No-brainer Recipe: PB and J Cookies

by Ali at Divine Domesticity

I went nuts over these cookies. They are a perfect balance of soft peanut butter cookie, a dab of jam and an amazing but simple peanut butter frosting. They are YUM-O and I don’t care who knows it.

PB and J Cookies
Makes 20-25 cookies

1/2 c. AP flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. unsalted butter, room temp.
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 egg
Strawberry Jam
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. milk

1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.  In a small bowl, stir together flour and baking powder.  Set aside.

2. In the bowl of your mixer, blend 3/4 of the peanut butter with the room temperature butter on medium speed. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat till smooth,  approx. 5 minutes.  Beat in the egg until incorporated.  Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.

3. Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop the dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Using your thumb, gently dent the center of the cookies.  Spoon 1/2 tsp. of the strawberry jelly into each center.  Bake until lightly golden, about 12 minutes.  Remove to a cookie rack and cool.

4. In a small bowl, beat together the remaining 1/4 cup of peanut butter and the confectioners’ sugar.  With a fork or whisk, stir mixture while adding the milk, a little at a time, until the frosting reaches a good consistency for piping.  Using a resealable bag with a tiny corner cut off, pipe the frosting over the cookies.

Recipe courtesy of Everyday With Rachel Ray magazine.