Jam-filled Peanut Butter Cookies (3/24/08)

From: Desserts by the Yard, Sherry Yard

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature (optional; the cookies will be more cakey with the egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup grape jelly

  1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrap down the bowl. Beat in peanut butter. Scrape down the bowl. Add the egg if using, and beat in. Beat in the vanilla. Scrap down the bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month.)
  3. Dust an approximately 12-x-17-inch sheet of parchment paper with flour, place the dough on it, and dust the top of the dough. Top with another sheet of parchment and roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Place with the parchment on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
  4. Place racks in the middle and upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
  5. Remove the top sheet of parchment from the dough, and using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut 3-inch circles of dough. Top 1 circle with 1 teaspoon of the jelly and cover with another circle. Pinch the edges together and place on one of the baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining circles, placing the cookies 1 inch apart.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and from front to back, and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the cookies are nicely browned. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheets, on racks. Do not handle the cookies until cool-they're very crumbly and could easily fall apart. (The cookies can be stored airtight for 2 days.)

1 comment:

Alex said...

If other shape of cookie cutter is used, remember to use a bigger one. Also, don't forget to pinch the edges together; otherwise the jelly will melt in the oven and become lava, which doesn't look very good. Alternatively, I think it's okay to bake the cookies first and then sandwich the jelly between two baked cookies. This will be easier but the finished product will not have the sticky texture from the "cooked" jelly.