Description
Delightful Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies featuring a soft, rich peanut butter base with a sweet strawberry jelly center. These thumbprint cookies are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth with a nostalgic twist, enhanced by optional toppings of melted peanut butter and chopped peanuts for extra texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 1 cup (156 g) creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla bean paste
Additional Ingredients
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar for rolling (optional)
- ½ – 1 cup (144 – 289 g) strawberry jelly or seedless jam
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter, melted (optional)
- ¼ cup peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Peanut Butter and Wet Ingredients: Continue mixing on medium speed as you add the creamy peanut butter, blending for about one minute until fully incorporated. Then switch to low speed and mix in the egg and vanilla bean paste until the batter is smooth and homogenous.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined to form the cookie dough.
- Chill Dough: Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. This optional step helps reduce spread during baking. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour granulated sugar into a small bowl for rolling the dough.
- Scoop and Prepare Cookies: Use a medium cookie scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons or 30 ml) to form dough balls. Roll each ball into the granulated sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Using your thumb or the back of a teaspoon, press a small indentation in the center of each dough ball to create a well.
- Fill with Jelly: Spoon about one teaspoon (5 ml) of strawberry jelly or jam into each indentation gently, taking care not to overflow.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are set and fine cracks appear across the surface. Immediately after removing from the oven, gently nudge the edges of each cookie with a biscuit cutter or similarly sized glass to reshape them into neat rounds, as the cookies spread slightly during baking.
- Cool on Baking Sheet: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes to set.
- Finish and Serve: Optionally, add a little more jelly to each cookie while they are still warm for extra fruitiness. Drizzle with melted peanut butter and sprinkle chopped peanuts over the top for added texture and flavor. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before enjoying.
Notes
- Chilling the dough helps prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking but is optional.
- Use creamy peanut butter for a smooth texture; crunchy can be used if preferred for added crunch.
- Rolling the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar before baking adds a subtle crunch and sweetness to the exterior.
- If preferred, different jams or jellies can be used instead of strawberry for flavor variation.
- The optional toppings of melted peanut butter and chopped peanuts elevate the flavor but can be omitted for a simpler cookie.
- Make sure cookie dough balls are spaced adequately on the baking sheet to prevent sticking as they spread.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
