These Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies are the ultimate salty-sweet comfort food. By combining the rich, nutty flavor of creamy peanut butter with gooey, toasted pockets of mini marshmallows, these cookies offer a decadent texture that is hard to resist. They are perfectly soft, chewy, and designed to satisfy every craving.
Whether you follow a gluten-free lifestyle or are just looking for a unique twist on a classic peanut butter cookie, this recipe delivers a bakery-quality result with simple, pantry-staple ingredients.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A nostalgic blend of savory roasted peanuts and sweet, caramelized sugar, punctuated by the campfire-sweetness of marshmallows.
- Textures: A dense, soft-baked peanut butter base with hidden “clouds” of melted marshmallow that create a satisfyingly sticky pull.
- Total Time: Approximately 10–15 minutes of prep (plus freezing time for marshmallows) and 10–11 minutes of baking.
- Difficulty Level: Easy. This recipe uses a standard creaming method and a clever freezing trick to ensure the marshmallows don’t disappear into the dough.
What You’ll Need
To create these irresistible cookies, you will need a reliable gluten-free flour blend, creamy peanut butter, and a mix of granulated and brown sugars for the perfect moisture balance. The leavening comes from baking soda, and a touch of sea salt helps to cut through the richness. The star of the show is 1 1/4 cups of mini marshmallows, which are specifically prepared in the freezer to maintain their integrity during the bake.
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour – Use a 1-to-1 baking blend that includes xanthan gum for the best results. If you don’t require the recipe to be gluten-free, standard all-purpose flour works as a perfect substitute.
- Frozen Mini Marshmallows – Freezing the marshmallows for a few hours is a non-negotiable step. This prevents them from melting completely and running out of the dough while in the hot oven.
- Creamy Peanut Butter – Traditional creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy) works best for this texture. Natural oils in some “drippy” peanut butters may cause the cookies to spread too much.
- Brown Sugar – Packing the brown sugar ensures you get that deep, molasses-like chewiness that complements the peanut butter so well.
- Sea Salt – A fine sea salt blends seamlessly into the dough and highlights the roasted nut flavor.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Chocolate Chips: Fold in 1/2 cup of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips along with the marshmallows for a “Fluffernutter” style experience.
- Crunchy Peanut Butter: If you prefer more texture, you can substitute the creamy peanut butter for crunchy.
- Nut-Free Version: While the flavor will change, sunflower seed butter can be used as a 1-to-1 substitute for a school-safe, nut-free option.
How to Make Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
The success of these cookies starts well before you preheat the oven. You must place your mini marshmallows in an airtight container and freeze them for a few hours. This ensures they stay intact during the mixing and baking process.
When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 F. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, and sea salt. In a separate, larger bowl, use a hand mixer to whisk the softened butter and sugars until well incorporated. Add in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract, and mix again until the wet base is fully combined.
Retrieve the marshmallows from the freezer and quickly fold them into the wet batter before they have a chance to defrost. Once the marshmallows are distributed, add the dry flour mixture and mix until a cohesive batter is formed. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a large cookie scoop (about 2–3 tablespoons) to portion the dough. Space the balls 1–2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Bake for 10–11 minutes. The cookies will look soft when they come out, so allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a full 10 minutes to finish setting up.
Pro Tip: Speed is key when folding in the frozen marshmallows! You want them to go into the oven as cold as possible. If the marshmallows defrost before the tray hits the oven, they will likely dissolve and create large sugar-holes in your cookies rather than gooey pockets.
Recipe Tips
- Large Scoop Size: Using a larger scoop (2–3 tablespoons) is recommended for this recipe. A larger cookie provides more “real estate” to hold the marshmallows inside the dough.
- Don’t Over-mix: Once you add the flour, mix only until no white streaks remain. Over-mixing gluten-free dough can sometimes lead to a grittier texture.
- Storage: These cookies stay exceptionally soft. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week to keep the marshmallows fresh.
- Parchment Paper: Always use parchment paper or a silicone mat. Marshmallows that touch the pan directly will stick, making the cookies difficult to remove.
FAQs
Can I use marshmallow fluff instead? No, marshmallow fluff has a different consistency and will melt into the dough entirely, likely causing the cookies to lose their shape and become overly flat.
Why did my marshmallows disappear? This usually happens if they weren’t frozen long enough or if the dough sat at room temperature too long before baking. Ensure the dough goes into the oven immediately after the marshmallows are added.
Do these cookies spread a lot? Peanut butter cookies naturally spread, and the marshmallows add to that. Spacing them 1–2 inches apart is essential for preventing one giant “mega-cookie.”
Serving Suggestions
- Cold Milk: There is no better pairing for a peanut butter cookie than a tall, cold glass of milk.
- Ice Cream Sandwiches: Use two cookies to sandwich a scoop of chocolate or vanilla ice cream for an epic gluten-free dessert.
- Warm Up: If you are eating leftovers, a 5-second zap in the microwave will make the marshmallows perfectly gooey again.
Make This Recipe in Advance
You can freeze the mini marshmallows days or even weeks in advance so they are always ready when a craving strikes. While you can make the dough ahead of time, it is best to wait to fold in the frozen marshmallows until the very moment you are ready to scoop and bake. If you freeze the dough with the marshmallows already inside, let the dough balls sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before baking to ensure an even spread.
Print
Gourmet Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Marshmallow Fluffernutter Cookies
- Total Time: 150 minutes
- Yield: 18–22 Large Cookies 1x
Description
The ultimate salty-sweet comfort food. Combining rich, nutty peanut butter with gooey, toasted pockets of mini marshmallows, these soft and chewy cookies offer a decadent ‘Fluffernutter’ experience that is entirely gluten-free.
Ingredients
The Peanut Butter Dough
- 1 1/4 cups gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend (with xanthan gum)
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (traditional style)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar & 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking soda, 0.5 tsp sea salt
The Gooey Factor
- 1 1/4 cups mini marshmallows, frozen for 2+ hours
Instructions
Freeze: Freeze marshmallows for 2+ hours to prevent total melting.
Cream: Beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add peanut butter, egg, and vanilla; mix well.
Fold: Quickly fold frozen marshmallows into the wet mixture.
Combine: Stir in dry flour mixture until a cohesive dough forms.
Bake: Scoop 2–3 tbsp balls 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F for 10–11 mins.
Set: Cool on sheet for 10 mins to allow cookies to firm up.
Notes
The Freezing Trick: Frozen marshmallows won’t dissolve instantly, preventing ‘sugar holes’ in the cookie.
Peanut Butter Choice: Use no-stir creamy peanut butter; natural varieties can lead to greasy, flat cookies.
Size Matters: A larger 2–3 tbsp scoop provides enough ‘buffer’ dough to keep the marshmallow centers contained.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert / Cookies
- Method: Creaming / Freezing
- Cuisine: American Comfort
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Large Cookie
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 165
- Fat: 11
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0.2
- Carbohydrates: 26
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 25
Keywords: gluten free peanut butter marshmallow cookies, fluffernutter cookies, marshmallow stuffed peanut butter cookies, gf peanut butter treats, gooey marshmallow cookies
