Peanut Butter And Jelly Cookies
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These Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies take everything you love about the favorite childhood sandwich and turn it into a soft, bakery-style cookie packed with nostalgia. Thick, chewy, and full of peanut butter flavor, these cookies have a surprise pocket of sweet raspberry jam baked right inside—making each bite a little sweet, a little salty, and totally crave-worthy.
This recipe is a fun twist on tradition. Instead of spreading peanut butter and jelly between two slices of bread, we’re folding that gooey goodness into a soft peanut butter cookie dough loaded with peanut butter chips. These are the kinds of cookies you bake when you want to feel like a kid again—or surprise one with the ultimate after-school treat.
I started with this peanut butter cookie recipe I found in this cookbook, Ultimate Cookie Handbook and put a fun nostalgic twist on them. After making this fluffernutter cookie version I knew I had to make one based on my favorite kid food – peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!
The dough mixes up easily without an electric mixer. You just need two bowls, a whisk and a spatula. The dough does need to chill before baking, but after a couple of hours the dough is ready to be stuffed!
I stuffed these cookie dough balls with some raspberry jam. Now to fill these cookies I recommend using chilled raspberry preserves so the jam doesn’t leak out as much when baking. As they bake the edges of the cookies get crispy, and golden brown. The centers of the cookie will expand to reveal the sticky, sweet jam center.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour – spooned and leveled for accurate measuring. Or use a kitchen scale and weigh it for best accuracy.
- Baking soda + baking powder
- Cornstarch – keeps the cookies soft and tender
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter – You can also use salted butter use only 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Creamy peanut butter – stick with conventional brands (like Jif or Skippy) for best results instead of a natural peanut butter that you need to stir (it can be too oily). You could always use crunchy peanut butter for more texture.
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar – If you run out, try my homemade brown sugar recipe! You could use dark brown sugar. Your cookies might just come out a bit chewier and darker in color.
- Eggs + 1 extra yolk – Here is my tutorial on how to bring eggs to room temperature quickly. And how to separate eggs.
- Vanilla extract
- Peanut butter chips – for texture and extra peanutty goodness. The cookies will still be full of flavor. You can substitute mini chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, or simply leave them out.
- Seedless raspberry jam – chilled to make filling easier and prevent spreading. You can always swap and use another flavor like grape jelly or strawberry jelly.
How to Make Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt.
Melt butter & mix with peanut butter. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. While still warm, stir the peanut butter into the hot melted butter until smooth.
Add sugars. Stir in the white sugar and brown sugar until fully combined.
Add eggs & vanilla. Stir in the eggs and yolk, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix until smooth.
Combine wet and dry. Stir in the flour mixture, then fold in the peanut butter chips.
Chill the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight. Don’t skip the chill time. Chilling solidifies the butter and hydrates the flour, giving you thick, bakery-style cookies that don’t spread too much.
Preheat oven. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Shaping And Filling The Cookies
Fill and shape. Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough (about 40–50 g each).
Use a cookie scoop to keep your cookie sizes consistent—this helps them bake evenly.
Flatten slightly, add 1½ to 2 teaspoons of chilled raspberry jam to the center of each cookie dough ball, and fold the dough around to seal.
Seal the dough well around the jam to prevent leaking. Pinch the seams and roll lightly in your hands to smooth them out.
Bake. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, until golden around the edges. Cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack. Make sure to let them cool a few minutes before you transfer them or they may fall apart.
Want perfectly gooey centers? Slightly underbake the cookies and let them finish setting up on the baking sheet.
Optional finish. Press a few extra peanut butter chips on top while the cookies are still warm for a bakery-style finish.
So if you’re craving a peanut butter cookie with a nostalgic twist- these peanut butter and jelly cookies are the answer to that craving! Want to take them to the next level? Try topping or sandwiching them with my peanut butter cream cheese frosting!
More Cookie Recipes To Try
If you’re looking for more easy cookie recipes to try, then you have to try my Russian Tea Cakes recipe – it’s a family favorite my grandmother made for us every Christmas!
And you can’t go wrong with my popular lemon cookies, or my coconut macaroons. Two easy cookies that everyone adores.
Peanut butter and jelly cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (202 g) peanut butter
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup 213 g packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups peanut butter chips
- 1 cup seedless raspberry jam chilled
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch and salt. Set aside. 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- Combine butter and peanut butter. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Then whisk the peanut butter into the hot, melted butter until well combined. ½ cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter ¾ cup (202 g) peanut butter
- Add sugars. With a spatula or wooden spoon stir in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined. ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar 1 cup 213 g packed light brown sugar
- Add eggs and vanilla. Add the eggs and yolk, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add in the vanilla. 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add dry ingredients. Stir in the flour mixture. Fold in the peanut butter chips. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Let the dough sit at room temperature for several minutes just until ready to scoop. 1 ¼ cups peanut butter chips
- Prepare oven and pans. position a m n in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Scoop cookie dough. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough into 2-tablespoon portions (about 40-50 g each). Flatten the cookie dough and place about 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons jam in the middle and fold the cookie dough around the fluff. You can use two spoons to place the jam in the middle or pipe the jam into the center. Place the cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2-inches apart. 1 cup seedless raspberry jam
- Bake and cool cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. I like to top each cookie with a few additional peanut butter chip as soon as they come out of the oven for picture perfect cookies. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The jam keeps the centers soft, so they stay fresh longer than most cookies.
- Refrigerator: Optional, but can extend freshness an extra day or two if your kitchen is warm.
- Freezer (Baked): Let cookies cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp or warm slightly before serving.
- Freezer (Unbaked): Stuff the cookie dough with jam and freeze the balls on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
