PB & J Cookies
These PB&J cookies are soft, chewy, peanut-buttery, and filled with little pockets of berry jam. The cookie dough is rich and thick with creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla, then stuffed or topped with frozen jam so the centers stay fruity and gooey.
They’re nostalgic in the best way — peanut butter cookie meets jam thumbprint, but thicker, softer, and more bakery-style.
Highlights Of This Recipe
Perfect Nostalgic Flavor: Combines the rich, comforting taste of creamy peanut butter with sweet, gooey berry jam.
Bakery-Style Texture: Thick, soft, and extra chewy with a beautifully set edge.
Smart Technique: Freezing the jam ensures it stays perfectly pocketed inside or on top of the cookie rather than melting into the dough.
Essential Prep for Success
Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your unsalted butter and egg are completely at room temperature before starting to guarantee a smooth, properly emulsified dough.
Measure Accurately: Weighing your ingredients in grams using a kitchen scale ensures accuracy and consistent results every time.
Plan Ahead for Chilling: This dough requires a solid 2–3 hours in the fridge and an optional 1 hour in the freezer, so budget your time accordingly.
Secrets for the Perfect Recipe
The Jam Freeze: Do not skip freezing the teaspoon-sized portions of jam. This step keeps the assembly neat and ensures a distinct, gooey fruit center.
The Cookie Scoot: For perfectly round cookies, use a large round cookie cutter or a glass to gently "scoot" the edges of the cookies in a circular motion immediately after they come out of the oven while they are still warm.
Watch the Bake Time: Pull the cookies out right when the edges are set. The centers should still look soft, as they will finish cooking on the hot baking sheet.
Yield: 11–12 cookies
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough
Ingredients
225 g creamy peanut butter, like Jif or Kraft
125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp honey
45 g granulated sugar
170 g brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
190 g all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
Berry Jam Filling
Ingredients
255 g frozen strawberries, or berry of choice
60 g granulated sugar, depending on sweetness
1 tsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt
5 g cornstarch + 15 ml water, mixed into a slurry
Instructions
Add the frozen berries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt to a small saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the berries break down and release their juices.
Once the mixture looks saucy and jammy, add the cornstarch slurry.
Cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Remove from heat and cool completely.
Scoop small teaspoon-sized portions of jam onto a parchment-lined plate or tray.
Freeze until firm before adding to the cookies.
Make the Cookie Dough
In a bowl, cream together the butter, honey, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Add the peanut butter to the butter mixture and mix until smooth and fully combined.
Add the egg and vanilla. Mix again until creamy and slightly fluffy.
Add the dry ingredients one large spoonful at a time, mixing until a soft peanut butter dough forms.
Scoop the dough into 11–12 cookie dough balls.
Fill the Cookies
Flatten each dough ball slightly.
Add a frozen jam piece to the center, then gently wrap the dough around it. You can also press the jam into the top if you want a more thumbprint-style cookie.
Place the filled cookie dough balls onto a lined baking sheet.
Chill in the fridge for at least 2–3 hours.
For the best shape, freeze the chilled dough balls for 1 hour before baking.
Bake
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Space the chilled cookie dough balls apart on the baking sheet.
Bake for 13–15 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look soft.
Remove from the oven and scoot the cookies while warm, if needed.
Let cool slightly before enjoying.
Notes
Freezing the jam before shaping makes these much easier to work with and keeps the filling from disappearing into the dough.
These are beautiful warm when the jam is soft and glossy, but they also get extra chewy once cooled. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, or in the fridge if you like a firmer peanut butter cookie.
Faqs About PB & J Cookies
Can I use store-bought jam instead of making it from scratch?
Yes, you can substitute store-bought jam if you are short on time. However, make sure it is a thick, high-quality jam, and still follow the step of portioning and freezing it before assembling the cookies to ensure the filling doesn't run.
Why do I need to chill the cookie dough for so long?
Chilling the dough allows the fats to solidify and the flour to fully hydrate. This prevents the cookies from spreading too flat in the oven, helping them keep their signature thick, chewy texture and locking the jam inside.
Can I use natural peanut butter for this recipe?
It is highly recommended to use standard creamy peanut butter (such as Jif or Kraft) rather than natural varieties that separate. Natural peanut butters contain excess oils that can alter the structure of the cookie dough, causing it to spread or become crumbly.
Show Me Your Work!
Did you make these nostalgic treats? I want to see how your cookies turned out! Snap a photo and tag@sashacakeschicago on Instagram so I can check out your beautiful bakes!
If you loved the results of these nostalgic PB&J Cookies, you will find even more inspiration in my Fantastic Pastry Cookies ebook. This guide is curated specifically for the home baker who wants to master unique textures and sophisticated flavor combinations—like that rich, thick peanut butter dough and gooey frozen berry jam centers—right in their own kitchen. 🍰✨
Download the Fantastic Pastry Cookies Ebook Here
Disclaimer: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—thank you for supporting my baking projects!
PB & J Cookies
These PB&J cookies are soft, chewy, peanut-buttery, and filled with little pockets of berry jam. The cookie dough is rich and thick with creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla, then stuffed or topped with frozen jam so the centers stay fruity and gooey.
Ingredients
- 225 g creamy peanut butter, like Jif or Kraft
- 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp honey
- 45 g granulated sugar
- 170 g brown sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 255 g frozen strawberries, or berry of choice
- 60 g granulated sugar, depending on sweetness
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 5 g cornstarch + 15 ml water, mixed into a slurry
Instructions
- In a bowl, cream together the butter, honey, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Add the peanut butter to the butter mixture and mix until smooth and fully combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Mix again until creamy and slightly fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients one large spoonful at a time, mixing until a soft peanut butter dough forms.
- Scoop the dough into 11–12 cookie dough balls.
- Add the frozen berries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt to a small saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the berries break down and release their juices.
- Once the mixture looks saucy and jammy, add the cornstarch slurry.
- Cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Remove from heat and cool completely.
- Scoop small teaspoon-sized portions of jam onto a parchment-lined plate or tray.
- Freeze until firm before adding to the cookies.
- Flatten each dough ball slightly.
- Add a frozen jam piece to the center, then gently wrap the dough around it. You can also press the jam into the top if you want a more thumbprint-style cookie.
- Place the filled cookie dough balls onto a lined baking sheet.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 2–3 hours.
- For the best shape, freeze the chilled dough balls for 1 hour before baking
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Space the chilled cookie dough balls apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 13–15 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look soft.
- Remove from the oven and scoot the cookies while warm, if needed.
- Let cool slightly before enjoying.
Notes
Freezing the jam before shaping makes these much easier to work with and keeps the filling from disappearing into the dough.
These are beautiful warm when the jam is soft and glossy, but they also get extra chewy once cooled. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, or in the fridge if you like a firmer peanut butter cookie.
