Description
Nostalgic peanut butter and jelly cookies deliver classic childhood sandwich flavors in sweet cookie form. Comfort baking connects memories with delightful homemade treats you’ll savor bite by bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup seedless jam
- Additional jam
- Melted peanut butter
- Chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth, carefully scraping the bowl’s sides.
- Blend granulated and brown sugars into the butter, ensuring a fluffy, lump-free consistency.
- Incorporate peanut butter thoroughly into the sugar-butter mixture.
- Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until completely integrated.
- Sift flour, baking soda, and kosher salt together on top of the wet ingredients.
- Gently mix dry and wet ingredients, stopping when a uniform dough forms. Avoid overmixing to maintain cookie tenderness.
- Roll the dough into 1.5-inch balls, spacing them evenly on prepared baking sheets.
- Use a fork dipped in sugar to create classic criss-cross patterns, flattening cookies to 1/2-inch thickness.
- Smooth out seedless jam, creating a small well in the center of each cookie.
- Carefully add a teaspoon of jam to the center of each cookie, keeping it contained within the cookie’s surface.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes until edges turn golden brown.
- Allow cookies to rest on baking sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Optional: Garnish with additional jam, melted peanut butter, or chopped peanuts for extra visual appeal.
- For make-ahead option, freeze formed cookies. Can be baked directly from frozen state with slight time adjustment.
- Store in an airtight container for up to three days, maintaining optimal freshness and texture.
Notes
- Swap peanut butter with almond or sunflower seed butter for nut-free alternatives that maintain similar creamy texture and richness.
- Consider using natural jam or preserves with lower sugar content to reduce overall sweetness and create a more balanced flavor profile.
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes before shaping to prevent excessive spreading and ensure more defined cookie edges during baking.
- Test cookie doneness by checking for golden-brown edges and slightly soft centers, which will continue firming up during cooling process.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 128 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 102 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 13 mg