This easy Sunbutter Cookies Recipe is the one I use when I'm craving a sweet treat that reminds me of a peanut butter cookie! I'm all about easy desserts and with this quick cookie recipe, my nut-allergic son can enjoy a treat too.
When I found out that my oldest son had food allergies I had to relearn how to cook for our family to keep him safe. Some of our favorite recipes had to be modified so he could enjoy them too.
Over the years, he's outgrown most of his allergies. Except for certain nuts. Which we navigate pretty well. But I was REALLY missing peanut butter cookies.
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Why This Recipe Works
These Sunbutter Cookies are just as sweet and rich and nutty tasting as regular peanut butter cookies. Without the death peanuts. Mmmmmmm.
This simple recipe swaps out peanut butter and uses Sunbutter instead. It's a nut allergy-friendly recipe which means my oldest son can eat the heck out of them also.
Rolled in sugar, they feel decadent and are a tasty treat that your whole family will love even if you don't have food allergies.
They are the perfect safe alternative to a peanut butter cookie! I'm pretty sure I could swap the Sunbutter in this Frozen Peanut Butter Pie recipe also!
You may also want to try these Mayonnaise Cookies too. They're super tasty and don't need eggs or oil!
Ingredient Notes
The actual Sunbutter brand of sunflower seed butter was the only option around for a really long time. Over the years, more brands have popped up including store-brand versions.
I try to only buy the Sunbutter brand, since it really helped me out when my son was so small. Sunbutters have oil and sugar in the ingredients as well so I can only attest to the final product using Sunbutter.
I can't imagine the end result would be all that different from another brand but you never know!
The usual cookie ingredients: Flour, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and baking soda.
Vanilla adds a little extra flavor.
Salt complements the Sunbutter well.
How to make Sunflower Butter Cookies
- In a stand mixer, mix Sunbutter and melted butter until creamy.
- Add sugars and eggs and mix well.
- Add baking soda, vanilla, and salt and mix again.
- Add flour slowly while mixing.
- Shape dough into balls.
- In a bowl full of sugar, toss cookie balls to coat.
- Place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
- Flatten sunflower butter cookie balls with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
NOTE: Do not skip the extra sugar coating! While these Sunflower Butter cookies are delicious on their own, the added sugar really makes these next level!
I also haven't added any chocolate chips to this recipe, but I know that would also taste amazing!
Turns out my nut-allergic son doesn't really care for these Sunbutter Cookies all that much. But I get it. He's never been able to experience a delicious peanut butter cookie so he doesn't really miss the flavor!
But at least I know that when I'm craving a peanut butter cookie, I can make these and make sure that he is safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Baking with Sunbutter is easy. If you want to bake a recipe that usually calls for peanut butter, you can swap an equal amount of Sunbutter. It has a really similar nutty taste and works really great in all cases where you would normally use peanut butter.
While my cookies didn't turn green, some Sunbutter cookies do. It can happen as a result of a reaction from the chlorophyll found in the sunflower seeds and the baking soda. The cookies are still edible. There is nothing wrong with the cookies. So eat up all your green cookies!
Sunbutter does have less saturated fat than most kinds of peanut butter at the store, but it's also safe for people with nut allergies. Both are good sources of protein. I've heard that Sunbutter has a lot of sugar. It's really up to you what you feel good serving your kids!
If you are a fan of peanut butter cookies but can't eat peanuts, you'll love this easy Sunbutter Cookie Recipe!
Related Recipes
I love making cookies when I have some free time. And, of course, my family loves to eat them. Check out these other easy cookie recipes to make next time your sweet tooth needs a treat!
*However, not all of these recipes are allergen-free.
- Oatmeal Cake Mix Cookies - These easy cookies use cake mix to create delicious cookies studded with rich chocolate chips.
- Crazy Good Apple Cookies with Butterscotch - If you've never tried Apple Butterscotch Cookies, you need to! I usually make these during the fall but they are great any time of year. I'm a big fan of butterscotch and these yummy cookies are so flavorful!
- Small Batch Cookie Bars - A good Cookie Bar can be life-changing. Making them in smaller batches ensures that each person can make them just the way they like them!
- Orange Snickerdoodle Cookies - This is a delicious citrus twist on a classic cookie recipe. Orange Snickerdoodle Cookies are quick and easy and have that same cinnamon flavor you love with the added zest of orange.
- Butterscotch Walnut Cookies - If you love the flavor of butterscotch, these walnut cookies are a must try!
- Sugar Cookie Bruschetta - While these use store-bought sugar cookies as the base, this delicious dessert bruschetta is an easy recipe to make for the family.
Easy Sunbutter Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Fork or whisk
- Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup Sunbutter
- 1 cup butter melted (you can substitute margarine if you have other allergies)
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs you can use egg replacer if needed for your allergies
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups flour
- extra sugar to roll dough in
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, mix Sunbutter and butter until creamy.
- Add sugars and eggs and mix well.
- Add baking soda, vanilla and salt and mix well.
- Add flour slowly while mixing.
- Shape dough in to balls.
- In a bowl full of sugar, toss balls to coat.
- Place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
- Flatten balls with a fork.
- Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutrition
Originally posted December 2, 2014. Updated to include new photos, better instructions to make these Sunflower Butter Cookies perfectly every time.
Alysa says
how much sugar(s)? missing from the ingredients list
Sharon Garofalow says
Hi Alysa, OMG! Thank you for pointing that out! The original recipe I used is not online anymore, but I looked at a few others and I think a good guesstimate is 3/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3/4 white sugar. It looks like the Sunbutter site has really stepped up their game on the recipes page and they are sharing this 3-ingredient recipe now that looks pretty tasty too! http://sunbutter.com/recipes/three-ingredient-sunbutter-cookies/ Have a great day!