One-Bowl PB&J Thumbprint Cookies
These insanely easy one-bowl thumbprint cookies taste exactly like a PB&J sandwich. The peanut butter (you can also use almond butter) makes the cookies chewy and nutty, while the jam adds a pop of sweetness and tart fruit. You do not need to chill the cookie dough while making this recipe, but it will make your dough easier to roll and give you a more uniform shape. We like to coat them in crushed peanuts (or almonds) and coarse sugar for some crunch, but they are just as delicious without. It may seem odd that we add the baking soda in with the wet ingredients instead of with the flour, but this is how we get this one-bowl method to work. The baking soda is better distributed throughout the dough, giving you more consistent results in the oven. These cookies get even more intensely nutty as they sit, so they’re great for packing in school lunches or having on hand after school. The small, two-bite size is the perfect snack.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt (see Note)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Crushed salted peanuts for rolling (optional)
- Demerara sugar for rolling (optional)
- ⅓ cup store-bought jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter and butter. Microwave on HIGH in 30-second intervals until the butter is almost melted, about 1 minute. Whisk until you have a smooth, cohesive peanut butter.
- Add the brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt and whisk until smooth. Using a spatula, fold in the flour until just combined. If possible, let the dough chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
- Scoop level tablespoons of the dough and form into balls (see Note). Roll each ball in crushed peanuts or demerara sugar, if desired, and transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Using a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon, create a small indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake the cookies until puffed and slightly browned around the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the baking sheets to a cooling rack. Once again, use the ½ teaspoon to press an indentation into each cookie.
- In the jam jar or a microwave-safe measuring cup, microwave the jam on HIGH in 30-second intervals until it is runny, about 1 minute. Spoon ½ teaspoon of jam into the indentation of each cookie and then let cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
NOTE You can use natural or conventional nut butter in this recipe. If you’re using an entirely unsweetened nut butter, then consider upping the brown sugar by 1 to 2 tablespoons for a sweeter cookie.
For the most uniform cookies, consider using a #60 level scoop like this one.
MAKE AHEAD The thumbprint cookies can be stored between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!