Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies on a cooling rack
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Recipe by Sarah Jampel
Not Yet Reviewed

If you consider a PB&J to be one of the world’s great sandwiches, these peanut butter and jelly cookies are for you. Big and crinkly with bendy centers, crisp edges, and a salty-sweet coating, these sandwich-inspired cookies get their jelly flavor from Jammy Bits, little jewels of concentrated fruit flavor that stay suspended throughout the cookies in a way proper jam never could. Once you’ve secured your bag of Jammy Bits, these peanut butter and jelly cookies come together easily — no special equipment or softened butter required — which means you’ll be tucking them into lunchboxes in no time.

Prep
15 mins
Bake
16 to 18 mins
Total
1 hr 30 mins
Yield
10 large (3 1/2 to 4") cookies
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies on a cooling rack - select to zoom
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies on a cooling rack - select to zoom
A stack of Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies on a counter - select to zoom
A couple of Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies on a plate next to a bag of jammy bits - select to zoom
Our Best Products

Instructions

Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.

  1. To make the dough: In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the peanut butter and butter in 20-second increments in the microwave. Whisk until well combined. (Alternatively, melt them in a saucepan over low heat on the stovetop, then transfer to a large bowl.) 

  2. Whisk in the sugars until no lumps remain, then whisk in the egg and vanilla, followed by the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  

  3. Switch to a flexible spatula and stir in the flour until almost no dry streaks remain. Stir in the Jammy Bits.  

  4. Cover the bowl and transfer it to the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the cookie dough to firm up. 

  5. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center, and line two baking sheets with parchment.  

  6. To prepare the coating: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and salt. 

  7. Using a 1/4-Cup Scoop or a level 1/4-cup measure, scoop the chilled dough into ten portions (about 75g each), coat each one in the sugar mixture, and divide evenly between the baking sheets. 

  8. Working with one pan at a time (leave the other baking sheet at room temperature), bake the cookies for 15 to 16 minutes, until puffy and soft in the centers and golden brown on the edges, then drop the tray firmly on the oven rack or countertop to deflate the cookies. (This helps create the crinkly surface.) Return the cookies to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes; the tops will still look soft. Remove from the oven and, once again, drop the tray firmly to encourage the cookies to deflate. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. 

  9. Bake the second pan of cookies. (Don't forget to bang the tray!)

  10. Store the peanut butter and jelly cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.  

Tips from our Bakers

  • Our Test Kitchen prefers these cookies with conventional creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Both chunky peanut butter and natural peanut butter will yield cookies that spread less and have a slightly puffier, cakier texture. To get a similar result using chunky peanut butter, press the dough balls down to 1/2" thick before baking. To use natural peanut butter, we recommend "smashing" the cookies: After the 15-minute bake (step 8), smash each cookie with a flat spatula, then return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, smash again, and let cool. 

Baker’s Resources