PB&J Sandwich Cookies

Today, I’m sharing another recipe that I’ve been holding on to for a little bit too long. These are cookies I’ve shared plenty of pictures of on Instagram, but kept tinkering around with the cookie and filling recipes until I got them *just right.* Now, I’m happy to announce that the recipe is ready to share – I’ve reached the point where I’m happy with it… finally 😉

The flavor combo at the core of these cookies is far from original – these are basically a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but cookie-fied. I’m not even sure what initially spurred me to make these, since I actually kind of hate pb&j sandwiches (I know, I know, SO weird…. I think eating one almost every day in my packed lunches growing up may have permanently killed most pb&j vibes for me in adulthood). THESE, however, I do not hate. These, I actually like… a lot. As a self-proclaimed pb&j sammy hater, I was both shocked and thrilled when I took a bite out of one of these pb&j cookie sandwiches — I completely forgot about my aversion to the classic lunchbox staple that inspired their creation.

The peanut butter cookies for these are super easy, one-bowl (YAY!), and they also happen to be gluten-free. They flatten and spread out a bit during their time in the oven, and I like to pull them out while they still look a little underdone — you’ll want to be careful not to overbake them (they cool on the cookie sheets, so they’ll actually bake a little bit more once you take them out). You want these cookies to stay nice and soft and perfect for smashing together with some of the whippiest and most delicious peanut butter buttercream you’ll ever taste. Oh, and a big ole’ dollop of jam. Because we can’t forget the ‘J’ in ‘PB&J.’

A final note before you start making a mad dash to your kitchen to whip up a batch of these tasty treats — the instructions included below will yield a batch of about 10 large cookie sandwiches (about 3″ in diameter, just to give you an idea). You can absolutely make these cookies smaller to get more sandwiches out of the recipe; just be sure to adjust/lessen the amount of time you bake the cookies in the oven to avoid overbaking them.

Oh, and extra brownie points to anyone who stuffs these in their kids’ lunches in lieu of an actual PB&J sandwich. That would be hilarious and great and I think your kids would not object. (I realize nutrition is important and I’m only half-serious about this. But if anyone does do this, please tell me, ok?)

PB&J Sandwich Cookies
Makes about 10 large cookie sandwiches

For the peanut butter cookies:
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter (I’ve always been a Jif girl, myself)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For the filling:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more if needed to reach desired consistency
About 1/2 cup raspberry jam (or whichever flavor you prefer)

1 cup peanuts (unsalted, peeled), chopped
1/2 cup white chocolate chips or wafers
1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Instructions:
To make the cookies, place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir with a spatula until well combined (an electric mixer can also be used). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, and scoop out 2 Tablespoon of dough, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Roll into balls and create a crosshatch pattern by pressing down on each one with a fork in opposite directions (this dough isn’t sticky at all, so you won’t have to dip the fork in flour or water to keep it from sticking).

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Place the cookies sheets in the freezer for 30 minutes and then bake in the preheated oven for 8-11 minutes. The cookies will be just set around the edges and the centers will look a little underbaked. Take the cookies out of the oven and leave them on the cookie sheet to cool before assembling. *if some of your cookies didn’t bake up perfectly round, you can round out the edges by pressing a butterknife or a round cookie cutter against them while they’re still warm (so right when you take them out of the oven!) to achieve that perfectly round shape.

While your cookies are cooling, make the peanut butter cream filling. Begin by placing the butter in the bowl of stand mixer and beat on medium for 1-2 minutes, until creamy and smooth. Add the peanut butter and beat another 2 minutes (scraping the bottoms/side of the bowl and the beater halfway through) until fully combined and smooth. Add the remainder of the ingredients, beginning with just 1/3 cup of heavy cream; beat on medium-high for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy (it should be nice and whippy). You’ll want to scrape your mixer bowl and beater down at least once during this time to make sure everything gets fully mixed. If you buttercream isn’t as light and whippy and you want it to be, dd in more cream a few tablespoons at a time and continue to beat on medium-high until you reach your desired consistency. Fill a piping bag with your peanut butter cream; you’ll want the tip to be about 1/2-inch in diameter.

Turn half of your cookies upside down (so that the flat bottoms of the cookies are facing up, and the crosshatch pattern is facing down); set the other half of your cookies aside. Beginning in the center of the cookie, pipe a thin layer of frosting (to keep the layer thin, keep the tip of your pastry bag close to the surface of the cookie), and then pipe a tall ring following the perimeter of the cookie (keep the tip further away from the surface of the cookie, by about 1/2-inch). Fill the centers with 1 to 2 Tablespoons of jam, and then top with one of the peanut butter cookies that you set aside. Repeat until all of your cookies are sandwiched.

Take a small handful of the chopped peanuts, and press into the sides of the cookies sandwiches, sticking them to the exposed cream filling. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate and peanut butter together and drizzle over the tops of your cookies to make them look even prettier. Let the chocolate set, and then serve & enjoy!