These Magic Peanut Butter Cookies Have 4 Ingredients (It’s Not What You’d Expect)

In addition to being quick, easy, and delicious, what makes these cookies particularly special is the fact that flour is not one of those four ingredients.

Now I hear you ask me, but Julia, how can you make a cookie with no flour? Well, in most cookies, the flour is there to provide structure, thanks to the gluten it contains. But in this recipe, thick, creamy peanut butter does most of the work in creating that needed structure. 

Some sugar and an egg round out the dough, which we then scoop on a baking sheet and top with M&M’S (or Reese’s Pieces, or Hershey’s Kisses) for a delightfully peanut-buttery, chocolaty cookie experience. Developed by the ATK Kids team for The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs, it just might be the easiest cookie recipe ever.

A couple notes: Make sure to use smooth, not crunchy, peanut butter. Crunchy peanut butter will make cookies that don’t hold together very well. The dough is also pretty sticky, so it’s best to use a 1-tablespoon measuring spoon and a small spoon to portion it out on the baking sheet. 

These cookies are ready in just 30 minutes plus however long you can stand to wait for them to cool. Not to mention, they’re naturally gluten-free. Give them a try the next time a spontaneous cookie craving strikes!