This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
These Dulce de Leche Peanut Butter Cookies are a salty-sweet one-bowl treat. When you combine flourless peanut butter cookies and dulce de leche thumbprints, you end up with a gluten free cookie that has a taste sensation that is impossible to resist. And they are so easy to make!
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Easy
From chocolate-covered pretzels to candied bacon, there is just something about the combination of sweet and salty flavors that I just love. That is why this recipe isn’t just a basic peanut butter cookie or dulce de leche thumbprint. It truly takes them to the next level. Here’s why you’ll love them…
- Next-level cookies. Dulce de leche thumbprints usually start with a basic butter cookie filled with a dollop of that caramelly goodness. Here, we up the ante with flourless peanut butter cookies instead of plain Jane shortbread. So they have an extra intense salty, roasted taste that plays so well with the rich sweetness of dulce de leche. The familiar flavors are a kid favorite, but with just enough sophistication for even the biggest foodies.
- Quick and easy. It starts with my tried and true flourless peanut butter cookie recipe made without flour. Only 6 ingredients, and so simple to make in one bowl. After baking, all you have to do is make a little indentation and fill it with the dulce de leche.
- Naturally gluten free. These cookies have no flour, so no need to find special ingredients or fuss around to make gluten free cookies.
What You’ll Need
Here is a quick overview of the ingredients for the dulce de leche peanut butter cookies. The full amounts and directions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Sugar. I like a combination of white and brown sugar for sweetness and a hint of caramelized flavor.
- Baking soda.
- Peanut butter. Natural peanut butter with only peanuts and salt gives the best, strongest peanut flavor, but any creamy peanut buter will do.
- Egg.
- Vanilla.
- Dulce de Leche. You can make your own dulce de leche, or buy a can. Sometimes you can even find it in squeeze bottles, which will make it even easier to fill the cookies.
I’m going to give you a quick rundown here. The full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. You can find even more tips and specifics in the base recipe for the Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies. It’s just an extra simple step that transforms them into dulce de leche thumbprints.
- Make the cookie dough: Using a fork, mix the sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda in a bowl. Beat in the peanut butter until creamy, followed by the egg and vanilla. The dough will be uniform but slightly grainy.
- Bake the cookies: Form balls using about 1 tablespoon of dough, and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with your hand. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. They should be golden and set, but not firm or hard.
- Make the thumbprints: Immediately after taking the cookies out of the oven, using your finger or the back of a measuring teaspoon, make an indentation in the back of the cookie. While still warm, spoon or squeeze about a teaspoon of dulce de leche into the well of each cookie.
- Cool: By the time you have filled the cookies, they should be set enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for Success
A few things to keep in mind for the Dulce de Leche Cookies:
- Line the pan. The flourless peanut butter cookies aren’t crumbly, but they are tender. It’s much easier to remove them from a pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Don’t overbake. You want to cookies to still be slightly soft so you can make that indentation to fill.
- You won’t need the whole can. You’ll only need about one teaspoon of dulce de leche per cookie, so there will be extra. Use it to make Dulce de Leche Banana Cream Pie or Dulce de Leche Marshmallows. Or drizzle it over some Nutella Ice Cream.
- Make a double batch. You can freeze the extras or split the flourless peanut butter cookie dough in half to make another variation, like Triple Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies, marshmallow-filled Fluffernutter Cookies, or extra peanut buttery Peanut Butter Cup Cookies.
Proper Storage
- Countertop – Be sure to store the dulce de leche cookies in an airtight container. I recommend storing in a single layer or putting a piece of wax paper between each layer to keep the cookies from sticking to each other. They can be kept at room temperature for about a week.
- Freezer – The cookies will freeze well if packaged properly. Just as if you were storing at room temperature, place them in a single layer or in layers separated by wax paper in an airtight container. Wrap the container in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil to prevent frost forming on the cookies. Then place the container in the freezer. For the best flavor, enjoy within 2 months, though they will be safe to eat for much longer.
These flourless Dulce de Leche Peanut Butter Cookies are a salty-sweet one-bowl treat. It's a gluten free cookie that has a taste sensation that is impossible to resist. And they are so easy to make!
Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- one can dulce de leche (you'll need about half a cup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a fork, mix together the sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda in a bowl.
- With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat in the peanut butter until creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix thoroughly.
- Form balls using about 1 tablespoon of dough, place on the cookie sheet and flatten slightly with your palm.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden and set.
- Cool on the sheet for a minute or so, then use your finder or the back of a measuring teaspoon to make an indentation in the cookies. Fill each indentation with about a teaspoon of dulce de leche.
- Once the cookies are set (about 10 minutes total on the cookie sheets), transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts
Dulce de Leche Peanut Butter Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 100
Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 99mg4%
Potassium 79mg2%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 11IU0%
Calcium 10mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
Did you make this?
Leave a rating below and tag @cupcakesandkalechips on Instagram and hashtag it #cupcakesandkalechips
Dulce de leche and peanut butter is a match made in heaven!