Stuffed Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies Recipe

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A nostalgic flavour combination made into a cookie. These Stuffed Peanut Butter and Jelly cookies are a must try. Combining the classic flavours of peanut butter and jam in a chunky cookie form. These cookies are easy to make and offer a delightful sweet contrast with a luscious peanut butter and jam filling. Whether you’re a peanut butter enthusiast or a fan of nostalgic PB&J sandwiches, these Stuffed Peanut Butter and Jam Cookies are guaranteed to please.

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A hand is lifting the top peanut cookie from a stack of 5 cookies.

For those “PB and J” lovers out there, you need to try these irresistible Stuffed Peanut Butter and Jam Cookies. These delightful treats feature a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookie dough that envelops a filling of smooth peanut butter and your favourite fruity jam or jelly in the centre of each cookie.

With each bite of these “PB and J” cookies, comes the perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavours that will transport you back to childhood memories of indulging in delicious peanut butter and jam sandwiches.

These chunky New York Style cookies have a soft and chewy texture, while the combination of rich peanut butter and fruity jam creates a harmonious taste combination that will leave you craving more.

Eaten warm, the PB and J filling can really be enjoyed with a subtle sweetness added to the centre of the cookie. It doesn’t pour out in a cookie sauce like these Molten Biscoff Filled Cookies, instead the sweet centre creates a contrast with the rich peanut butter taste of the whole cookie.

Whether enjoyed as a snack served up with a tall glass of cold milk, dessert, or a delicious treat for gatherings or lunch boxes, these Stuffed Peanut Butter and Jam Cookies are sure to impress both kids and adults alike. Allowing you to reminisce about your favourite childhood sandwich while enjoying a chunky, chewy cookie that rivals any made in a bakery.

Why You’ll Love This Delicious Cookie Recipe

Childhood Nostalgia: Evokes fond memories of classic peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in a fun twist in cookie form.

Easy To Make – Beginner-friendly recipe that gives you bakery quality cookies every time.

Crowd-Pleasing Treat – A guaranteed hit at parties, potlucks, or any occasion that calls for a delightful treat.

A hand is holding a piece of cookie up to the camera to show the layers. Behind are more cookies laid out in a random pattern with roasted peanuts and whole strawberries in between.

Equipment Needed

Mixing Bowl: Used for combining the ingredients and forming the cookie dough.
Whisk or Electric Hand Mixer: For beating the butter, peanut butter, sugars, and eggs together until smooth and creamy.
Optional: Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment: You can also make these perfect cookies with a stand mixer if you have one.
Measuring Scales: Essential for accurate ingredient measurements.
Baking Sheet or Cookie Sheet: Used to place the cookie dough balls for baking.
Baking Paper or Parchment Paper: Provides a non-stick surface and easy clean-up.
Cooling Rack: Use a wire rack to transfer and cool the baked cookies.
Spatula: Handy for transferring the cookie dough balls and removing the baked cookies from the sheet.
Spoon or Cookie Scoop: Helps portion out the cookie dough evenly.
Freezer and Storage Containers: For storing the dough before baking or keeping the baked cookies fresh.
Oven: Required for baking the stuffed peanut butter and jam cookies.

Ingredients

Smooth Creamy Peanut Butter – Creamy and nutty, smooth peanut butter adds richness to the cookies. We also add more smooth peanut butter to incorporate into the cookie dough, enhancing the peanut butter taste.
Strawberry Jam – Sweet and fruity strawberry jam provides a delightful burst of flavour in the cookie filling.
Unsalted Butter – Adds richness and moisture to the cookies.
Caster Sugar – Sweetens the cookies and helps with the texture. You can use regular white caster sugar or golden caster sugar for a deeper flavour.
Light Brown Soft Sugar – Provides a slightly caramel flavour to the cookies.
Plain Flour (All purpose) – The main structure of the cookie dough, giving it a tender texture.
Salt – Enhances the overall flavour and balances the sweetness.
Bicarbonate of Soda – Helps the cookies to rise and gives them a slightly lighter texture.
Baking Powder – Provides additional leavening, making the cookies light and fluffy.
Chopped Peanuts, Roasted (Optional) – Roasted peanuts add a crunchy texture and extra nuttiness to the cookies. You can leave them out if preferred.
Eggs – Binds the ingredients together and helps with the texture and structure of the cookies.

Flavour Variations

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter and Jam Cookies: Mix in a generous amount of chocolate chips into the cookie dough for extra richness and gooey chocolate goodness.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies: Instead of stuffing the cookies, create a thumbprint indentation in the centre of each cookie and fill it with a dollop of unfrozen jam. This variation allows for a more prominent jam flavour and a visually appealing cookie.
Peanut Butter and Banana Cookies: Add a handful of dried banana chips to the cookie dough for a delicious twist. The combination of peanut butter, jam, and bananas creates a flavour reminiscent of a classic peanut butter and banana sandwich.
Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies: Substitute smooth peanut butter with crunchy peanut butter to add a delightful texture and extra nuttiness to the cookies.
Different Jam or Jelly Flavours: You can use whichever sweet jelly or jam takes your fancy. From Raspberry jam to grape jelly, you can even try blueberry preserves too! Choose your favourite jelly and get creative.

Step-By-Step How To Make Stuffed Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Two hands spooning a mixture of peanut butter and jam into small piles on a lined baking tray.

A silver baking tray with peanuts spread out on it.

Step 1: Preparing the Peanut Butter and Jam Filling

In a bowl, mix the 120g of the smooth peanut butter and strawberry jelly or jam together until well combined.

Step 2: Freezing the Filling and Roasting the Peanuts

Line one flat baking tray with baking paper.
Spoon the peanut butter and jam mixture onto the tray, dividing it into 10 portions.
Place the tray in the freezer and allow the filling to set for 2-3 hours.
On a separate tray spread the peanuts in a single layer and place in a heated oven to roast until browned.

A stand mixer with sugar and butter inside the bowl.

A stand mixer filled with mixed sugar and butter.

Step 3: Preparing the Cookie Dough

Cut the unsalted butter into small cubes and place it in a large bowl or stand mixer.
Add the caster sugar and light brown soft sugar to the bowl and mix everything together until it forms a breadcrumb texture.
Crush the roasted peanuts into small chunks and add to the bowl, mix again until combined.
Add the smooth peanut butter to the bowl and mix once more.
In a separate bowl, combine the baking powder, salt, and bicarbonate of soda with the plain flour and mix well.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

The cookie mixture inside the glass bowl of a stand mixer, having had crushed roasted peanuts incorporated.

The cookie dough being shown after the extra peanut butter was added.

Hands add a flour mixture to the wet ingredients inside a stand mixer bowl.

The mixed ingredients inside a stand mixer with hands whisking eggs next to it in a bowl.

Step 4: Creating the Stuffed Cookies

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs.
Add the whisked eggs to the rest of the cookie dough ingredients and mix briefly until everything is combined to form a dough.
Remove the peanut butter and jam balls from the freezer.
Take a portion of dough, approximately 100g, and roll it into a ball.
Flatten the balls of dough with your hand.
Place a frozen peanut butter and jam portion in the middle of the flattened dough ball.
Encase the peanut butter and jam portion in the dough by pressing the dough around it, ensuring it is completely covered and sealed.
Repeat these steps for the remaining dough and filling portions.
Place the stuffed cookie balls on a lined baking tray or in an airtight container and return them to the freezer for at least 2-3 hours or until ready to bake.

A hand is placing a frozen mixture of peanut butter and jam in the centre of a flattened ball of cookie dough.

A hand is enclosing the cookie dough around the frozen centre of the cookie.

Step 5: Baking the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Line a baking tray or cookie sheet with baking paper, you may need more than one or bake them in batches.
Place the prepared baking sheets in the oven to heat up.
Once the oven and tray have reached the optimal temperature, take the cookie balls out of the freezer.
Remove the tray from the oven and quickly arrange the cookie dough balls on it, leaving space between each one to allow for spreading during baking.
Place the tray back into the oven.
Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove the cookies from the oven and press each one gently to flatten it slightly and allow them to cool enough to firm up on the baking tray.
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool slightly before serving (note that the filling will be hot, so don’t serve them too soon).
Enjoy the stuffed peanut butter and jam cookies while they’re still warm.

Nine balls of cookie dough on a silver tray lined with baking paper, ready to be frozen.

A hand is placing two frozen balls of cookie dough on a lined baking tray.

A hand is flattened the baked cookies that are sat on a lined baking tray.

FAQ

Can I add additional mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts?

Definitely! Adding chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or even dried fruit to the cookie dough can be a delicious variation. Just make sure to fold them into the dough gently to distribute them evenly.

Can I use a different type of jam or jelly?

Absolutely! While the recipe calls for strawberry jam, you can use any flavour of jam or jelly that you prefer. Raspberry preserves, grape, or even mixed berry jams would work well and add different flavour profiles to the cookies.

Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth?

Yes you can. Using crunchy peanut butter will add extra texture and crunch to the cookies. Just keep in mind that the chunkier consistency may affect the spreading and texture of the cookies slightly.

An overhead view of the baked peanut butter and jam cookies laid out in a random pattern. They are surrounded by roasted peanuts and fresh strawberries and a few decorative items.

Pro Tips and Guidance

Use cold butter – In order to get the right texture, we recommend using the butter straight from the fridge. On hot days, cube the butter and place it back in the fridge while you prepare everything else.

Measure accurately: Baking is a science, so it’s important to measure your ingredients accurately. Use measuring scales for the most precise measurements.

Don’t omit the freezing time – It makes it much easier to encase the centre if it has been frozen first, and if you don’t freeze the cookie balls before baking, they will spread too much and be thin rather than chunky New York-style cookies.

Create a well-sealed cookie: When encasing the peanut butter and jam filling in the dough, make sure to seal the edges well. This will prevent the filling from leaking out during baking and help maintain the shape of the cookies.

Bake in batches: Avoid overcrowding the baking tray. Leave enough space between the cookies for them to spread while baking. Bake in batches if needed, ensuring even heat distribution and consistent results.

Allow cookies to cool: Once the cookies are out of the oven, let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. This will help them set and firm up, preventing them from breaking apart.

Enjoy warm or cooled: These cookies are delightful when enjoyed warm, as the peanut butter and jam filling become gooey. However, they also taste great once completely cooled, allowing the flavours to develop fully.

Serving Suggestions

Classic Pairing: Serve the cookies with a cold glass of milk for a nostalgic and satisfying combination.
Ice Cream Sandwiches: Take your cookies to the next level by sandwiching a scoop of your favourite ice cream between two cookies for a delightful frozen treat.
Afternoon Tea: Arrange the cookies on a platter and serve alongside a pot of hot tea or coffee for a cosy and indulgent afternoon snack.
Dessert Dip: Crush a few cookies and sprinkle them over a bowl of creamy vanilla yogurt or whipped cream for a delightful and textured dessert.
Party Platter: Include the cookies as part of a dessert platter or cookie assortment for parties or gatherings, offering guests a delicious homemade treat.
Gift Ideas: Package a batch of these cookies in a decorative tin or box and give them as a thoughtful homemade gift for birthdays, holidays, or special occasions.

Storage Instructions

Storage: Store the baked cookies in an airtight container. They will keep up to 3 days. When you are ready to enjoy them, pop them into a warm oven to heat through for a few minutes.

Freezing: To store the stuffed peanut butter and jam cookies, it’s best to keep the uncooked cookie balls in the freezer rather than freezing the baked ones. The unfrozen cookie dough balls will keep for 3 months.