Peanut Butter & Jelly Filled Cookies
It’s official, the holiday season is upon us, which means one thing… it’s time for Christmas cookies!!!
There is something so magical about spending a snowy Saturday afternoon in the kitchen baking up dozens of cookies while blasting Christmas music. It truly sets the festive tone for the rest of the month!
This year I made one promise to myself… I would develop my own cookie recipe… and I would start baking early. Ok, that’s two promises, but they are both for very good reasons. You see, last year I had a bit of a mishap. I was invited to a blogger cookie exchange at my friend Jenny’s house, and unfortunately, I left my baking until the very last minute. I’m talking I was baking up until midnight! But that’s not even the worst part. In desperation, I hopped on Pinterest to find a recipe for a crinkle brownie cookie. Now, before I tell you what happened with the recipe, let me just say I love Pinterest for finding inspiration, HOWEVER, it has let me down soo soooo many times in the recipe department. A blogger’s recipe will have hundreds or thousands of repins, to me signaling it’s a popular and decent recipe, but then when I make it something is clearly not right. Well, long story short, that’s exactly what happened with the brownie cookie recipe I selected. I followed the instructions to a “T” but the cookies came out of the oven looking like little blobs of coal. Needless to say, I showed up a Jenny’s Christmas Cookies exchange with a couple boxes of long john’s from Norris Bakery… so. freaking. embarrassing!
Let me tell you friends… you only want to feel that level of embarrassment in front of a chef once in your life… but whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? And with my new found strength you better believe I developed a very Pinterest-worthy Christmas cookie recipe for this year’s festivities!
While it might not be a traditional Christmas cookie per se, it does combine two of my favourite things: peanut butter and jelly! I mean, you really can’t go wrong with a classic combo! The peanut butter cookie is fluffy and chewy (just how I like them) and the peanut butter filling is light, airy, and whipped to perfection. Now, this is where I am going to get a little picky… should choose to make these cookies you HAVE to use Bonne Maman’s Strawberry and Wild Strawberry Jam. It’s honestly the most flavourful and delicious jam I have found! It adds the perfect amount of “zing” to these cookies!
If you’re getting ready to bake cookies for a cookie exchange this holiday season, I HIGHLY suggest these Peanut Butter & Jelly Filled Cookies. Like, you MUST make them. They’ll be the talk of the party leaving you glowing with pride (instead of hiding in embarrassment)!
Peanut Butter & Jelly Filled Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 dozen 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
Description
Classic peanut butter cookies get dressed up for the holidays thanks to a creamy peanut butter and jelly filling! A classic combo that is sure hard to resist!
Ingredients
Cookies:
1 cup Kraft peanut butter
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
sprinkle of nutmeg
Filling:
5 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup Kraft peanut butter
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/2 jar Bonne Maman’s Strawberry and Wild Strawberry Jam
Instructions
Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), cream together peanut butter and butter on high until light and airy.
- Add both sugars and continue to beat on high until sugar is incorporated.
- Add eggs and vanilla; mix just until eggs are blended.
- Add all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Using a rubber spatula, mix until well combined.
- Using your hands, roll dough into a 1.5 inch ball. Place on parchment lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Using the tines of a fork, press each ball of dough down. Rotate fork and press again if you wish to make a cross-hatch pattern.
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until puffed up. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly on sheet until firm enough to move to a cooling rack using a spatula. Allow to cool completely before filling.
Filling:
- In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), cream together cream cheese and peanut butter on high until light and airy.
- Add icing sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
- Using a knife or off-set spatula, spread about 1 tbsp of filling onto flat side of peanut butter cookie. Add 2-4 tsp (depending on your personal preference) of jam. Gently place another peanut butter cookie on top, creating a sandwich. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
What’s your favourite holiday cookie recipe? If it’s online, feel free to drop the link into the comments, I am always on the lookout for tried, tested and true cookie recipes! 😉
