Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

These easy, nostalgic-tasting cookies are a favorite of Stephanie Simmons, the Wisconsin blogger behind Blue Bowl Recipes and author of the cookbook, The One-Bowl Baker. Use your favorite preserves--Stephanie likes raspberry.

pbj thumbprint cookies
Photo: Courtesy of Stephanie Simmons
Prep Time:
30 mins
Bake Time:
9 mins
Cool Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
54 mins
Servings:
18

Ingredients

  • ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened at room temperature

  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter

  • ½ cup granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling

  • ½ cup packed brown sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 6 tablespoons raspberry preserves

Directions

Prep:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Make the Cookies:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the peanut butter and mix until it's just combined with the butter. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and mix until well creamed together with the butters. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined. Add the baking powder, salt and flour and mix just until the last of the flour disappears into the dough.

  2. Roll the dough into balls that are about 1 1/2 tablespoons in size. Add some granulated sugar into the measuring cup you used for the flour. Roll each ball in the sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Use a fork to press the traditional crisscross design into the cookies. Use you thumb to press an indent into the center of each cookie over the crisscross, and add about 1 teaspoon of the preserves to each.

Bake:

  1. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, rotate pans halfway through baking. Bake until outer edges start to turn golden brown. Let the cookies cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Serve and Store:

  1. Enjoy as soon as they're cool enough to eat. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

193 Calories
9g Fat
26g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 18
Calories 193
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 24mg 8%
Sodium 121mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 30mg 1%
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