Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies taste like your childhood favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, in sophisticated cookie form! The peanut butter cookies are classic – soft, and thick – with raspberry preserve filled centers. These cookies require no chill time, but can also be prepped ahead. They’ll be a hit everywhere you take them!
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This is the best way to enjoy your favorite childhood sandwich! Easy peanut butter cookies are soft baked with raspberry preserves in the center.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Soft, Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies – These are soft, thick peanut butter cookies – basically the stuff of childhood nostalgia dreams!
- Raspberry Preserves – Delicious raspberry preserves fill the center of these cookies.
- No Chill – This dough doesn’t require any chilling, but can be stored in the fridge if needed.
Ingredient Overview
- Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Raspberry Preserves – Use raspberry preserves, not raspberry jam, as I’ve found that the preserves are more flavorful, at least when it comes to raspberries.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon & level your flour for best results. Scooping the measuring cup directly in will lead to too much flour. Or use a scale, and weigh 135 grams of all-purpose flour per cup.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite dairy-free butter sticks to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Different Jam – You can use other flavors of preserves or jam if you prefer – like strawberry jam!
How to Make this Recipe Step-by-Step:
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough. In a large or medium bowl, cream together the butter and peanut butter, then mix in the sugars. Mix in your eggs and vanilla then add the dry ingredients last, mixing until a cohesive dough forms.
Step 2: Shape & Fill the Cookie Dough Balls. Roll balls about 1 and 1/2 tbsp (40 grams) in size. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, then press the classic peanut butter cookie criss cross design on top of each dough ball with a fork. (Notice that I forgot to roll the balls pictured below in the sugar this time, haha).
Press down into the center of the cookie lightly with a teaspoon to make an indent. Fill with the raspberry preserves.
Step 3: Bake the Cookies. Bake the cookies as directed in the recipe card below for best results. Cool on a wire rack.
Once your PB&J Cookies are done, let them cool for a bit, then dig in! I like these perfectly soft and chewy cookies with a tall glass of cold milk – such a classic combo! These are the perfect cookies to add to your holiday cookie plates this year – they’ve become one of our favorites over the past few year and are the best peanut butter cookies! I know these delicious cookies will quickly become your new favorite, too.
Expert Success Tips:
- Dough Chilling- I find that these don’t need chill time, but they do hold their shapes just a bit better if you chill them first. It’s completely up to you! I usually pop one pan in the oven, and stick the second in the fridge while the first bakes.
- Don’t Over Fill – 1 tsp jam may not sound like much, but it’s the right amount for a cookie this size. If you add more, the cookie may not turn out. You can always dollop a bit more on top of the baked, cooled cookies.
FAQs:
- Can this dough be made ahead? Yes! Assembled cookies can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for 1-2 days before baking. Or, cookie dough can be portioned and shaped, then frozen for 1-2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before adding the raspberry preserves and baking.
- Can I double this recipe? Yes! You can double or halve this recipe.
Recipe Variations:
- Jam – Try different flavors of fruit preserves, if desired!
- Nut Butter – If you can’t have nut butter, something like sun butter should work in these cookies, although I to give the disclaimer that I haven’t tried it myself.
Serving + Storing this Recipe:
Enjoy these peanut butter thumbprint cookies while they’re warm, or once they’ve cooled a bit. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Special Tools:
- Baking Sheets – These are my favorite cookie sheets!
- Silicone Baking Mat – This is my favorite silicone baking mat. It reduces waste because it’s washable!
More Cookie Recipes to Love:
- Bakery-Style Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies
- Key Lime Slice & Bake Cookies
- Blueberry Lemon Cookies
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Thumbprint Cookies
- Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies
- Cherry Pie Cookies
- Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies
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Peanut Butter & Jelly Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature (8 tbsp or 113 grams)
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For Finishing
- 1 18-ounce jar raspberry preserves See note below
- granulated sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Make the Cookies: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer until nice and creamy. Add the peanut butter and mix until it's just combined with the butter. Add the granulated and brown sugars, and mix until well creamed together with the butters. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour and mix, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, just until the last streaks of flour disappear into the dough.Roll the dough into balls bout 1 1/2 tablespoons (38 to 40 grams) in size. Add some extra granulated sugar into the measuring cup you used for the flour or sugar earlier on. Roll each ball in the sugar and place onto the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Use a fork to lightly press the traditional crisscross design into the cookies. Use your thumb to gently press an indent into the center of each cookie on top of the crisscross, and spoon in about 1 teaspoon of preserves into the center of each cookie.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes. The edges will appear just set. Let cookies cool about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.You do not need to chill this cookie dough! However, I sometimes find that the second pan spreads a tad more since it sits out while waiting for the first pan to bake. So, I usually pop the second pan in the fridge while the first bakes. (I prefer baking one pan at a time in my oven).
- Serve + Store: Enjoy with a cold glass of milk! Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or 7 days in the fridge.
- Make-Ahead Tips: The cookies can be made, fully assembled (with the jam in the centers) and refrigerated on the baking pan (tightly covered with foil, etc.) for 24 hours before baking. Bake straight from the fridge.
Notes
Kim says
Super easy and delicious. I highly recommend the make ahead for easy cookies!
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks, Kim! ☺️
Jessica says
These little thumbprints are INCREDIBLE. I did them with a cherry preserve instead of raspberry (since that’s what I had on hand) and WOW WOW WOW!!! I could eat an entire batch of these by myself. So… maybe… double the recipe – at LEAST. Recipe was simple and very clear. Will definitely be adding these to the “must-make” Christmas cookie list!
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks so much, Jessica! Glad you enjoyed these cookies. 🙂
Katie says
These cookies are dangerously delicious. I used a gluten-free flour baking blend and dairy-free butter (in the exact same measurements) with no problem. I have eaten 3 of these cookies already and I’m not sure they’ll last the day. So yummy!
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks so much, Katie!