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Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 81 reviews

Delightfully soft and chewy Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies combine classic flavors into a nostalgic treat. These cookies feature a creamy peanut butter dough with a sweet jam center, enhanced by a fork-pressed signature pattern and optional peanut butter drizzle and chopped peanuts for extra texture and flavor. Perfect for snacking or sharing, they bake up with slightly golden edges and a moist, fruity center.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 1/2 cup butter, 1 stick, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (e.g., Jif)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Jam and Garnishes

  • 1/2 cup seedless jam (any flavor)
  • Additional jam for topping (optional)
  • Melted peanut butter, for garnish (optional)
  • Chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare baking sheets. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
  2. Cream butter and sugars. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and beat until the mixture is fluffy and no butter lumps remain.
  3. Incorporate peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. Add the creamy peanut butter to the butter mixture and beat until fully combined. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and uniform.
  4. Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Stir gently so they are evenly distributed.
  5. Combine dry ingredients with wet dough. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed. Mix just until the dough begins to come together but still shows some flour streaks, then scrape the bowl and continue mixing until fully incorporated. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
  6. Shape cookie dough balls. Scoop dough into 1 1/2 inch balls using a cookie scoop or spoon. Place about 12 cookies per baking sheet spaced a couple of inches apart, as the dough will spread slightly during baking.
  7. Press cookies with a fork. Dip a fork lightly in sugar or flour to prevent sticking and press the fork down on each cookie, then rotate 90 degrees and press again to create a crisscross pattern. Aim for about 1/2 inch thickness.
  8. Add jam centers. Stir the 1/2 cup seedless jam well to remove lumps. Using a teaspoon, carefully spoon about 1 teaspoon of jam onto the center of each cookie, making sure it stays in the middle and doesn’t spill over the edges to avoid gummy spreading.
  9. Bake the cookies. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 13-15 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set with slight browning, especially at the very edges. Do not underbake as these cookies are delicate.
  10. Cool and finish. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes to set before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully. For presentation, add extra stirred jam, drizzle melted peanut butter, and sprinkle chopped peanuts on top, if desired.

Notes

  • Use creamy peanut butter for classic texture, or crunchy for more bite.
  • Do not overmix dough to avoid tough cookies.
  • You can freeze shaped and fork-pressed dough balls on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1-3 extra minutes to bake time.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Choose seedless jam to avoid lumps and ensure smooth topping.
  • For best results, eat warm with milk!

Keywords: peanut butter cookies, peanut butter and jelly cookies, jam cookies, classic cookies, easy cookies, homemade cookies, dessert

Find it online: https://islawhite.com/peanut-butter-and-jelly-cookies-recipe/