Soft, chewy peanut butter cookies topped with a chocolate heart are a Valentine’s classic for a reason. These Gluten-Free Valentine’s Peanut Butter Blossoms bring together everything we love about the original—rich peanut butter flavor, crisp sugar-coated edges, and a melty chocolate center—made beautifully gluten-free. Each cookie is rolled in sugar for a subtle sparkle, baked until just set, and finished with a chocolate heart while still warm, creating that perfect contrast of tender cookie and smooth chocolate. They’re simple, festive, and irresistibly nostalgic, perfect for sharing with the people you love most.

---

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic peanut butter blossom flavor
These cookies deliver everything you love about traditional peanut butter blossoms—rich peanut butter flavor, soft centers, and lightly crisp edges—made beautifully gluten-free.

Perfect for Valentine’s Day baking
Rolled in sugar and topped with a chocolate heart, these cookies feel festive and charming but are incredibly easy to make.

Soft, chewy, and bakery-worthy
Chilling the dough and baking just until set creates a tender, chewy texture with clean edges and a smooth chocolate center.

Great for sharing and gifting
Whether you’re baking for a party, a classroom treat, or a homemade Valentine, these cookies travel well and stay delicious for days.

A nostalgic recipe you’ll want to bake again and again
Simple, comforting, and timeless, these peanut butter blossoms are the kind of cookie that becomes a seasonal favorite year after year.

---

Ingredient Notes

Gluten-free 1:1 flour
Use a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour that contains xanthan gum for the best structure and texture (I have great results with Bob’s Redmill).

Creamy peanut butter
A conventional creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy works best here. Natural or stirred peanut butters tend to separate and can result in a crumbly or oily dough.

Unsalted butter
Room-temperature butter is key for proper creaming, which helps create a soft, tender cookie with even spread.

Granulated and light brown sugar
This combination provides the perfect balance of sweetness and chew. Granulated sugar helps the cookies hold their shape, while brown sugar adds moisture and depth of flavor.

Egg
A room-temperature egg blends more smoothly into the dough and helps create a cohesive, evenly textured cookie.

Granulated sugar for rolling
Rolling the dough in sugar before baking adds a subtle sparkle, a lightly crisp exterior, and that classic peanut butter blossom look.

Heart-shaped chocolate candies
Milk chocolate hearts melt just enough when pressed into the warm cookies, creating a smooth, glossy finish. Press them in immediately after baking for the best results.

---

How to Make Valentine’s Peanut Butter Blossoms

See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list, measurements, and instructions.

Step 1: Cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 2: Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix to combine.

Step 3: Add the peanut butter and mix until fully incorporated.

Step 4: Whisk together the gluten-free 1:1 flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the bowl of wet ingredients. Mix on low until a cohesive dough forms. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Step 5: Scoop the dough into 1 ½ tbsp portions and roll into a ball.

Step 6: Roll the cookie dough ball in granulated sugar and place on a parchment lined baking sheet ~2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set and the centers are puffed but still soft/slightly underdone.

Step 7: Remove from the oven and immediately press a chocolate candy in the center of each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Enjoy! 

---

Recipe Tips

Chill the dough
Chilling the dough for one hour helps control spread and improves texture, resulting in thicker cookies with soft centers.

Use room-temperature ingredients
Room-temperature butter and egg blend more evenly into the dough, creating a smoother texture and more consistent bake.

Roll evenly sized dough balls
Scooping the dough into equal portions ensures the cookies bake evenly and look uniform—especially important when adding the chocolate hearts.

Bake just until set
The cookies should look puffed with edges that are just set. Avoid overbaking to keep the centers soft and chewy.

Swirl for perfectly round cookies
Right after baking, use a round cookie cutter to gently swirl each cookie into a neat circle for a bakery-style finish.

Press in the chocolate immediately
Add the chocolate hearts while the cookies are still warm so they adhere and soften slightly without melting completely.

Let the chocolate set before storing
Allow the cookies to cool fully before storing, or briefly chill them to help the chocolate firm up and keep the hearts looking clean and polished.

---

Storage & Freezing Recommendations

Storing baked cookies
Once completely cooled and the chocolate has set, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Freezing baked cookies
Baked cookies can be frozen in a single layer until firm, then transferred to an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Freezing cookie dough
Portion and roll the dough balls (without the sugar coating) and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, roll in granulated sugar and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.

---

Print

---

Photography by Creating Kaitlin

---