If you have a peanut allergy and are looking for a peanut-free substitution, these Wowbutter cookies are perfect peanut butter cookie dupe! The roasty notes of Wowbutter are a great replacement for peanut butter, but you can swap in any nut butter you like.
I’m a huge peanut butter cookie fan, but not everyone in my life is able to enjoy peanut butter like me. These cookies made with Wowbutter are just as good as the originals and safe for anyone with peanut allergies!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Peanut-free peanut flavor! Made with toasted soy, the roasty, malty flavor of Wowbutter is the closest imitation to true peanut flavor that I’ve found.
- Thick, soft and chewy texture: These are adapted from Cook’s Illustrated peanut butter cookie recipe. They have an airy crumb with just the right amount of chew which makes them PERFECT for ice cream sandwiches.
- Easy to make: Aside from the Wowbutter, you likely have all the ingredients to make these already in your pantry!
Ingredient notes
- Wowbutter: This is a nut-free spread that’s made in a gluten-free, peanut-free, egg-free and dairy-free facility. It’s safe for those with peanut allergies and a great sub anytime you need to bake with peanut butter!
- All-purpose flour: If you’d like to make these gluten-free, a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute like Bob’s Red Mill may work instead.
- Unsalted butter: I recommend removing your butter from the fridge around 20 minutes before you plan to make the cookies. Chopping the butter into 1″ chunks will help it soften faster to make it easier to cream. You can also use salted butter (simply reduce the amount of added salt to the recipe to 1/4 tsp).
- Light brown sugar: Light brown sugar adds light molasses notes in addition to the granulated sugar.
How to make Wowbutter cookies
- Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar. Beating these ingredients until light will help incorporate air into the batter to keep the cookies airy.
- Step 2: Add the Wowbutter, vanilla and eggs. Adding the wet ingredients in gradually will help lead to a well-emulsified batter.
- Step 3: Add the dry ingredients. I like to sprinkle in the salt and leaveners and mix them into the wet ingredients first. Once they’re evenly distributed, mix in the flour. This prevents you from having to get an extra bowl dirty to mix all the dry ingredients together.
- Step 4: Scoop and bake! Use a 3 tbsp scoop (yes, they’re big!) and place the dough balls at least 3″ apart on a parchment-lined sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes until the edges are golden.
FAQs
Yes, any nut butter (like almond butter, sunbutter, peanut butter) will work in place of Wowbutter in this recipe!
Yes, this dough works well chilled for a few hours–they won’t spread quite as much once chilled. I’d chill the dough in the fridge, covered, for no more than 2 days. It will likely last in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Wowbutter Cookies
Ingredients
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup Wowbutter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugars together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3-6 minutes. This will help create a uniformity to your cookies once they bake.
- Add the Wowbutter and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add in vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating until combined.
- Sprinkle the salt, baking powder and baking soda over the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Add the flour and beat on low until just combined. Finish mixing by hand until no floury streaks remain.
- Use a 3 tablespoon scoop to create balls of dough and place on parchment-lined baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Use a fork to create a criss-cross on each cookie. Bake for about 12-14 minutes until edges are golden and centers look scent. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Deborah Steady
If you use 3Tbs. dough, how many cookies will it make?
DDC
Turned out great! I reduced the flour by less than a quarter cup, made them a bit large and reduced baking time to just over 10 min. Just let them set after and they will turn out perfectly!
Lisa
I just tried one of these and the others are in the oven. Delicious! Thank you for posting this. My little girl has food allergies (peanut and tree nuts) so we use Wow Butter all the time. It is great in frosting on my great aunt’s spice cake recipe! Now I have a yummy cookie recipe too!
erika
So glad to hear that, thanks for the great review Lisa! 🙂
Barb Dyck
Just made these with my son after a long hiatus of no baking (from scratch). So totally doable as a reintroduction. Happened to have the Wow butter on hand and found the flavor in the cookies was not overwhelming. Wasn’t sure the kids would like it so a great way to expose them to it gently! The cookies are large and a cakey consistency which works well for ice cream cookies. They will be filling and satisfying. Will make these again!
erika
Hi Barb, thanks so much for the kind words and so glad to hear you and your kids enjoyed!
Michelle Evans
LOVED THIS RECIPE!!!
Laura
They were delicious, thank you! Our son has a nut allergy and we are a nut free home. This recipe is going into the rotation 🙂
steph
late to the party but these cookies (and ice cream sandwiches) look amazing! and i could totally get into wowbutter cause mike is allergic to peanut butter which is sad for me cause i never bake peanut butter cookies anymore!
congrats on your move!!
erika
Aww thanks Steph!! You’re never late to the party 😉 Dude PLEASE try some wowbutter…in the time that has elapsed from the publication of this post to now, I have developed a severe addiction to it (and I can eat regular pb like there’s no tomorrow). Get you and Mike some ASAP!!!
Thomas Coleman
These look great! but i wonder if I can use regular butter instead of wow butter…
erika
Hi Thomas–you can definitely use regular peanut butter instead of wow butter (these were based on an original peanut butter cookie recipe)!
Ala
These look *seriously* amazing. My friends with nut allergies would definitely love these cookies–I’m glad you shared, otherwise I never would’ve known about Wowbutter! Whoo!
erika
YAY!!!! So glad this could serve to help your nut-allergic friends…because I’m sure once you get your hands on some wow butter, you’re going to bake them up some DELICIOUS things. Hope all is well with you, Ala!! 🙂
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
ok
1-these look ahhhmazing
2-my brother-in-law’s girlfriend (who I LOVE) has severe nut allergies and I need to make her something using wowbutter!
erika
Love you!!!! Omgosh yes go try it, it’s amazing!!! Super easy 1:1 sub ratio!!
Tori
These cookies look brilliantly delish! I love your styling too, so gorgrous!
erika
Thank you so much Tori!!