The perfect keto peanut butter cookies with a silky smooth chocolate thumbprint filling. This is my version of a peanut butter blossom cookie redone low carb and fabulous. You’ll love it!
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me!
We’ve made it to cookie number four in the 12 Days of Keto Christmas Cookies! Now really, chocolate and peanut butter, what could be better?!
I’ve branched out a little with this cookie, and you’ll find instead of my go-to gluten-free almond flour I’ve opted for peanut butter and peanut powder in this recipe. Actually, I find it gives it a deeper peanutty flavor different than traditional peanut butter cookie recipes, and I love it!
Peanut butter and I have had a stormy relationship. I’ve always loved peanut butter, peanuts, chocolate with peanuts, you know! However, we had a major impasse when we discovered at age two my daughter had a severe peanut allergy.
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Peanut allergies
Food allergies are such a terrifying thing so we parted ways with the dear peanut for several years. Thankfully, she has since grown out of the peanut allergy although we have other allergies and food sensitivities to contend with.
According to our allergist, only about 25% of children with a peanut allergy grow out of it so it was HUGE that we were in that percentage. I am so thankful not only not to have to be on guard with anything peanut, but also selfishly because I LOVE PEANUTS so much I can indulge in fabulously delightful keto peanut butter cookies and other snacks.
As a side note, I’m encouraged to see so many studies going on to prevent or even end such allergies with a vaccine! Here’s to these being successful!
In a hurry?
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How to decorate the Christmas tree: Family traditions
As I write this I can see big puffy flakes of snow blowing around outside and beginning to stick. The Christmas tree is up and lit, and Alexa is playing some Michael Bublé Christmas music for me this morning. It does seem rather perfect.
Speaking of Christmas trees, there are so many different family traditions associated with putting up and decorating the Christmas tree. Did you know the first Christmas trees in Germany were said to be decorated with edible Christmas treats like apples and gingerbread? I love a traditional tree with its home-made ornaments, popcorn and cranberry garland, paper chains with an angel or star at the top.
When do you decorate your Christmas tree? Especially in England, it used to be a big event and part of the Christmas festivities for the family to gather together on Christmas Eve and decorate the beautiful freshly cut fir tree. Today, we tend to put ours up just after Thanksgiving or at the beginning of December.
A Nutcracker Christmas tree, The Grace Museum, Abilene, Texas
Our Family Christmas Tree Traditions
In our house, we have our own rituals as I’m sure you do your own! It’s always amusing for me to see my kids declare something’s become a tradition we have to do every year after doing it once. However, for them, it makes it all the more special and a fun thing to look forward to. I love to celebrate anything that brings the family together.
For example, every year the tree is put up after Thanksgiving. The first day we put the tree up. The next day the lights go on. Then, the first Saturday after that, we ceremoniously bring up all the ornaments and decorations from the basement.
Meanwhile, someone turns on that brilliant movie White Christmas, and we place the ornaments on the tree as Bing Crosby croons in the background. Well actually, there’s much discussion/arguing about the ornaments as they go up! According to my children, there are certain ornaments assigned to different members of the family only they are allowed to put on the tree.
During December, we always make a new ornament and get a new one from church. Then there’s always the new offering from the school craft. It goes on and it’s fabulous. Sound familiar!?
We are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.
🍽 Equipment
To make these thumbprint keto peanut butter cookies you’ll need:
- a large bowl
- hand or standing mixer (I prefer the standing mixer for these but either will work)
- a spatula
- spoon
- smaller heat-proof bowl
- cookie baking pans
- parchment paper or silicone baking mats
Man cannot live by bread alone; he must have peanut butter.
– James A. Garfield
🥘 Ingredients
- 1 15 oz jar peanut butter unsweetened (Read more about my favorite lowest carb peanut butter and how to select a good peanut butter for a keto diet.)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup powdered sweetener (Swerve Confectioner’s)
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbps butter, melted
- 1 tbsp gelatin, unflavored
- 1 cup peanut butter powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
Chocolate Filling
- ½ cup sugar-free chocolate chips Lily’s dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
🔪 Instructions
How to make thumbprint keto peanut butter cookies
Are you ready? Let’s make the thumbprint keto peanut butter cookies! First, mix together the peanut butter, vanilla, and sweetener. I’ve discussed several sweeteners I like before, but for this recipe, I prefer the powdered Swerve confectioner’s for inside the cookie. Second, beat in the eggs one at a time using a stand or hand mixer. Then, add in the melted butter and next the gelatin, continuously mixing until it’s smooth with no lumps.
Why unflavored gelatin?
Does gelatin sound like an odd ingredient to you in cookies? I’ve found gelatin to be a magic ingredient and really helps these cookies to stick together and remain soft after baking. If you leave it out you’ll find them more likely to be hard and crumble on you. I definitely recommend including this wonder ingredient! Because I use gelatin in many recipes I regularly buy the Great Lakes Unflavored Gelatin on Amazon here.
Moving on! Next, for the dry ingredients, dump in the peanut butter powder and baking powder and mix it all together until a dough forms. Now, roll the dough in tablespoon-sized balls. I like to roll the balls of dough in Swerve granular to give the cookies a shine and a little sugar-like crunch expected on peanut butter blossoms. This is optional, but if you wish, put three tablespoons of Swerve granular in a small bowl. Put the cookie dough balls one at a time in the sweetener and shake it around to coat.
Now place the cookie dough balls about two inches apart on the baking sheets. I use silicone baking mats so the cookies do not stick. Then you are going to press each cookie down in the center with your thumb to make a small indention for the chocolate filling. Next, bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Let cool.
How to make the chocolate filling
Meanwhile, warm the heavy cream on the stove until it’s almost simmering. Pour the cream mixture over the sugar-free chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl and leave for 5 five minutes. Then stir together the cream-chocolate mixture to make the ganache. It should be shiny and glorious! Lastly, put about a teaspoon of chocolate ganache in the thumbprint of each peanut butter cookie and let them cool to set.
Life is better with fresh baked cookies.
– Unknown
Keto Peanut Butter Cookies and other traditions
What are your favorite peanut butter cookies? Do you prefer the plain and simple traditional cookie or a chocolate or cream addition? Personally, I can go either way and love them all.
My husband’s favorite dessert is a non-keto peanut butter pie with an Oreo crust and thick chocolate topping. I’ve luckily come up with my own Keto Peanut Butter Pie that can easily compete!
What other peanut butter or other sweet creations would you like to see keto-ized?
All it takes is a little preparation, and you’ll be ready to enjoy the holidays without being tempted by all the other sweet treats. I hope you try out these thumbprint keto peanut butter cookies and enjoy them as much as I do! Cheers.
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Thumbprint Keto Peanut Butter Cookies
The perfect keto peanut butter cookies with a silky smooth chocolate thumbprint filling. This is my version of a peanut butter blossom cookie redone low carb and fabulous. You'll love it!
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz jar peanut butter, unsweetened
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup sweetener, Swerve Confectioner's
- 3 eggs
- 3 tbps butter, melted
- 1 tbsp gelatin, unflavored
- 1 cup peanut butter powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
Chocolate Filling
- 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips, Lily's dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Mix together the peanut butter, vanilla, and sweetener. Beat in the eggs one at a time to combine.
- Add in the melted butter then the gelatin, continuously mixing with a stand or hand-held mixer.
- Put in the peanut butter powder and baking powder and mix together until a dough forms and no lumps remain.
- Form the dough into tablespoon-sized balls and roll in granulated sweetener.
- Place on the baking pan 2 inches apart and press down the center of each cookie with your thumb to make a well for the filling.
- Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, warm the heavy cream on the stove until it's almost simmering.
- Pour the cream mixture over the sugar-free chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl and leave for 5 five minutes. Stir together to make the ganache.
- Put about a teaspoon of chocolate ganache in the thumbprint of each peanut butter cookie and let cool to set.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Servings 18.0 Calories 140 Total Fat 11 g Saturated Fat 4 g Monounsaturated Fat 1 g Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g Trans Fat 0 g Cholesterol 41 mg Sodium 75 mg Potassium 122 mg Total Carbohydrate 6 g Dietary Fiber 2 g Sugars 2 g Protein 6 g
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18Amount Per Serving: Calories: 140Unsaturated Fat: 0g
*Nutrition Facts per MyFitnessPal.com. For most accurate facts, calculate your own with the exact ingredients you use in the recipe.
Keto gingerbread cookies are the perfect cookie to make with kids!
12 Days of Keto Christmas Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons
- Butter Spritz Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Thumbprint Peanut Butter Cookies