Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

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These flourless peanut butter and jelly thumbprint cookies are super easy to make, just one bowl and six ingredients! They melt in your mouth and have a delicious contrast in flavor.

Peanut butter and jelly thumbprint cookies.

Peanut butter and jelly fans! This recipe is made especially for you. It can’t get easier than this, one bowl and just six ingredients to reach cookie bliss. These cookies are filled to the brim with sweet strawberry jam that sits perfectly in the thumbprint indent.

Do you remember making thumbprint cookies with your family or friends during the holidays? I always looked forward to rolling and smooshing these cookies to create a snug little well for the filling. You don’t have to be a kid to have fun making these.

Jif natural creamy peanut butter and Smucker's strawberry jam.

We grew up eating Smucker’s jam, our cupboard was loaded with grape, apricot, and strawberry flavors. Make sure to pick a seedless variety, so you don’t get them stuck in your teeth.

The jam is set like jello in the jar, so whisk it before filling to help make it easier to work with each cookie. Look at those magnificent jeweled center mini masterpieces! Sometimes the most simple treat hits the spot.

Thumb pressing cookie dough to make indent where the jam will go.

The cookie dough batter is a quick mixture of super smooth and creamy peanut butter. I used Jif Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, brown and white granulated sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla. That’s it!

Since there is no flour, you get a nice strong peanut flavor. The cookie just melts in your mouth. You’ll find yourself sneaking a cookie or two, three or four!

Teaspoon of red jam being placed in the thumbprint indent of a cookie.

These delicate and delicious peanut butter and jelly thumbprint cookies are the easiest sweet snack you could make this holiday season. Since they only have sugar and egg holding them together, they are more fragile than flour-based cookies yet have enough structure to hold in your hand.

Grab a big glass of milk, and a handful of cookies, and sit back and relax to your favorite holiday tunes. Enjoy!

Top down view of thumbprint cookies with jam in the middle.

How do these cookies hold together without flour?

These flourless thumbprint cookies are noticeably more delicate. However, a few ingredients in the batter hold the dough together. The eggs in the mixture contain proteins that, once cooked above 70 degrees, set and provide a structure to the dough. The egg helps to bind the ingredients. The sugars offer a hint of sweetness and add stiffness as it dissolves in the batter and assists in firming up the texture. It’s best to keep these cookies small, about 1-inch balls, to hold together.

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

These peanut butter and jelly thumbprint cookies are easy to make, you only need six ingredients and a little bit of baking time.
4.67 from 54 votes
Prep Time35 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time45 mins
Servings 26 cookies
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients  

  • 1 cup peanut butter, creamy, or peanut butter spread
  • ½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • cup seedless strawberry jam

Instructions 

  • In a bowl, whisk all ingredients together to combine, except jam. Press dough together into a ball, wrap tightly, and chill in fridge 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack set in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Shape dough into small 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
  • Lightly press the center of each dough ball with your thumb to create a well.
  • Stir jam so that it's easy to pour into each cookie. 
  • Add ¼ teaspoon of jam in the center of each cookie.
  • Bake 7 to 9 minutes, until just set on the outside but still very soft. Do not over bake.
  • Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet, and then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

Recipe Video

Equipment

Notes

  • Keep cookies in airtight container at room temp to preserve softness.
Nutrition Facts
Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies
Amount per Serving
Calories
99
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
5
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.03
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
0.1
g
Cholesterol
 
7
mg
2
%
Sodium
 
65
mg
3
%
Potassium
 
60
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
13
g
4
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
12
g
13
%
Protein
 
2
g
4
%
Vitamin A
 
10
IU
0
%
Calcium
 
1
mg
0
%
Iron
 
0.2
mg
1
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Jessica Gavin

I'm a culinary school graduate, cookbook author, and a mom who loves croissants! My passion is creating recipes and sharing the science behind cooking to help you gain confidence in the kitchen.

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