Peanut Butter & Jelly Jewels

These peanut butter cookies put the classic PB&J combo into thumbprint form. A rich dough loaded with smooth peanut butter and brown sugar gets chilled, rolled into balls, pressed with a spoon handle, and baked until set. The cherry preserves filling goes in after baking, so it stays glossy and jewel-bright instead of drying out in the oven.

Chilling the dough for at least an hour is essential. Warm peanut butter dough is sticky and spreads too much. Cold dough holds its ball shape and keeps the thumbprint indent deep enough to hold a good pool of preserves.

The brown sugar and white sugar combination gives these a slight molasses flavor alongside the peanut butter, with edges that crisp while the centers stay soft and a little chewy.

Use the handle end of a wooden spoon for the indent, not your thumb. It creates a deeper, more even well than a thumb does, which means more filling in every cookie.

Chef Tips

• Press the indent immediately after placing on the sheet, before the dough warms up. Warm dough cracks around the edges when pressed.
• Let cookies cool on the sheet first until firm enough to move. They’re fragile when hot.
• Fill the centers after the cookies cool completely. Warm cookies melt the preserves into a runny mess.
• Use a small spoon or squeeze bottle for filling. It gives you more control than dumping from a jar.

Variations

• Use grape, strawberry, or raspberry preserves for a different colored “jewel."
• Swap smooth peanut butter for crunchy for added texture in every bite.
• Press a glacé cherry into the center instead of preserves for a more decorative look.