PB&J Sandwich Cookies Recipe

Stella Parks
PB&J Sandwich Cookies Recipe
*
  • Yield:Makes thirty-five 2 1/2–inch sandwich cookies
  • Active time:45 minutes
  • Total time:2 hours

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

There's something about the combination of peanut butter and jelly that I'll never outgrow. In cookie form, it's salty, sweet, and super crunchy—perfect with a glass of milk as an after-school snack. And no, it doesn't matter how long ago you graduated, to paraphrase an old saying: It's after school somewhere.

Why It Works

Peanut butter jelly time! Read the Whole Story
  • Using egg whites rather than whole eggs gives the cookies a texture that's crisp, not crumbly.
  • Adding the egg whites slowly helps the dough cream up fluffy, so the cookies are light and crisp, not dense.
  • In summer months, chilling the dough makes it easier to handle.

Ingredients

  • For the Cookies:
  • 3 ounces unsalted butter (6 tablespoons; 85g), cool but firm, about 65°F
  • 3 ounces creamy peanut butter (1/3 cup; 85g), not reduced-fat or non-homogenized (see note above)
  • 7 ounces sugar (1 cup; 200g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight
  • 2 large egg whites, well beaten (about 1/4 cup; 2 1/4 ounces; 65g)
  • 9 ounces all-purpose flour (1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon; 255g), plus more for dusting work surface
  • For the Filling:
  • About 6 ounces peanut butter, creamy or crunchy (2/3 cup; 170g)
  • 5 ounces jam or jelly (140g; volume will vary)

Directions

  1. 1.

    For the Cookies: Combine butter, peanut butter, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until soft, about 5 minutes, then add egg whites in 4 or 5 additions. After incorporating, scrape bowl and beater with a flexible spatula; resume mixing on low and sprinkle in flour to form a soft dough. Divide in half and flatten into disks. If dough is too soft to roll, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

  2. 2.

    Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F. On a generously floured surface, roll a portion of dough into a 5-inch square. Sprinkle with more flour, flip onto the other side, then dust again and roll until about 1/8 inch thick. If necessary, loosen dough from work surface with an offset spatula, then cut into 2-inch rounds, or whatever shape you prefer. Use spatula to transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, then gather scraps, re-roll, and cut again. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake cookies until pale gold around the very edges, about 12 minutes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

  3. 3.

    For the Filling: Spread a tablespoon of peanut butter over the bottom of half the cookies, top with a teaspoon of jam or jelly, then sandwich with remaining cookies. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container up to 24 hours.

Stella Parks

CIA trained pastry nerd, prodigal food writer, and certified BraveTart. Once upon a time, Stella cashed out her life savings to attend language school in Tokyo so she could read the secret menu at her favorite sushi joint. Later, Food & Wine would point to that sort of compulsive dedication in naming her one of America’s Best New Pastry Chefs. When not wearing her chocolate sprinkle glove or at work on her (eternally) forthcoming cookbook, Stella spends most of her time polishing Star Trek quotes and playing video games.

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