Bring back memories of your favorite lunch box with these delicious Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies! This handheld treat gives you a nostalgic taste of the classic sandwich in cookie form features a soft peanut butter cookie studded with a center full of peanut butter and a touch of jelly for a unique and familiar taste! Great for school lunches or as an after-school snack!
Nothing brings back the memories of grade school lunches like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I can STILL picture myself at Columbian Elementary School with a My Little Pony lunch box ready to go. Making these cookies definitely transports me back to those times, which makes them even more delicious! Imagine soft, chewy peanut butter cookies filled with sweet strawberry jelly and a bit of gooey peanut butter in the middle. Every bite is a taste down memory lane!
What makes these cookies unique is that the peanut butter and jelly get sandwiched right in the middle of the cookie dough ball. A well is formed with your finger or a spoon. In that hole is where a dollop of frozen peanut butter goes along with some jelly. The cookie dough gets formed back around the PB&J where it stays in the middle for a fun surprise when you bite into the cookie just like a sandwich!
Enjoy them at birthday parties, family events, or anytime you need a sweet snack snack. Kids (and adults) love them with cold milk, hot coffee, or vanilla ice cream for an even more indulgent dessert!
Classic taste: These cookies combine the classic flavors of peanut butter and jelly in a fun, new way.
Quick and easy: They’re easy to make with simple ingredients you probably already have at home and only take about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Great texture: Each bite offers a perfect mix of creamy peanut butter and sweet jelly.
Party ready: They’re versatile and great for any occasion, from parties to summer BBQs.
Creamy Peanut Butter – Provides a rich, nutty base flavor and gives a soft and chewy texture to the cookies.
Butter – Adds moisture and contributes to the soft, chewy texture along with a buttery flavor.
Sugar (white and brown) – White sugar adds sweetness, while brown sugar adds moisture and a slight caramel flavor.
Egg – Acts as a binder to hold the ingredients together and adds structure to the cookies.
Vanilla Extract – Enhances the overall flavor and adds a subtle sweetness with a hint of warmth.
Baking Soda – Helps the cookies rise slightly.
Kosher Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
All Purpose Flour – Provides the structure for the cookies and helps the ingredients mix together well. You can also use a gluten-free flour if needed.
Peanut Butter Chips – Adds extra bursts of peanut butter flavor in every bite.
Strawberry Jelly – Adds a sweet, fruity surprise in the center of the cookies.
Stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer
Baking sheet
Nonstick spray or Silpat mat
Plate lined with wax or parchment paper
Large cookie scoop (3 1/2 tablespoons)
Wire rack for cooling
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat (silpat) or spray it with a light layer of nonstick cooking spray.
Portion peanut butter: Reserve one cup of peanut butter for the cookie dough and set aside. Line a large plate with wax paper or parchment. Place ¾ teaspoon scoops onto the plate, making 15 dollops of peanut butter. Place the plate in the freezer while you make the rest of the cookie dough.
Make the peanut butter cookie dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the peanut butter and butter and mix until smooth and well combined. Pour in both sugars and continue to mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add in the egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt, and mix until combined. Turn the mixer back down to low and gently add the flour until just combined. Fold in the peanut butter chips until evenly distributed.
Stuff the cookies: Portion out the cookie dough into 3 ½ tablespoon sized scoops. Make a large well in each piece with your finger or with a spoon. Add a dollop of strawberry jelly followed by one of the frozen peanut butter dollops on top. Roll the dough carefully back up into a ball doing your best to seal everything in. If needed, place the peanut butter back in the freezer if it begins to melt.
Bake and garnish: Place the stuffed cookies on the prepared baking sheet two inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges start to become golden and the tops begin to crack. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with additional peanut butter chips while warm. Let them cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before adding to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Freeze the peanut butter dollops for at least 10 minutes to make them easier to handle. While you are stuffing the cookies, you may need to put them back into firm up. If you have time, do this a few hours beforehand so they stay firm.
When mixing the butter, use room temperature for easier mixing and a smoother dough. Mix the peanut butter and butter until completely smooth before adding sugars and beat the sugars with the butter mixture for the full 2 minutes to incorporate air for the best texture.
Don’t overmix the dough once the flour is added to avoid tough cookies.
For best results, use a large cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies that bake consistently.
Space the cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet to allow for spreading.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to prevent breaking and allow them to set properly.
Place additional peanut butter chips on top while the cookies are still warm, so they stick to the top.
Nut butter: Instead of peanut butter, use cashew butter, almond butter, or even sunflower seed butter for a nut-free cookie.
Flavor extracts: Swap out vanilla extract with almond extract or maple extract for a different flavor profile.
Jelly: Use grape jelly, raspberry jam, or apricot preserves for a different flavor twist on the classic PB&J combo.
Chips: Replace peanut butter chips with chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips.
Mix-ins: Add chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts, for extra crunch and flavor. Or add rolled oats to the cookie dough for a chewy oatmeal cookie version.
Spices: Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the dough for a warm note.
Filling: Use Nutella or cookie butter instead of jelly for a rich, indulgent filling.
Toppings: Sprinkle a little sea salt on top of the cookies before baking for a sweet and salty combination.
Storing: Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze the cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Let them thaw on the counter before serving.
Warm cookies: Warm the cookies in a preheated oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes or microwave for 10-15 seconds until heated through.
Why do I have to freeze the peanut butter?
Freezing the peanut butter dollops helps them stay firm when you wrap the dough around them. This prevents them from melting too quickly and ensures a gooey center in the baked cookies.
Can I use natural peanut butter in this recipe?
Yes, you can use natural peanut butter, but make sure to stir it well to incorporate any separated oils. This will help achieve the right consistency for the dough.
What if I don’t have a stand mixer?
If you don’t have a stand mixer, an electric hand mixer will work just fine. You can also make them by hand with a spoon, but it will take longer, and the texture may not be the same!
Soft peanut butter cookies bursting with real peanut butter, sweet jelly and tons of peanut butter chips. Easy and yummy cookie recipe! Grab some milk!
1 cup creamy peanut butter, plus 1/4 cup, separate
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup peanut butter chips, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup strawberry jelly
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with nonstick spray or a Silpat mat.
Measure 1 cup of peanut butter for the cookie dough and set aside.
Line a plate with wax or parchment paper. With the remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter, scoop out 3/4 teaspoon portions and place them onto the prepared plate. You will need 15 small “dollops” of peanut butter. They don’t need to be exact. Place the plate in the freezer while you prepare the cookie dough.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix together 1 cup of peanut butter and the butter until smooth. Add in both types of sugars and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed.
Add the egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt and mix for 30 seconds, until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until just incorporated. Stir in the peanut butter chips.
Using a large cookie scoop (3 1/2 tablespoons) portion out the dough. Remove the plate with the peanut butter dollops. Make a large well in the cookie dough. Scoop out 3/4 teaspoon of the strawberry preserves and place this into the well of the cookie dough. Top this with one of the frozen peanut butter dollops.
Form the dough into a ball carefully around the peanut butter and jelly, doing your best to seal it in. Repeat the process with remaining dough, peanut butter and jelly. If working in batches, place the peanut butter scoops back into the freezer to remain firm.
Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet 2- inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops start to crack.
Remove the cookies from the oven and press additional peanut butter chips onto the tops as a garnish, if desired. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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