These peanut butter and jelly cookies are soft, chewy, and filled with sweet jelly in the center. The peanut butter cookie dough comes together without chilling, and I like that the jelly is tucked inside rather than sitting on top, so you get that classic peanut butter and jelly combination in every bite.
If you love the combination of peanut butter and something sweet, this PBJ cookies recipe is such a fun twist on the classic sandwich. For another easy cookie recipe, try these Chocolate Chip Cookies next. Keep reading to see how to seal the jelly inside and keep it from spilling out while baking.
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Video Instructions
Try These Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
For me, the best part of these cookies is cutting one open and finding the soft jelly in the middle. The peanut butter dough is chewy and soft, while the sweet filling gives the cookies that familiar peanut butter and jelly flavor.
These peanut butter jelly cookies also don't need any chill time, so you can go from mixing the dough to shaping and baking without waiting for the dough to rest.
Why You’ll Love It
- Soft and chewy: The cookies stay soft and chewy when they are baked just until pale, puffy, and dry on top.
- No chill time: The dough can be shaped and filled as soon as it is mixed.
- Sweet jelly center: Each cookie gets a small pocket of jelly or jam in the middle.
- Easy to make: The dough uses simple ingredients and comes together quickly, no baking soda needed.
Ingredients
- Peanut butter: I recommend creamy peanut butter for these cookies. Avoid natural or crunchy peanut butter because they can result in a dry, crumbly texture.
- Jelly or jam: Grape jelly gives you the classic flavor, but strawberry or blueberry jam also work well.
- Unsalted butter: Melting the butter makes it easy to combine with the brown sugar and helps create the soft cookie dough.
- Light brown sugar: Packed brown sugar adds sweetness and helps give the cookies their soft, chewy texture.
How to Make Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
1. Spoon twelve ½ tablespoon dollops of jelly or jam on a paper-layered plate and freeze until you are done with the dough.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave until it is ⅔ melted. Then stir until it is completely melted. The butter will be dull but not look-through. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the sugar. Mix just until combined.
3. Add egg, vanilla, and peanut butter and mix just until combined. Use a rubber spatula on the sides of the bowl to ensure you have mixed everything.
4. Add all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix just to combine. The dough should be smooth, soft, and not sticky at all.
5. Divide the dough into twelve equal portions. Then divide each portion of dough into two equal pieces.
6. Shape one dough piece into a disc.
7. Fill with ½ tablespoon of jelly. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your first baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
8. Then shape the second piece of dough into a disc (must have an indentation in the middle), place it on top of the jelly, and pinch the edges of the cookie dough with your fingers and seal so that the jelly is completely enclosed. Place on cookie sheet and bake the cookies at 350°F (175°C) for 11–13 minutes.
9. Serve these delicious cookies with peanut butter and jelly warm.
Recipe Tips
- Don't overmix the dough at any step. Too much air can make the cookies dry and cake-like instead of soft and chewy.
- Make sure the dough pieces are evenly sized so the cookies bake evenly.
- Freeze the jelly dollops while you prepare the dough so they are easier to enclose. The refrigerator won't cool this enough.
- Pinch and seal the cookie dough completely around the jelly to help prevent leaking.
- Don't overcook the cookies. Remove them when they look dry, puffed, and pale with centers that still appear slightly undercooked.
- Use creamy peanut butter rather than natural or crunchy peanut butter for the best texture.
- For a delightful twist, add different jellies, including strawberry, peach, apricot, and more.
What Can You Serve With This?
- A cold glass of milk
- Hot coffee
- Black tea
- Vanilla ice cream
- Fresh berries
FAQs
Creamy peanut butter works best for these cookies. Avoid natural peanut butter and crunchy peanut butter because they can result in a dry, crumbly texture.
Make sure the jelly is completely enclosed in the cookie dough and pinch the edges firmly closed. Freezing the jelly dollops before filling the cookies also makes them easier to handle.
Overmixing the dough can add too much air and make the cookies dry and cake-like. Overbaking can also affect the texture, so remove them when they look pale, puffy, and dry on top.
Yes. After cooling, wrap each cookie tightly in plastic wrap, place them in freezer bags or containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them sit on the counter for about 1 hour to thaw.
Recipe
Peanut Butter And Jelly Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon jelly or jam
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup peanut butter, creamy
- ⅝ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Spoon twelve ½ tablespoon dollops of jelly or jam on a paper layered plate and freeze until you are done with the dough.
- In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment mix butter and sugar just until combined. Add egg, vanilla*, and peanut butter and beat just until incorporated. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix just until combined. Do not overmix at any step.
- Weigh the dough and divide it into 12 dough balls. Remove jelly from the freezer. Divide each cookie dough into two. Form one half into a disc and fill with one dollop of jam. Form the other half into a disc and lay on top of the jelly. Pinch and seal the sides with your fingers, that the jelly is completely enclosed.
- Bake one sheet after another for 11-13 minutes, until the tops aren't shiny anymore and look pale, puffy, and dry. Let cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. They will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
Cooking Time and Temperature
Bake the cookies at 350°F (175°C) for 11–13 minutes, until the tops are no longer shiny and look pale, puffy, and dry.Taste & Texture
Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies with a sweet, fruity jelly center.Storage, Freezing & Reheating
- Room Temperature: Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap each cooled cookie tightly in plastic wrap, place in freezer bags or containers, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Not specified.
Serving Recommendations
- I like serving these with a cold glass of milk for a simple peanut butter and jelly combination.
- For dessert, serve them alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Use strawberry or blueberry jam instead of grape jelly.
- Use a different type of jam if you don't have grape jelly available.
- Creamy peanut butter is recommended instead of natural or crunchy peanut butter.
Proper Storage Tips
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container.
- Keep them at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- For longer storage, wrap each cookie tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Pro Tips
- Freeze the jelly dollops before filling the cookies so they are easier to handle.
- Divide the dough evenly so all the cookies are the same size.
- Pinch and seal the cookie dough completely around the jelly.
- Remove the cookies when they look pale, puffy, and dry rather than letting them overcook.
Video
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Peggy
Made just as recipe directed, except: I simply froze the entire jar of jelly instead of making individual balls. (Jelly never really firmed up anyway.) Used small melon-ball scoop plus narrow spoon to place jelly into bottom half and then added the top disc. I found a silicone spatula along with some flour nearby helpful as I shaped my cookies. Really a neat recipe! Thank you.
Michelle Van Pelt
My Husband and I made these tonight and these are FANTASTIC! We're huge "foodies" and cook and bake all the time... these will definitely stay in our repertoire. Thanks for the great recipe!
Felicia
The filling is the stunner. It's so great to bite into these cookies. We couldn't stop eating them. They were away on the same day. Thanks for the recipe!
Sabine
I know! The filling is definitely the star. Thank you so much!
DJ Satterfield
Couple "critiques" to make.
On your printed recipe I would recommend stating that the butter should be 2/3 melted, as most baking recipes just use softened butter when creaming with sugar. Also, you may want the printed to list creamy peanut butter, for anyone that just prints off the recipe. Lastly, you state the storage time is 3 days in your written description but 4 days in your printed recipe. Just trying to help out and clarify things.
Going to make these this weekend, looking forward to them. Thank you for the recipe.
Sabine
Thank you so much! Made all corrections. Hope you like them!