One of the best pairings in the world is simple yet scrumptious Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies! These nutty, jammy cookies are great any time of the year, including Christmas on a cookie tray but will pack up perfectly for a summer picnic too!
Is it too hot for the oven to be on? Try out No-Bake Peanut Butter Jam Thumbprints. These are best cold right out of the fridge and nibbled on. Great for a summer treat. Also, try our Chocolate No-Bake Cookies too.
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Baking Sheet Tray and Cooling Rack with Silicone Baking Mat Set, set of 6, (2 Sheets + 2 Racks + 2 Mats)
Measuring Cup and Spoon Set (13 pcs)
Crunchy, tender, nutty, with a dollop of fruity jam or jelly on top! This cookie tastes just like your favorite PB & J sandwich that you have loved since you were a kid.
How To Make Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
Let’s get baking!! You might have all these ingredients already at home, which is wonderful when wanting to whip up a quick batch of cookies. Pretty standard fare, but the results are nothing but fantastic.
Ingredients
Butter
White Sugar
Brown Sugar
Peanut Butter
Eggs
All-Purpose Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Jam or Jelly of your choice (I used raspberry)
Crushed peanuts for rolling cookies in
This a simple rolled cookie that afterward is turned into a thumbprint so the little dimple can house jam on top. It is one of our favorite cookies for year-round baking as it goes at any time for any occasion.
Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degrees C). Grease or place parchment paper on two baking sheets.
In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir softened butter, sugars and creamy peanut butter until mixed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add dry ingredients half at a time, mixing well. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.
Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls, and then roll in crushed nuts. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place cookies on baking sheets and press an indent into cookies.
You can use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Once almost completely cooled, add teaspoons of jam in centre of cookie. Do this with the remaining cookies.
We used raspberry jam, but you can use strawberry jam too or any other jam, jelly or preserve you prefer. Think of the flavors that you enjoyed on your peanut butter sandwich. Did you ever do anything out of the ordinary and loved it?
Which Ingredient Makes Cookies Moist and Tender?
Shortening and butter make cookies tender, and in this case, peanut butter works well too. When mixed into flour, fat coats some of the flour and protects it from the liquid in some recipes. This prevents gluten from developing, making the cookies more tender and less chewy.
Excerpted from Fine Cooking, the science of baking cookies.
How Do You Keep Peanut Butter Cookies from Crumbling?
The main problem with crumbly cookies is that you have added too much flour. You might look at the batter and think that it is not thick enough, and then you add more flour. That will be a mistake as your outcome will not be a great cookie but one that crumbles apart.
Try to stick to the recipe as much as possible, and you will have great results.
How To Store Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
Always let cookies completely cool on a cooling rack before storing them. These cookies will do best in an air-tight container. You may want to refrigerate if you are in the heat of the summer and your house is hot.
Otherwise, you can store them at room temperature. They will disappear quickly. They do freeze well also if you are looking for a make-ahead cookie for the holidays. Just be careful when stacking these cookies so as not to get jam on the undersides.
More Peanut Butter Delights
Are you a peanut butter lover like we are? Want more recipes using this nutty spread? Here are some of our ultimate favorites from over the years, both sweet and savory!!
Amish Peanut Butter Pie (a favorite around here)
Easy Peanut Butter Fudge (have loved this since I was a kid)
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies (Moist and Delicious)
Best Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake (Amazing peanut butter poke cake)
Best Peanut Butter Cookies (Peanut butter is added in the middle of this cookie to make it the ultimate)
Do you like peanut butter beyond sweet desserts and treats? Here are a few savory options for you too!! These are all great meals that we have enjoyed again and again.
Peanut Butter Chicken Curry (Instant Pot) (quick and easy 30-minute meal)
Fast Easy Oven Chicken Satay (awesome with Easy Asian Inspired Cucumber Salad)
Easy Chicken Thighs in Peanut Sauce with Green Beans (Simply delicious sheet pan meal)
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 3/4 cup jam of your choice I used raspberry
- 1/2 cup crushed peanuts for rolling cookies in
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degrees C). Grease or place parchment paper on two baking sheets.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter, sugars and peanut butter until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add dry ingredients half at a time, mixing well. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls, and then roll in crushed nuts. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place cookies on baking sheets and press an indent into cookies. You can use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Once almost completely cooled, Add teaspoons of jam in centre of cookie. Do this with the remaining cookies.
Comments & Reviews
Sheila says
Do you have to roll the dough in crushed nuts
Tara Noland says
No, you don’t, that was just a little extra.