Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies

It's hot. It's hot and miserable here in California and i'm eagerly counting down the days until Fall. Summer and I have never really been on good terms, even though my birthday is in the Summer... Fall, Spring and even Winter and I are all good friends. Really, we are. We have an understanding and a respect for one another. But, Summer and I just don't see eye to eye. I think it has something to do with all the sweating and discomfort that comes along with the 100+ degree weather we get here. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what it is.

Today, as I was sitting in my nice cool house, away from the summer heat, making cooing noises and talking about pee pee to my 3-month-old, I decided that today would be a day of great accomplishment. Today I would do something very, very productive... So, do you know what I did? I'm sure you've guessed it by now... I baked some cookies! I haven't baked in what feels like ages. I'm usually toting around a pudgy little baby and I typically only have the use of one arm, so baking isn't usually part of the equation. But, today... I did it. I really did it! I made you something delicious that you're going to love, your kids are going to love, your spouses are going to love and your friends, family and neighbors are going to love! It's everyone's favorite childhood sandwich, only in cookie form. Everything is better in cookie form, don't you think?

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookie Recipe: {Print Recipe}

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• Strawberry jam or preserves
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or melting disks

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With your mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Mix in egg, peanut butter and vanilla. 

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly beat into wet mixture.

Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on a baking sheet. Use your finger to make an indention in the center. Fill with 1/4 teaspoon strawberry jam or preserves.

Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are golden.

Heat white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until chocolate is smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

Recipe yields about 40 cookies