I actually don’t like to bake. I’m not a fan of precision or following instructions (I can hear my parents laughing loudly somewhere). I like to do things my own way and one of the things I love most about cooking is the ability to freestyle a bit and personalize recipes to my specific taste. Baking? Not so much. I find it to be too restrictive. Most of the time, I can’t be bothered with elaborate, multi-step recipes for layered birthday cakes or what have you. I cried in cake class in culinary school because frosting and decorating a cake properly was more tedium than I could bear (not my proudest moment, by the way).
I’m telling you this because these cookies are just so easy that I actually enjoyed baking them. So, you will too, even if you work a full time job, or have a precocious toddler running around. Which reminds me, this is a great recipe to make with kids. 
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Makes 20 cookies 1x
Description
These delightful peanut butter and jelly cookies are simple to make and bring a nostalgic twist to a classic flavor combination.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter (such as Skippy)
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup jam of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour and kosher salt until well combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, combine the smooth peanut butter, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Using your thumb or the back of a spoon, make an indentation in the center of each dough ball.
- Fill each indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon of your chosen jam.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
These cookies are a great project to make with kids due to their simplicity. You can use any flavor of jam you prefer, allowing for personalization. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If you want a softer cookie, slightly underbake them by a minute or two.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 0
