If you love peanut butter cookies, you're REALLY going to love these Sunbutter Cookies! Made with toasted oats and sunflower seed butter, these cookies are perfectly moist and packed with sweet nutty flavor.
Jump to:
Sunflower seed butter is finally having its moment. With so many schools and other venues banning peanut butter, lots of people are turning to sunbutter instead.
Made with roasted sunflower seeds instead of peanuts, it has a very similar consistency to peanut butter, though I think it has a bit more of a nutty flavor.
Since I absolutely love peanut butter cookies, I decided to see if I would love cookies made with sun butter just as much. I tested these cookies A LOT in order to get the perfect consistency and flavor and this final recipe is it.
There's a secret ingredient involved and something fun about these cookies when you bite into them. Read on!
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
These sunbutter cookies are a delicious peanut allergy-friendly alternative to peanut butter cookies and to be perfectly honest, I actually love them more than peanut butter cookies!
They're just as sweet, moist, and flavorful as peanut butter cookies, but with a nuttier flavor, which is awesome considering they're nut-free cookies!
I like to add toasted oats to my sunbutter cookies as they add some extra chewiness and enhance the nutty flavor. Plus, they add a nutritional boost with some extra fiber!
These cookies are easy to make and perfect for serving to guests or bringing to parties when you want a peanut butter cookie alternative that tastes just as good... if not better!
🗒 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make sunbutter cookies (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- Unsalted butter
- Old-fashioned oats
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- No sugar added sunflower seed butter: I like SunButter brand
- Vanilla extract
- Sprinkles: optional, but they add some fun. I love this rainbow sprinkles mix for sunbutter cookies.
🍪 How to make sunbutter cookies
Making these cookies is so easy, but they do require one extra step thanks to the toasted oat addition. I promise you that it's worth it though!
Star by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and lining two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Then, in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoon of butter. When it’s melted, pour in oats and stir for about 5-7 minutes, until browned and toasted.
Pour oats into an even layer on the parchment paper. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer with paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine remaining 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
Beat until mixture is light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
Mix in eggs one at a time.
An add the sunflower seed butter and vanilla and continue mixing until well-combined.
Add flour mixture to beat and mix until just combined, taking care not to over-mix.
Fold oats into the batter.
Scoop about 3 tablespoon cookie dough (I use a #20 cookie scoop) onto prepared cookie sheets, about an inch apart.
Top cookie dough with sprinkles, if desired. How fun are these rainbow sprinkles??
Bake for 12-14 minutes, until cookies are just turning golden around edges.
Let the cookies cool in the pan for a couple minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely.
And bite into the most deliciously moist and chewy sunbutter cookie you've ever had.
OK, so maybe it's the only sunbutter cookie you've ever had. But it certainly won't be the last once you try this one!
They're packed with toasted nutty flavor and practically melt in your mouth. No matter where you bring these cookies, both kids and adults are sure to love them.
And you can easily decorate them with sprinkles to make them perfect for any occasion.
⏲️ How to store
Once the sunbutter cookies are cooled, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They should keep fresh for about a week.
You can also feel free to freeze them in a large freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
I recommend freezing the cookies separately on a baking sheet before putting them all together in a bag or container (so they don't freeze together).
💚 Why are my sunbutter cookies green?
Great question!! The first time I made sunbutter cookies, I thought they went bad really quickly. Why did they get all green and moldy inside??
Don't worry; it's not mold! I did a little research and it turns out sunbutter cookies turning green is totally normal.
It occurs due to a chemical reaction between the naturally forming chlorogenic acid in sunflower seed butter and baking soda/baking powder once they're exposed to heat.
Once the chlorogenic acid is exposed to the baking soda and baking powder and heated, a green compound called quinone is formed.
If you don't like this, you can try adding an acid like a little lemon juice or vinegar to the cookie dough. You can also chill the dough before forming and baking the cookies and this should help minimize the green.
But I think it's kind of pretty!
And it's a fun way to play a little trick on friends and family 😉
🎉 Variations on recipe
I think these sunbutter cookies are absolutely perfect as is! But if you want to add your own touch to them, there's so much you can do!
Here are some of my favorite ideas:
- Add chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
- Add your favorite candy, like M&Ms or crushed heath bars.
- Add dried fruit like raisins or dried cranberries.
- Add spices like cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin spice, or nutmeg.
- Add shredded coconut.
- Turn the cookies into thumbprint cookies by making an indent in the cookie dough and filling it with raspberry, strawberry, or grape jam.
- Top the cookie dough with sea salt or coarse sugar before baking.
- Drizzle melted chocolate or caramel over the cookies after baking and cooling.
If you want to make these sunbutter cookies without the toasted oats, I recommend adding in an additional ½ cup of flour instead.
🥜 Peanut butter cookie recipes
As much as I love sunflower seed butter cookies, I am also a sucker for a classic peanut butter cookie and have lots of recipes on my website. Here are som eof my favorites:
I even have a peanut butter cookie for dogs! And, of course, who doesn't love the classic peanut butter kiss cookies?
Why are nut butters and cookies such a match in heaven?
Now that I've perfected the sunbutter cookie, I'm ready to try with even more nut butters!
What's your peanut butter alternative of choice?
📖 Recipe
Sunbutter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 4 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature, divided
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened sunflower seed butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoon of butter. When it’s melted, pour in oats and stir for about 5-7 minutes, until browned and toasted. Pour oats into an even layer on the parchment paper. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a mixer with paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine remaining 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat until mixture is light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
- Mix in eggs one at a time. Add sunflower seed butter and vanilla and continue mixing until well-combined.
- Add flour mixture to beat and mix until just combined, taking care not to over-mix.
- Fold oats into the batter.
- Scoop about 3 tablespoon cookie dough (I use a #20 cookie scoop) onto prepared cookie sheets, about an inch apart. Top cookie dough with sprinkles, if desired.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, until cookies are just turning golden around edges. Let cool in pan for a couple minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely.
Comments
No Comments