you can up the baking soda to 1 tsp.
It’s amazing I haven’t been able to eat peanut butter for 5 years now and I’ve been craving these cooking it’s amazing 10/10
Thank you for this recipe! My oldest is allergic to all nuts. I’ve always wanted to make PB cookies for rest of family but never dared. This recipe is spot on to texture and taste to them. The dough even kept the forked imprint.
I used 1/2 tbsp as my scoop. Nice uniform shape and size…48 cookies in all!
I love her recipes she thinks out of the box. Keep going
So happy to try this! I have a gluten and nut allergy so finding something I could easily swap for gluten free flour and still taste good was really exciting! I made these for my dad’s birthday because his sister made him peanut butter cookies before she passed I’m happy I was safely able to continue the tradition!
Can you use regular peanut butter if allergies are not an issue or are the amounts of ingredients used to work with Sun Butter?
This recipe was written and tested with peanut butter, so can’t promise it will be the same with peanut butter.