Some flavour combinations are so deeply embedded in our collective psyches that it's almost impossible to think of one without the other. Milk and cookies, bacon and eggs, banana and chocolate, ham and cheese.
The grandaddy of them all, though, is so universal that it's been condensed down to a simple TLA (that's a three-letter acronym, if you're not up on your tongue-in-cheek corporate jargon).
That's right. I'm talking PB&J.
Peanut BUtter and Jelly Meets Thumbprint Cookies
Peanut butter and jelly is a flavour combination so legendary that it has not one, but two songs written about it... though you probably only know the second one if you grew up in Canada.
So when I found out the theme for April's Cookie of the Month club was peanut butter, I knew this was my chance to pay homage to this classic pairing in cookie form.
These Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies have a sweet chewy peanut butter base, and a generous dab of glossy purple concord grape jelly in the middle.
It's all the goodness of an old-school PB&J sandwich, only with way more visual appeal and way less mess.
The Best Jam for Your Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprints
As far as I'm concerned, the only option if you want to get that classic PB&J flavour is concord grape jelly.
However, you can totally customize these lovelies with whatever flavour jam or jelly you happen to be partial to. Strawberry and raspberry are both lovely choices, but you can go a little crazy and try apricot or marmalade instead.
And yes... like all cookies, they're absolutely perfect with a big tall glass of milk.
How to Make Perfect Thumbprint Cookies
There are a few simple rules to follow to achieve the ultimate thumbprint cookie:
- Work with room-temperature dough: Room temperature dough is softer, so it'll roll into a smoother ball that holds its shape when you make the indentations.
- Make a deep thumbprint (but not too deep): The cookies will flatten out a little as they bake, so use the tip of your thumb (or the back of a wooden spoon) and press straight down to make a deep, narrow indentation rather than a wide, shallow one. This helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much, and also ensures you still have a good-sized indent to fill with jam.
- Don't scoop them out too big: Resist the urge to make these super-sized - the bigger the cookie, the more it will spread out as it bakes. Your dough balls should be just a little over an inch wide, which is roughly the size of a large gumball. (Or, even better, use a #50 cookie scoop for perfect portion control.)
Looking for more PB-inspired goodies? Check out these posts from my fellow Cookie of the Month bloggers:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches from Jen's Favorite Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cut Out Cookies from Tastes of Lizzy T
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies from Bake or Break
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies from The Cooking Actress
- Rolo Peanut Butter Blossoms from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprints from Crumb: A Food Blog
- Peanut Butter and Syrup Cookies from Kelli's Kitchen
- Peanut Butter Compost Cookies from Gotta Get Baked
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cookie Cups from 365 Days of Baking and More
- Peanut Butter Cup Sandwiches from Posed Perfection
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Print
Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprints
- Total Time: 24 mins
- Yield: 36 1x
Description
These pretty little thumbprint cookies pack all of the goodness of an old-school PB&J sandwich, but with way less mess. Best enjoyed with a tall glass of cold milk (obvs).
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup grape jelly or raspberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
- In a second bowl, cream together the peanut butter, butter and sugars. Add the eggs, beating well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir just until the dough comes together.
- Using your hands, roll heaping tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and arrange on the prepared sheet pans, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Use your thumb or the handle of a wooden spoon, make a deep indent in the centre of each ball. Fill with Concord Grape Jelly.
- Bake in preheated oven for 7-9 minutes or until the edges are set and golden brown. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling off completely.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 9 mins
Jenn G says
have you ever made the dough then refrigerated it for a day or two? would that be ok to do if I let it soften before scooping?
Isabelle Boucher says
Hi Jenn, I haven’t tried with this specific recipe, but in my experience most cookie doughs can be refrigerated for a couple days without any significant change to the finished product. Let me know how it goes!
Joelle Bradley says
So good. Simple but very special and nostalgic flavour! I rolled my balls in Sugar, then thumb printed the divot. It added a bit of sparkle. I made some with homegrown blueberry jam and others with homegrown strawberry jam. A great way to feature homemade jam
★★★★★
DP says
Made this cookie recipe last night, & they are absolutely delicious, used a homemade strawberry jelly i received for Christmas, & they came out wonderful, the cookies are soft and chewy, & yummy, recipe is a keeper!
★★★★★
Erin says
Cookies are great, I used raspberry jam and cut the white sugar in half but otherwise the same recipe. My family is eating them as they are cool enough to eat. Definitely will make again.
★★★★★
Jackie says
I made these cookies tonight and I must say this is a delicious recipe. I was a little over-zealous in my scoop size so the cookies grew into each other rather than crisping up to that classic “thumbprint” size. My last batch was the prefect one, once I realized I was making them way too big. My advice is aim for an actual tablespoon scoop, not a rounded spoon like a chocolate chip cookie.
I had made homemade Concord grape jelly yesterday from some grapes a neighbor gave me, and this was the first recipe I saw that made me eager to use some of the gelatinous gold. Another recipe I saw was rosemary Concord grape focaccia bread, but I’ll try that another day.
Thanks for the recipe! Will use again!
★★★★
Isabelle Boucher says
Thanks for sharing your experience, Jackie. I'm sorry your first few batches were a little over-large - as you discovered, these should be scooped using a tablespoon measure, which means your dough balls should be a little over an inch wide (or roughly the size of a large gumball).
I'm really glad to hear your last batch turned out to be worth of that precious homemade grape jelly, though. That's high praise indeed!
Anthony Valles says
Has anyone actually made these ? Commenting on how great the recipe LOOKS is pretty pointless !
Isabelle Boucher says
I can't vouch for anyone else, Anthony, but all of the recipes I share on the blog have been triple-tested to make sure they work. I'd love to hear your feedback if you end up making these!
Old Fat Guy says
I haven't had Thumbprint Cookies since I was a kid and a PB version sounds great!
The Old Fat Guy
Sarah | Drool-Worthy says
WOW. I've clearly been doing PB&J wrong for years. These look UH-mazing!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
yay for a classic comfort combo! In cookie form!
★★★★★
Jen @ Jen's Favorite Cookies says
Way to rock the classic combinations! And I was not up on my corporate jargon, so thank you for introducing me to the term TLA. ;)
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
I had PB&J sandwiches for 80% of my high school lunches - it's a flavour combo that'll never go out of style! These thumbprint cookies look fabulous, Izz, as does your site redesign. I love it!
Isabelle Boucher says
I knew you were a girl after my own heart, Nancy. :) And you're so right... a classic will always be a classic.
Jennifer | Bake or Break says
I just adore pb&j desserts! These cookies look so, so good. And gorgeous, too!
Kelli's Kitchen says
These look so delicious! I'm starving right now so I would like to eat the entire pan! :)
allyson says
Nicely done, Isabelle! And you are responsive, I just had fun playing with it. Looks great all around. :)
Isabelle Boucher says
Thanks, Allyson! I'm pretty geeked about the new design... this site was long overdue for a refresh, especially now that everyone's going mobile. :)
Nici says
Wow! Great job brining a classic sandwich into a cookie! They look delicious! I bet they could pass for lunch too. Have a great week!
Blessings,
Nici
Isabelle Boucher says
Cookies for lunch? I like the way you think, Nici! ;)
Julie @ Tastes of Lizzy T says
I love how you turned a classic sandwich into a cute little cookie! Pinned!
Liz says
Who needs a sandwich when these spectacular cookies are around? These thumbprints are definitely winners in my book!!!