If you’re craving a warm, homemade dessert, this gluten-free peanut butter cookie cake is just the thing! It is packed with rich peanut butter flavor and colorful M&Ms; it bakes up golden on the edges and soft in the center. This easy cookie cake recipe makes an incredible holiday or birthday cake. It is just right for digging in with a spoon or slicing into wedges.
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If you love peanut butter, you are in for a special treat…this quick and easy gluten-free peanut butter cookie cake will make your day! It is loaded with M&Ms and can be baked in a tart pan, as shown above, or a cast iron skillet, giving you some fun options.
This easy recipe has a lot of things to love!
- It can be decorated for birthday parties or holidays like Easter, Christmas, etc.!
- You can use any mix-ins you want! And yes, most M&Ms are gluten free!
- A dairy-free option was also tested for those who can’t have dairy or gluten.
If you love making cookie cakes like you see in Mrs. Field’s Cookies stores, you will also love my Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake.
Allergen Information:
I know many of my readers have a lot of other food allergens they need to avoid. Here is a list of allergens my simple gluten free cookie recipe does NOT contain.
- Gluten-Free
- Soy-Free (always double check the brand of peanut butter you use!)
- Oat-Free
Flour Blends Tested:
- King Arthur Measure for Measure—This blend works really well in my gluten-free cookie recipes.
- Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Blend—This blend worked well, but this flour blend needs to rest for 15 minutes before baking. The rest allows the rice flour in this blend to soften, so you don’t have gritty baked goods.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure. If using King Arthur’s blend, reduce the flour by 1 tablespoon to prevent a dry texture. These blends already include binders like xanthan gum, but if your blend doesn’t, add 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to help hold the cookie together and improve structure.
- Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar. Both add sweetness and moisture, but dark brown sugar gives a slightly deeper, richer flavor due to the higher molasses content. Brown sugar also helps give the cookie that perfect chewy texture.
- Baking Powder and Soda – These leavening agents work together to create a light, slightly puffy texture with crisp edges. Baking soda can also help give the cookie more of a golden color.
- Peanut Butter – For best results, use a blended, no-stir peanut butter like Skippy Naturals. Natural peanut butter (with separated oil) doesn’t work well in this recipe and it can affect the texture and spread of the cookie. The creamy consistency of no-stir peanut butter gives the skillet cookie better texture.
- Butter – I used unsalted butter to give you control the overall salt level in the recipe. Butter adds richness and moisture, helping the cookie brown nicely and stay soft in the center.
- Mix-Ins – Use M&Ms, chocolate chips, sprinkles, nuts, candy bar bits, or anything you like!
Tips For Success
1. Use special care to measure the gluten free flour blend correctly. If you add in too much gluten free flour or other ingredients, it can make the cookie dry or too soft. Every flour blend has different ingredients and weights. Don’t forget if the cookie dough is dry, add more melted butter and if your cookie dough is too wet, add more flour.
2. Let the cookie fully cool before attempting to remove it from the pan. If you’ve used a tart pan with a removable bottom, wait until it’s cool and then gently push up from the base to release the sides. If baking in a cast iron or oven-safe skillet, serve the skillet cookie right from the pan—it’s part of the charm and helps it hold its shape.
For more tips and tricks to bake the perfect cookie cake, read my Gluten-Free Cookie Troubleshooting Guide. I also talk a lot about my favorite cookie baking tools that can help you bake the perfect cookies.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
These are my step-by-step photos and directions to bake the ultimate peanut butter cookie cake. Before we start, preheat your oven to 350º F (regular bake, not convection) and check to make sure the oven rack is in the center position.
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Step 1: Prepare the dry ingredients by adding gluten free flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Use a wire whisk to blend the ingredients until well combined.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a microwave-safe dish. Whisk in the peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
👀 Sandi Says: You can mix the dough by hand or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment—whichever you prefer!
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add any mix-ins you plan to add. Stir with a large spoon or rubber spatula to combine.
Step 4: Mix into a soft cookie dough forms.
Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cookie dough is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 5: Spray a 9 inch round tart pan with removable bottom or a 9-inch springform pan with gluten-free baking spray. This is doubly important if your tart pan has fluted edges, as shown above. Press the cookie dough into the pan (or cast-iron skillet) and press it into the fluted edges.
👀 Sandi’s TIP: If you are using a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, omit the baking spray!
Step 6: Bake the monster cookie for 20 minutes. Note: If you use a different sized baking pan or skillet, you will need to adjust your baking time. The cookie is finished baking when the edges look baked, and the middle is baked but still soft.
Step 7: Remove the pan from the oven and place it onto a cooling rack. Do not remove the cookie from the pan for 10 minutes. This allows time for the entire cookie to set. If you use a cast-iron skillet, the cookie will remain in the skillet.
Step 8: Once the cookie cake is completely cooled, decorate it however you like—with frosting, sprinkles, candy, or chocolate drizzle. Do not decorate the cake until it is fully cooled or your frosting will melt.
FAQ’s about making a peanut butter cookie cake:
Overbaking is the most common reason a cookie cakes turn out dry. You want to bake the cookie cake until the edges are set and the center is just slightly soft—it will continue to set as it cools. Also, be sure to measure your gluten-free flour correctly to help maintain the right texture.
Yes! There are two ways to do this. First, you can refrigerate the dough and bake it the day you need it. Second, ou can bake the cookie cake a day ahead. Let it cool completely, cover it tightly in an airtight container, and store at room temperature. Frost or decorate just before serving.
Gluten-Free Related Reading
Gluten-free baking is like a science experiment. There are so many things you need to understand the different components of baking without gluten. My Gluten-Free Resources Section is here to help teach you the tools you need to know to become a confident gluten free baker.
My Best Gluten-Free Baking Tips For Better Baking!
Why Binders Are Important In Gluten-Free Baking
The Best Gluten Free Flour Blends – And how to use them!
More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes:
Love This Recipe?
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Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookie Cake
Equipment
- 9" round tart pan, springform pan, or 10" cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend * see notes
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt Add only if you use unsalted butter!
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 1 ¼ cups peanut butter Do not use natural peanut butter.
- 2 large eggs
- 12 tablespoons partially melted unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup M&Ms
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Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350º F (regular bake, not convection) and check to make sure the oven rack is in the center position.
- Prepare the dry ingredients by adding 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup cane sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a large mixing bowl. Use a wire whisk to blend the ingredients until well combined.
- Melt the 12 tablespoons partially melted unsalted butter in a microwave-safe dish. Whisk in the 1 1/4 cups peanut butter, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until smooth.
- NOTE: You can mix the dough by hand or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment—whichever you prefer! If you use a stand mixer, mix your M&Ms or other mixins by hand. Otherwise, the mixer will break many of the M&Ms.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add any mix-ins like 1/2 cup M&Ms you plan to add. Stir with a large spoon or rubber spatula to combine.
- Mix into a soft cookie dough forms.
- Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cookie dough is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
- Spray a 9-inch round tart pan with removable bottom or a 9-inch springform pan with gluten-free baking spray. This is important if your tart pan has fluted edges, as shown above. Press the cookie dough into the pan (or cast-iron skillet) and press it into the fluted edges.
- Sandi's TIP: If you use a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, omit the baking spray!
- Bake the monster cookie for 20 minutes. Note: If you use a different sized baking pan or skillet, you will need to adjust your baking time. The cookie is finished baking when the edges look baked, and the middle is baked but still soft.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it onto a cooling rack. Do not remove the cookie from the pan for 10 minutes. This allows time for the entire cookie to set. If you use a cast-iron skillet, the cookie will remain in the skillet.
- Once the cookie cake is completely cooled, decorate it however you like—with frosting, sprinkles, candy, or chocolate drizzle. Do not decorate the cake until it is fully cooled, or your frosting will melt.
Notes
- I tested this peanut butter cookie cake with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure. Other blends should work, but keep an eye on the cookie batter texture and adjust accordingly.
- If your blend doesn’t contain a binder, add 3/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum.
- Mix-in ideas: M&Ms, nuts, chocolate chips, candy bits, etc.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container. It should stay fresh for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the cake in a freezer safe quart sized zipper bag.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
