Peanut Butter & Jelly Graham Cookies

PB&J. Yum. Thick, smooth peanut butter and not just jelly, raspberry preserves…the best kind. Then, throw in the honey sweetness of good old graham crackers, and you’ve arrived in childhood bliss. At least, I think so: Peanut Butter & Jelly Graham Cookies.

Wowza!

I was trying to impress the kids ~ but also holding on to my own adoration of the seedy sweet goodness of high-quality raspberry preserves tucked inside a thumbprint cookie. Oh, and the salivating draw of graham crackers – I’ll bet you didn’t know a PB&J on grahams is far better than just soft bread!

Peanut Butter & Jelly Graham Cookies

 

1 cup smooth peanut butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¹⁄₂ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely ground graham cracker crumbs (processed in a high-speed blender)
1 cup raspberry preserves

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars together in a large mixing bowl. 

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add baking soda, powder, and vanilla. Stir in flour and graham “flour.”

 

Chill the dough for 1 hour. 

Roll into golf-ball-sized balls. Flatten cookies, using the back of a glass. 

Then, create a small divot in the center of each cookie with your thumb or the back of a teaspoon.

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 

Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes. 

 

Remove from oven and fill each divot with a dollop of raspberry preserves. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.

 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before dunking in milk and consuming!